BEND IT IN BHARAT

India’s 700 million villages, housing almost 70% of the nation’s consuming population, have had marketers salivating after them for almost half a decade. But the real boom is coming only now, with rural demand for durable and non-durable products far outpacing consumerism in saturated urban markets. Villagers now account for the majority of consumer spending in the country, more than $100 billion a year. And if you thought that this spending is limited to essentials and necessities, here’s the eye opener. Rural India buys 46% of all soft drinks sold, 49% of motorcycles and 59% of cigarettes. FMCG conglomerates like HUL and CavinKare get more than 30% and 50% respectively of their revenues from rural India. It is not that overnight rural India has become prosperous and consumerism is booming. The devil is in the detail. A decade ago, India had only 400 microfinance institutions covering merely 200,000 customers between them. Today, more than a thousand microfinance institutions crisscross India’s rural lanes and serve over 17 million people. Easy finance availability has added fuel to the fire created by the flush of media created awareness that has seeped into ‘Bharat’ over the last decade. So while till a few years ago, a video on wheels, branded vans and a song and dance show were enough to push your brands amidst rural folks, an overexposure to TV has killed that appeal today. Product customisation no longer means just reducing the bottle to the sachet; and promotions do not merely mean painting the village sarpanch’s house to entice others to buy your paint. The time is ripe for more focused and relevant messaging and well-thought-out specific strategies to woo these simpletons. Some brands have already cracked the new mantras to succeed in rural India. For those who are still bemused, here’s your chance to learn and earn.

For more articles, Click on IIPM Article.

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2010.

An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri and Arindam chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.

The Sunday Indian:- B-SCHOOL RANKING SCAMSTERS EXPOSED!
For Exclusive Footage by Sunday Indian Click Here

Outlook Magazine's B School Ranking Scam Exposed
Don't trust the Indian Media!
IIPM exposes Career 360 and Mahesh Peri scam
IIPM - We will change your outlook : Career 360 and Mahesh Peri scam is exposed

IIPM: An intriguing story of growth and envy
Prof Arindam Chaudhuri of IIPM on MF HUSAIN‎
IIPM Related Links
IIPM 3-year full-time Integrated (MBA BBA) Programme
IIPM 2-year full time Programme (leading to the award of the MBA degree from IMI)
B-schools expect higher rate of campus placements this year
Exclusive In chat with Society Magazine - Prof. Arindam Chaudhuri