Rural advertising has always been an effective strategy for attracting large groups of people in rural India, and it will continue to be so in the future. Suppose you have a smart advertising plan that focuses on proper user interaction. In that case, you can provide each target group member with a memorable experience And, after all, Isn’t it the heart you wish to win?
Rural advertising, when done correctly, is a highly effective method of increasing brand awareness. However, how do you know what works and what doesn’t? In this blog post, we’ll share the best rural advertising methods in India to help you increase exposure for your business.
But, before we go any further, let’s take a quick look at what rural advertising is and what you should do before implementing rural advertising strategies.
1. WHAT IS A RURAL ADVERTISING STRATEGY?
A rural advertising strategy is a plan to reach and persuade a rural customer to buy a product or a service. Each company has its own strategy. All forms of advertising strategy, however, adhere to a few basic rules. Hence it becomes mandatory to learn those basics before implementing the strategy.
2. PRIOR TO IMPLEMENTING YOUR RURAL ADVERTISING STRATEGIES: ENVISAGE YOUR GOALS AND AUDIENCEÂ
There are two things to keep in mind if you decide to venture into rural advertising in India. The first stage is to define a clear goal for your efforts, then learn about your target audience and align your goals with theirs.Â
Begin by compiling a detailed profile of your target audience’s demographics utilizing existing data and rigorous rural market research. Divide them into different categories based on their customer personas. Make a commitment to them that you’ll use your commercial to educate, entertain, and inspire them in such a way that they’ll feel connected to the product or service you’re promoting.
3. RURAL ADVERTISING STRATEGIES TO IMPLEMENT
Unleash the power of word-of-mouth advertising in rural areas
Word-of-mouth advertising refers to actions taken by a company to encourage others to talk about their products, services, or brand on their own. It also refers to the actions of those who are willing to share their experiences and recommend others on your behalf. Instead of collecting, begin connecting actively and engagingly.Â
As a well-known rural marketing agency in India, we believe that the more connected you are, the more likely the rural audience is to listen to you. They will gradually become your customers. And what should the average consumer do? Promote! Isn’t that correct? Customers are effectively marketing for you because they like your product! As a result, your product will reach a larger number of people, increasing business growth.
Opportunity knocks on the door with a door-to-door rural advertising strategy
Door-to-door marketing is a type of direct advertising commonly used in sales, marketing, advertising, and campaigning. D2D sales representatives visit potential customers in their homes and persuade them to purchase products or services. This process entails searching for new potential customers, identifying their needs, matching those needs with products and services, and then demonstrating and detailing the benefits by adding value.
Puppet shows as a rural advertising strategy to entice rural consumers to leave their comfort zones
In rural areas, a dramatic performance delivered by a puppeteer with dialogues and background music using human-looking dolls controlled by strings by the puppeteer is considered an appealing option for entertainment. It thus attracts a large crowd, making puppet shows one of India’s best rural advertising strategies. Furthermore, advertisements like these bring shy people and rural ladies out of their homes. This way, a varied audience may be gathered, selling low-cost goods or services. At the same time, the audience promises engagement since people prefer to respond to a puppet than an unfamiliar face.
We used this puppet show advertising strategy for the Gwalior municipal corporation, in which the puppet show team had a musical jingle for their performance, which was also based on the Swachhta platform, and the jingle was created to attract more and more people to come and join us in our mission of cleanliness. We tried to make the message as engaging as possible so that the WOM generated by these activities could reach as many people as possible.
Add village melas and fairs to your rural advertising strategy to draw attention
The village’s most anticipated events are melas or village fairs. About 25,000 melas are organized annually where thousands of people belonging to diverse groups attend. People visiting these melas are relaxed, meaning they can be convinced more quickly than interactive activities where they are invited on regular working days. These fairs or celebrations coincide with the numerous festivals attracting nearly the entire crowds from neighboring villages. As a result, setting up a stall at one of these fairs is a wise method to draw a village’s attention to a business.Â
For example –Â
- Hindustan Unilever’s Red Label has installed the first-of-its-kind tea vending machines that double-up as dustbins across the Kumbh city in the Kumbh city. The machine, labeled “Kachra le aao, chai le jaao (bring rubbish, get a cup of tea),” dispenses a fresh cup of tea every time a pilgrim disposes of garbage in the bin, due to built-in sensors, encouraging pilgrims to use the bins.
- Harpic launched the campaign ‘Hoga Toilet Vidhi Ka Gyaan, Toh Badhega Kumbh ka Maan,’ which encourages tourists to dump water in the toilet as a token of respect for the next person.
Other brands like Coca-Cola, Odomos, JK super cement, Reliance Jio, etc., used melas and fairs as their effective rural advertising strategy gaining rural audience attention.
Hoardings and wall paintings will imprint your company’s name on the minds of rural audiences
Hoarding advertising is a very old and efficient method of branding. The marketer or rural marketing agency will place hoardings on the roadside as part of this approach. Apart from hoarding, wall painting is the most efficient branding method in rural areas. Markets and advertising decide the design of the wall painting. The layout is then given over to a local artist to finish the artwork. In India’s rural areas, people desire to live with traditional values. As a result, wall painting is a surefire technique to get the villagers’ attention. So, if you want good product advertising in rural markets, then this method is best for you. Hence it is a win-win situation.
Popular Brands like Tata Shakti, Rin, Wheel, Birla, Patanjali, Ambuja Cement, Vim, Phillips, Coca-Cola, Horlicks, etc., used wall paintings as their rural advertising strategy.
Come up with an Audio announcement at bus stationsÂ
Near small towns, an audio announcement at bus stops significantly impacts brand and product advertising. Many businesses have made history by using bus stops to promote their products and grow their brands. Companies have been successful and have made the best of bad circumstances by selecting intelligent products and coming up with remarkable ideas.
Mobile vans – a viable rural advertising strategy
Audios and Videos make a stronger impression than text alone. Similarly, in rural areas, these channels provide strongly influenced brand impressions. As a result, mobile vans must be a viable option for rural advertising.Â
Mobile vans can also be used to broadcast the brand’s image and message over many places in a single village, or even several villages, in a single day. Placing brochures, flyers, and product samples in the mobile van will help to improve the brand’s image in the community. The splendor of the medium, direct engagement capability, and the fact that it has a tremendous impact on memory levels are all advantages of video vans.
Ascent used vans as a medium to drive maximum engagement for the giant media client NDTV campaign “CashlessBanoIndia” to create national awareness on digital transactions, which resulted in us gathering the most number of people. The business owners were taught how to use various digital tools in this setting.Â
CONCLUSION
The truth is that few people understand what goes into creating a massive rural advertising campaign in India until it begins to spread. Some brands, on the other hand, have figured out what makes their target demographic tick. So, why not learn the best rural advertising strategies and win the hearts of rural audiences? Contact Ascent – a rural marketing agency in India for the best rural advertising strategies for your business.
Also Read: Major Touchpoints Marketers Can’t Afford to Miss in Their Rural Marketing Initiatives
Written by – Kirti
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