Using Mass media, reaching rural market is easy - Akhil Agarwal

I believe the challenge of rural marketing is different from that of marketing to urban consumers because of the complexity of rural markets and the scale of investment required in achieving penetration. Below are some of the reasons why mass media is not proper way to reach rural market.

1. Expenses are yearlong; income is seasonal

A unique feature of the rural market is the seasonality of demand. Being predominantly agrarian, rural incomes tend to be skewed towards a couple of months in the year (post-harvest). It is therefore important that marketers focus their marketing activities during this time.

2. Higher receptivity to advertising, with lower persuasion

Rural consumers are more readily persuaded by marketing that touches them directly, such as personal experience, seeing others using it, or live demonstrations of the brand in action.

Unilever's Lifebuoy soap used a 'germ glow box' as part of a demo kit to highlight the importance of washing hands in an anti-bacterial soap (the brand's central proposition).

3. Slow to adopt brands. Slow to give them up

Being relatively closed societies, rural consumers are slower to adopt new brands and categories than their urban counterparts. Generating trial becomes more difficult than gaining loyalty.

4. Intra community influences are relatively more important than inter-community ones

Being geographically scattered, rural communities are relatively detached from the mainstream population. This makes intra community communications rather critical. For example, Colgate taps into school teachers to reach kids (early adopters of more expensive toothpaste) through its "Bright Smile, Bright Future" program.

5. Information hungry; but entertainment starved

Rural communities have limited entertainment options, which make it easier for marketing communications to generate higher levels of involvement by making their communications more entertaining. Edutainment is a proven model for rural markets. Nokia has successfully used a highly engaging radio drama to communicate its 'one year warranty' to first time buyers in India.

6. Scarcity of media bandwidth, but abundance of attention

The key challenge for marketers in rural markets is reach rather than attention. Hindustan Unilever's micro marketing program in India tapped into women's Self Help Groups to reach consumers in inaccessible rural markets.