Challenges in Rural Communication
Challenges in Rural Communication
Low literacy levelsLow literacy levels
Poor media reach and exposurePoor media reach and exposure
V Variations in ariations in reach reach of mediaof media
V Vast, heterast, heterogeneouogeneous s and and divdiversely ersely spread spread audienceaudience
V Variations in ariations in level level of literacy of literacy
Rural markets are largely media dark or media grey Rural markets are largely media dark or media grey
Communication requirements are:Communication requirements are:
Identification of the right mediumIdentification of the right medium
Development of region specific consumer profilesDevelopment of region specific consumer profiles
The Communication Problem
The Communication Problem
Scheduled Scheduled Languages Languages 17 17 Languages with Languages with widespread use widespread use 47 in primary education 47 in primary education 98 in print media 98 in print media 71 in radio; 13 in 71 in radio; 13 in filmsfilms
Local Vernaculars Local Vernaculars 1
114 recognized 14 recognized varietiesvarieties
National Languages National Languages English and Hindi English and Hindi
Understanding the Rural Audience
Understanding the Rural Audience
TTwo wo distinct sets of distinct sets of audiences iaudiences in rural In rural India:ndia:
A A grogrowing number wing number of educatof educated upwed upwardly ardly mobile,mobile,
aspirational with exposure to mass media aspirational with exposure to mass media
Poor illiterate masses who Poor illiterate masses who cannot be reached witcannot be reached with massh mass
media media
High degree of High degree of involinvolvement in purchase decision withvement in purchase decision with
role
role of infof influencersluencers
Communication has Communication has to gto generate worenerate word of d of mouthmouth
publicity publicity
Strong association with colours, numerals and visualsStrong association with colours, numerals and visuals
V Variations ariations in pin percerceptions, eptions, traditiotraditions ns and and values values inin
different parts of the country different parts of the country
The Communication Process
The Communication Process
SENDER Encoding
SENDER Encoding MESSAGEMESSAGE
MEDIA
MEDIA DecodingDecoding
RECEIVE RECEIVE R R NOISE NOISE Response Response Feedback Feedback •
•The message may not be received as sent due to:The message may not be received as sent due to:
Selective attention Selective attention Selective distortion Selective distortion Selective recall Selective recall
Developing Effective Communication
Developing Effective Communication
ProfilinProfiling the target g the target audienceaudience
Determining the communication objectivesDetermining the communication objectives
Designing the message and ensuring its effectivenessDesigning the message and ensuring its effectiveness
Selecting the communication channelsSelecting the communication channels
Profiling
Profiling
T
T
arget Audie
arget Audie
nce
nce
Probing and pProbing and profiling rofiling the buyerthe buyer, the user and the, the user and the
influencer influencer
Social classes and intentionsSocial classes and intentions
Consumer receptivity Consumer receptivity –– use of colours and slogansuse of colours and slogans
Growing brand consciousnessGrowing brand consciousness
TTraditional lraditional lifestylesifestyles
Collective Collective decision decision makingmaking
Identification of purchase needsIdentification of purchase needs
Determining Communication Objectives
Determining Communication Objectives
The communication objectives can be to:The communication objectives can be to:
Bring about AWARENESSBring about AWARENESS
Create INTERESTCreate INTEREST
MovMove to CONVICTION and e to CONVICTION and DESIREDESIRE
Persuade the customer to buy - ACTIONPersuade the customer to buy - ACTION
Be clear as to Be clear as to which communication is which communication is looking atlooking at
which
Determining Communication Objectives
Determining Communication Objectives
Promotional
Promotional
Element
Element Communication AchievedCommunication Achieved
AICD
AICDA A
Level
Level
Market Market
demonstrations
demonstrations Prospect Prospect identifidentification ication A,IA,I
Farmer’s Meets
Farmer’s Meets Interest Interest to to action action I,C,D,A I,C,D,A
Video
Video VVans ans ExcitExcitement, ement, AnnouncAnnouncement ement A,IA,I Personal
Personal Selling Selling Understand Understand and and Explain Explain C,D,A C,D,A Opinion
Opinion Leaders Leaders WWord ord of of Mouth Mouth C,D,A C,D,A Mechanic
Determining Communication Objectives
Determining Communication Objectives
Promotional
Promotional
Element
Element Communication AchievedCommunication Achieved
AICD
AICDA A
Level
Level
W
Wall Paall Paintings intings AAwarwareness, Ineness, Informatiformation on A,IA,I Handbills
Handbills A Awarwareness, Ineness, Informatiformation, Clarifyingon, Clarifying doubts
doubts A,I A,I Dealer
Dealer POP POP AAwareness, wareness, Information Information A,IA,I Audio
Audio JinglJingles es AAwarwareness, Infeness, Informationormation, Excit, Excitement ement A,IA,I Calendars,
Calendars, Merchandise
Designing the Message
Designing the Message
Message ContentMessage Content
Rational (self interest), emotional (positive or negative)Rational (self interest), emotional (positive or negative)
or moral (what is right and proper) appeal or moral (what is right and proper) appeal
Simple and local languageSimple and local language
Message StructureMessage Structure –– simple, short and self-simple, short and
self-explanatory; mainly pictorial explanatory; mainly pictorial
Message FormatMessage Format –– linking benefits to productlinking benefits to product
attributes attributes
Context AssociationContext Association –– use a true rural environmentuse a true rural environment
Message SourceMessage Source –– should should be likeable, trbe likeable, trustworthy ustworthy andand
seen to be an expert seen to be an expert
Message Effectiveness
Message Effectiveness
Simple; communicators also need to understand thatSimple; communicators also need to understand that
wor
words ds havhave e differdifferent ment meanings in eanings in differdifferent ent regionsregions
Pictorial presentPictorial presentations improve ations improve recallrecall
FormForm
Utilitarian to influence attitudes and preferencesUtilitarian to influence attitudes and preferences
Narrative to increase attentionNarrative to increase attention
Trustworthy, likeable and expert sourceTrustworthy, likeable and expert source
Context association to create interest and Context association to create interest and improvimprovee
comprehension comprehension
Communication Channels
Communication Channels
PersonalPersonal
Adv Advocateocate –– Company sales peopleCompany sales people
ExpertExpert
SocialSocial –– Neighbours, friends, family members (mostNeighbours, friends, family members (most
effective in rural) effective in rural)
Non-personalNon-personal
Mass mediaMass media –– print, broadcast, electronic and display print, broadcast, electronic and display
Atmospheres Atmospheres –– a packaged environmenta packaged environment
Promotion Mix
Promotion Mix
Adv Advertising tertising to o build build a loa long term ng term imagimagee
Sales promotionSales promotion –– coupons, ccoupons, contests, demonstontests, demonstrationsrations
and sampling and sampling
Direct marketingDirect marketing –– one to one communicationone to one communication
Public relations and publicity Public relations and publicity –– has higher credibility has higher credibility
Factors in Setting the Promotion Mix
Factors in Setting the Promotion Mix
Type of product marketType of product market –– consumer goods rankconsumer goods rank
advertising, sales promotion, sales force, public advertising, sales promotion, sales force, public relations in th
relations in that orat orderder
PushPush
Use Use of of sales sales force force and and trade trade promotion promotion OR OR
PullPull
Use of advertising and consumer promotiUse of advertising and consumer promotion to createon to create
demand demand
Factors in Setting the Promotion Mix
Factors in Setting the Promotion Mix
Buyer Readiness StageBuyer Readiness Stage
Product Lifecycle StageProduct Lifecycle Stage STA
STAGE GE PromotioPromotional nal TToolool
Awar
Awareness eness Advertising Advertising and Publicity and Publicity Interest
Interest Advertising Advertising and and Publicity Publicity Desire
Desire Sales Sales PromotionPromotion Action
Action Sales FSales Force, Direct orce, Direct MarkMarketingeting
STA
STAGE GE PromotioPromotional nal TToolool
Introduction
Introduction Advertising Advertising and Publicand Public Relations/Publicity Relations/Publicity Growth
Growth TToning oning down down since since momentmomentum um achievedachieved Maturity
Maturity Sales Promotion, Advertising and SalesSales Promotion, Advertising and Sales Force
Force Decline
Creating Advertisements for Rural
Creating Advertisements for Rural
Audiences
Audiences
Understanding the mindset of potential customersUnderstanding the mindset of potential customers
Picking uPicking up local idioms, expressions and wordsp local idioms, expressions and words
A Avoid void using trickyusing tricky, g, gimmicky immicky or or even even suggestivsuggestivee
advertising advertising
Combine education with entertainmentCombine education with entertainment
Rural Advertising Production
Rural Advertising Production
Global Positioning - English
Global Positioning - English
Regional Adaptations
Regional Adaptations –– Hindi for North, Tamil for South,Hindi for North, Tamil for South,
Bengali for East, Marathi for West
Bengali for East, Marathi for West
Area
Area specific adaspecific adaptationptation –– Example Punjabi for PunjabExample Punjabi for Punjab
Last Destination Adaptation
Rural Media
Rural Media
Conventional Mass Conventional Mass Media Media Non-conventional Non-conventional MediaMedia Personalised MediaPersonalised Media T
Television elevision Haat Haat and and Mela Mela Direct Direct MailersMailers Radio
Radio
Folk Media like Folk Media like puppet sh
puppet showow, , magicmagic show show Point of Sale Point of Sale –– Demonstration, Demonstration, Leaflets Leaflets Press
Press Video Video VVan an WWord ord of of MouthMouth
Cinema Mandi
Cinema Mandi InterpersonalInterpersonal Communication Communication
Outdoor Animator
Mass Media
Mass Media
RadioRadio is cheapest buis cheapest but share of pie in rural is only 2%t share of pie in rural is only 2%
InvolvInvolvement with advertiseement with advertisements iments is very lows very low
TelevisionTelevision ownership 19% in rural. Community viewingownership 19% in rural. Community viewing
increases viewership increases viewership
Fastest groFastest growing wing but limitbut limitations due to aations due to availabilvailability of ity of
electricity and clash of
electricity and clash of value systvalue systemsems
CinemaCinema has universal appeal but is experiencing ahas universal appeal but is experiencing a
downturn due to lack of facilities and the fact that it is not downturn due to lack of facilities and the fact that it is not free
free
PrintPrint is reasonably popis reasonably popularular. Rural . Rural people people howevhowever moreer more
interested in local news rather than national and interested in local news rather than national and international
Mass Media
Mass Media
W Wall Paintingsall Paintings is most widespread and is most widespread and is the favourite is the favourite of of
rural masses rural masses
Economical and can be customised to local language.Economical and can be customised to local language.
Audienc
Audience e recall rrecall rates ates are are highhigh
Lack of availability and quality of walls and painters limitsLack of availability and quality of walls and painters limits
their use their use
Exclusive rights not available to companiesExclusive rights not available to companies
Outsourced operation with loOutsourced operation with loose controlsose controls
Mass Media Reach
Mass Media Reach
TTelevielevision has sion has the highesthe highest reach by SEC, village class,t reach by SEC, village class,
age group or g
age group or gendenderer
This is follThis is followowed by radio, then press, cinema and cableed by radio, then press, cinema and cable
and satellite and satellite
In bigger villages (5Kand more) press haIn bigger villages (5Kand more) press has higher reachs higher reach
than radio
than radio and C an S and C an S higher than cinemahigher than cinema
Reach for almost all media as we move from the teensReach for almost all media as we move from the teens
to the older ages to the older ages
Reach of all Reach of all media lower for fmedia lower for females lemales lowower than that of er than that of
males due to value systems in rural males due to value systems in rural
Folk Media
Folk Media
Folk TheatreFolk Theatre –– used mainly for socially relevant issues. Folkused mainly for socially relevant issues. Folk
songs
songs and and dances dances also also used used extensively extensively
Magic ShowsMagic Shows –– Entertaining and raising curiosity Entertaining and raising curiosity
Puppet ShowsPuppet Shows –– linked to religious ceremonieslinked to religious ceremonies
Interactive GamesInteractive Games
A Availability vailability of right of right kind kind of troupe of troupe and high and high costs costs areare
limitations o
limitations of f folk mediafolk media
Focus should not be purely on brand promotionFocus should not be purely on brand promotion
V Venues enues and timing and timing of campaigns of campaigns should be should be plannedplanned
carefully carefully
The medium and thThe medium and the troupes should gel with the culture of e troupes should gel with the culture of
the region the region
Video Van
Video Van
Used for prUsed for promotion, sampling and demomotion, sampling and demonstrationsonstrations
Film shows are the main attractionFilm shows are the main attraction
V Very high ery high cost cost of operof operationation
Attr Attract act lots lots of childrof children en who who are are neither neither users,users,
inf
Haats
Haats
Sunday markets most popularSunday markets most popular
Cater to 15 to 20 villagesCater to 15 to 20 villages
Used more for sales promotion rather than brandUsed more for sales promotion rather than brand
building building
Also Also used for used for livlive e demonstrdemonstrationsations
Haat campaigns should plan three outingsHaat campaigns should plan three outings
1.
1. For awarenessFor awareness
2.
2. Sales promotiSales promotion and convon and conversionersion
3.
Melas
Melas
Start with TStart with Top 100 op 100 commercial mecommercial melas and thlas and then en move move toto
smaller melas smaller melas
Target melas closer to larger villages and those that lastTarget melas closer to larger villages and those that last
longer longer
Melas cater to a larger audience and a place forMelas cater to a larger audience and a place for
entertainment and shopping entertainment and shopping
Melas attrMelas attract families whereas act families whereas haats are malehaats are male
dominated dominated
Personalized Media
Personalized Media
Point Point of of PurchasePurchase
DisplaysDisplays –– low size low size of shof shops are ops are a serious limita serious limitation;ation;
retailer
retailers prefer ts prefer to push spurious/fo push spurious/fake brands ake brands and hand henceence do not display POP
do not display POP
DemonstrationsDemonstrations
Direct MailersDirect Mailers
Personalised with audience selectivity used for testingPersonalised with audience selectivity used for testing
and measuring of results and measuring of results
Rural Media Flow
Rural Media Flow
OPINION OPINION LEADERS LEADERS RURAL MASSES RURAL MASSES
The ideal media model is to influence the opinion
The ideal media model is to influence the opinion
leaders before targeting the rural consumer
leaders before targeting the rural consumer
Press and direct marketing are most effective for this
Media Innovation
Media Innovation
Rural communication through 10,000 National ServiceRural communication through 10,000 National Service
V
Volunteers olunteers whose whose job is job is to to creatcreate e awawareness areness on on socialsocial issues
issues
Appo Appointment intment of female of female comcommunicatomunicators rs (Pracha(Pracharinis)rinis)
by HUL to targ
by HUL to target health and et health and hygiene issues thhygiene issues throughrough grass roots level animation
Influence of Consumer Behaviour on
Influence of Consumer Behaviour on
Communication Strategies
Communication Strategies
State of readiness oState of readiness of f the consumer from athe consumer from awareness to conwareness to convictionviction
InvolvInvolvement levels which vary with the purchement levels which vary with the purchase of ase of different itemsdifferent items
Stage in the product life cycleStage in the product life cycle
Product Type
Product Type
Stage
Stage in in Product Life Product Life CycleCycle
Introduction
Introduction Maturity Maturity Brand
Brand Launch Launch MaintenanceMaintenance Non-durable
Non-durable product product
Demonstrations and trials to Demonstrations and trials to
create knowledge and create knowledge and
adoption adoption
Image creation and getting Image creation and getting the retailer to promote the the retailer to promote the
product product Reminder Reminder advertisement and advertisement and availability availability Durable Durable product product
Demonstration with focus on Demonstration with focus on opinion leaders to educate, opinion leaders to educate, create favourable attitudes and create favourable attitudes and
conviction conviction Image building, Image building, demonstration of demonstration of advantages and use of advantages and use of
opinion leaders opinion leaders
Retaining image and Retaining image and customer satisfaction customer satisfaction
Communication Strategy by Situation
Communication Strategy by Situation
Launch of a new productLaunch of a new product –– lack of awareness of thelack of awareness of the
product itself
product itself –– demonstrations and use of opiniondemonstrations and use of opinion leaders. Examples Hair dye, jeans
leaders. Examples Hair dye, jeans
Launch of a new brandLaunch of a new brand –– creating awareness andcreating awareness and
promoting brand shift. Efforts also need to be made for promoting brand shift. Efforts also need to be made for retailers to stock the brand
retailers to stock the brand
