Essay About Rural Marketing And Rural Markets

Rural Marketing in India
TAKING YOUR BRAND TO THE HINTERLAND
Marketers are taking key interest in marketing their products in the rural
markets these days. In India, there is a huge gap between the urban and
rural markets in terms of literacy levels, standard of living, disposable
income, occupation etc. It has become really difficult to survive in the
urban markets because of cutthroat competition as well as the advanced
products expected by the consumers in short intervals. However, rural
markets carry a greater potential for expansion.
In India, more than 60% of the total population resides in rural sectors
and these sectors are huge and scattered. The real income of rural
households has increased from 2.8% to 3.6%. Higher incomes and
exposure to urban lifestyles have raised the aspirations of the rural
population to improve their standard of living and gain access to new
products and services.
Marketing strategies that consider all the elements of the marketing mix
and are designed according to the requirements of the market will
surely lead to success in rural markets.
Companies like Coca Cola, Colgate, Eveready batteries, Parle, Micromax
etc. are enjoying great success in rural markets due to effective
marketing. At present, rural India accounts for 34% in FMCG
consumption. HUL has launched special initiatives such as, “Project
Shakti” to push its rural sales, and has also introduced a television
channel called “Shakti Amma”. You must have heard about Parle- G
being priced at Rs 2, Chik shampoos sold in sachets at 50 paise and 500
gram packs of Godrej soaps priced at Rs.5. All these are in line with the
rural psychology of high aspirations and price consciousness.
Nokia had earlier launched Nokia 1100 with a torch. Further it launched
Nokia