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ISSN (Online): 2394-2932

Volume-3 | Issue-1 | June-2016 Paper Id: 030841 Page No: 01 -18

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RURAL ADVERTISING IN INDIAN SCENARIO-AN

ANALYTICAL STUDY

by

Ms. ZakiaTasmin Rahman | Assistant Prof. & Research Scholar | Amity School of Communication,

Amity University | Uttar Pradesh | Noida Campus

&

Dr. Swati Bute | Assistant Prof. | Amity School of Communication, Amity University | Uttar Pradesh |

Noida Campus ABSTRACT

The research was conducted to study the immense potential of Indian Rural

Market. With a population already in excess of 1 billion people, India has

attracted multinational corporations across the globe as a place of opportunity

for exploring new markets. Understanding the characteristics that make the

people and the market in rural India unique has helped corporations to enter

this market with success. The rising literacy level and increasing income

sources in rural India are due to upsurge of Fast Moving Consumer Goods

(FMCG) companies in rural market and Government aided programmes for

the upliftment of rural poor. The underlying aim of the research is to study the

factors which are responsible for increase of advertising opportunities in rural

markets.

The rural masses get influenced by media advertisements. Through media

they are exposed to various brands that are available in the market. The

various products brands which include lifestyle brands like fashion, food,

health, travel, gadgets, relationships, pets, parenting, etc. are part of rural

advertising.

It is found out from the study that the young adults from the age group of 18

to 35 years are much interested in the advertisements on various brands that

media provides. They feel it enhances their living standard which in

developing their confidence level. The masses need information and they get

it through the advertisements in various media which makes them aware of the

existence of various brands and the attributes of the brands. That makes easier

for the rural masses to decide on their buying behavior.

Keywords: Rural Market, Rural Advertising, Media.




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INTRODUCTION

The rural FMCG market expanded at a CAGR of 13.2 per cent to US$ 100 billion during 2009-15. In the rural

markets, durable goods like refrigerators as well as consumer electronic goods are likely to witness increasing

demand in the years to come as the planning of the government is to invest significantly in rural electrification.

The Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) sector in semi-urbanandrural India is estimated to cross US$ 20 billion

by 2018 and US$ 100 billion by 2025

Government Initiatives

Indian Government has planned different initiatives to provide and improve the infrastructure in rural areas which is

expected have a multiplier effect in growing movements of goods, services and thereby improve earnings potential

of rural areas which will simultaneously improve consumption.

Players of E-commerce like Flipkart, Snapdeal, Infibeam and mobile wallet major Paytm has signed a MoUs with

the government to reach rural areas by connecting with common service centers (CSCs) of the government being

setup in villages as part of the ‘Digital India’ initiative.

By using innovative strategies many Companies like HUL, ITC, Nirma, Dabur, Godrej, Coca-Cola, Pepsi, LG,

Samsung, Maruti, Hyundai, Bharti Airtel and Idea Cellular have succeeded.

The objective of the study is to analyze role of advertising for the rural masses in India. The analysis is whether

media is responsible for promoting various brands for the rural masses and the benefits the rural masses are getting

from the advertisements as consumers and advertisers are getting as producers of various brands.

Need of the Study

The study is needed for exploring the rural market. This will help the advertisers of various brands of products to

understand the media usage habits of the rural consumers of the country which will help the brand promoters and

advertisers to choose the right media for the publicity of the brand’s products. The findings of such study will be

helpful to business heads, planners of business, promotional activities in-charges, advertisers, strategy makers,

policy makers, executives, marketers, students, academicians and researchers who are directly or indirectly

associated with advertising and promotions for the rural masses.

The objectives of the study are to:

1. Know about the use of various media for advertising and promotions for the rural markets.

2. Find out awareness of the rural customers about the availability of certain products in the rural market.

3. Ascertain the buying behavior of the rural consumers.

To find out the awareness of the rural customers about the availability of certain products in the rural market

questionnaires were used. The questionnaires contain questions wherein the lists of media are given for better

understanding of the media preferences by the respondents for making themselves aware about the availability of the

various brand’s products in the market. It was asked which media is most effective in influencing their buying

decisions.

The buying behavior of the rural masses doesn’t only depend on advertisements and promotions on various media.

Some of the respondents stated that their buying decision is not influenced by media advertisements and promotions.




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The other factors which influence the buying decisions of the rural consumers are sometimes the head of the family

takes the decisions, it depends on income of the consumers, geographical locations, climatic conditions, education

level, income, societal norms, etc. The respondents were asked to give their preferences of certain FMCG products

of daily use. The rural consumer’s decision making in buying the products were studied.

Scope and utility

Rural customers are taken into consideration.

The study will help the policy makers, government, advertisers and researchers to understand the buying habits of

the rural consumers. It will help the multinationals, public and private enterprises to explore more the rural market.

Marketers, advertisers, stakeholders and business establishments will be benefitted. The rural customers will also get

the benefit of having various options of their choice and requirement of a particular product. They will get access to

a variety of products with different brand names.

The Indian grocery retail industry is one of the most vibrant and fast-growing industries due to the entry of several

new players. It accounts for over 16 per cent of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and around 8 per cent

of the employment.

REVIEW OF LITRATURE

1 Hitendra Bargal, Ashish Sharma and Dr. Vijay Pithadia(2005)stated that special measures are required to promote

brands in rural markets. The personal selling efforts have a challenging role to play in this regard due to the social

and backward condition. In rural areas the word of mouth is an important message carrier. The opinion leaders

influence the promotion strategy of rural market. For consumer durable and non-durable companies the experiences

of agricultural input industry can act as a guideline. Mass Media’s relevance is also a significant factor.

The authors also stated that the industries which are established in India have the advantages, whereas MNC do not

get the same privileges. The strong Indian brands have consumer demand-pull, strong brand equity, efficient and

dedicated dealer network. Rural market has a strong hold on the country shops, which affects the sale of the products

in rural market. The companies are trying to increase growth in rural areas. They are identifying the fact that rural

people are now in a better position with their disposable income.

2Kamal Kant Bishnoi and Chetan Choudhary(2010)while studying about the challenges & strategies stated special

dealings require promoting brands in rural markets. Due to the social and backward condition the personal selling

efforts become challenging. Word of mouth is an important message carrier in rural areas. Agricultural input

industry’s experiences can act as a guideline for the marketing efforts of companies of consumer durables and non-

durables. A very important factor is relevance of mass media.

They also stated that the Indian established Industries have the advantages, which MNCs donot enjoy in this regard.

The stronger Indian brands have strong brand equity, consumer demand-pull, efficient and dedicated dealer network

which have been created. The companies are trying to increase growth in rural areas.

3 Girisha M. and Deeepu Kumar (2011) segmented the rural market in the following manner

Segmenting Rural Markets




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The process of dividing a heterogeneous market is through segmenting the market into several sub-markets, each of

which trends to be homogenous in significant ways. Following are some predominant factors which necessitate the

segmentation of rural markets.

• Heterogeneity in the rural markets.

• The differences of socio-culture across regions.

• Variation in population density and population size of the villages.

• Differences in levels of infrastructural development

• Exposure levels in media.

• Literacy level variations.

• Variations in patterns of income flow and income level.

• Structure of the family

According to the authors the rural markets can be segmentedbyusing various dimensions such as geographic,

psychographic, demographic and behavioral basis. For rural market one of the useful segmentation schemes is the

socio-economic classification which uses the occupation of the main wage-earner and the type of house they live in.

Challenges of Rural Marketing

The authors stated the challenges of rural market. A marketer faces many challenges when try to market his products

or services in the rural areas, the first is posed by low population densityand geographic spreadof the villages. The

second challenge is from the low purchasing power and limitation in the disposable incomes in these parts of the

country. The third challenge is from 4A’s of rural market, that is, Affordability, Avialability, Awareness and

Acceptability.

(4) Dr. Ashfaq Ahmed (2013)stated in his paper rural markets have a great scope for a concentrated marketing effort

because of the recent increase in the rural incomes. Incomes will increase due of better production and higher prices

for agricultural production. Rural Marketing is a concept which is developing. As a part of any economy it has

untapped potential. Marketers have realized the potential of rural market. Development in infrastructure and

research promise a bright future for those intending to go rural. Differences do exist between urban and rural India.

Rural India customers always wanted value for money.

The companies have understood the importance of communication in local language for promoting their products in

rural market. The marketers have started selling the concept of quality with suitable communication and easily

understandable communication.

(5) Manpreet Kaur, (2013) in her case study on Hindustan Unilever Limitedstated that rural markets have acquired

significance, as the growth of the economy has resulted in increased purchasing power of the rural consumers. Due

to the green revolution, rural consumers are consuming a large quantity products which are of industrial and urban

manufactured. A special marketing strategy, namely, rural marketing has emerged. Hindustan Unilever is the

pioneer in entering the rural market. It is the largest player in India’s FMCG market. HUL was the first company to

step in the rural market.




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Rural Product Strategy

The author also added that rural markets prefer products which are simple and easy to use. The packaging has to be

convenient and cost-effective. Sophisticated packaging adds to the cost. For instance, the sachet revolution played a

big role in making many consumer products popular in the rural market. The product literature should be simple and

easy for the rural customers. The information should outline the functional benefits clearly and should be transparent

manner. The products should cater to the distinct needs of rural customers and provide value for money.

Rural Promotion Strategy

According to the author media should take care of the promotional activities that are comfortable and appropriate for

the rural areas. Positive word-of-mouth through opinion leaders and local reference groups is considered as the key

to success in the rural markets. Traditional art form such as puppet shows and street plays or creating awareness

through village panchayat members can be beneficial. Other methods like distribution of pamphlets, use of mobile

publicity vans and advertising on walls can also help in building a relationship with the rural masses.

(6) While talking about the growth of rural market authors, Rajiv Kaushik and Kapil Dev (2013) stated that the

Indian rural market is growing tremendously. Many big companies have entered in the rural market, changed their

marketing strategies and got benefits. Several companies are exclusively setting up new department with dedicated

team to learn how to venture in and capture the growing market. There are a number of issues and challenges before

the marketers in designing an advertisement strategy especially keeping in mind the needs and wants of the rural

customers.

In the last few decades there has been expansion of Indian market. Earlier the companies focused their efforts in

fulfilling the needs of urban consumers. But nowadays, the focus of the marketers has shifted towards the rural

India, which is the real bazaar. Bigger companies are adopting new marketing strategies to reach this huge and

largely unexplored market. Different companies have proposed different strategies to reach the rural masses.

Companies like HLL, P&G, Britannia, Coke and many other companies, have selected rural India.

(7) Anil Kalotra (2013) reviewed rural market’s environment, problems and strategies in India. The author stated

that rural marketing has become the latest mantra of most corporate even MNCs. They are eyeing rural markets to

capture the bigger Indian market. Rural market comprises of 70 percent population, twice as entire market of USA

and would become larger than total consumer market in countries like South Canada and Koreain another 20 years.

It exhibits linguistic, regional and cultural differences and economic disparities. Increase in purchasing power fueled

lot of interest and several companies are exploring cost effective channels like HUL, ITC, Colgate, Godrej, Nokia

and BPCL.

IT Penetration in Rural India

While stating the importance of Information Technology the author stated that in today's world the rural children

and youth will grow up in an environment where they have 'information access' to education opportunities, career

counseling, exam results, job opportunities, government schemes and services, worldwide news and information,

health and legal advice and services, mandi prices, land records, weather forecasts, bank loans, livelihood options. If

television can change the language of brand communication in rural areas, affordable Web connectivity through

different types of communication hubs will surely influence the currency of information exchange. As the electronic

ethos and IT culture shifts to rural India, the possibilities of change are becoming visible.




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(8) Nancy Gulati and Swati (2013) made some suggests in their paper in the following

• Regulation of the infrastructure of markets and warehouses to ensure fair prices.

• The arrivals of various products such as Dairy products, Vegetables, Food grains and Flowers etc. need

speedy transport. Therefore, rural roads must be compliment and should coordinate with nearest waterways

(port), railways and airports to avid spoiling of such products.

• Efficiency in marketing and distribution system is of utmost importance to reach ultimate consumer in the

quickest time possible at the minimum cost.

• The communication systems should be developed to make it appropriate to rural market. If not possible,

communication must be in local language.

• The public weighing machines one in each rural market to ensure correct weight for farm and non-farm

arrivals. Storage go-downs are also required.

• For storage facilities the government should not depend on the private agencies to store food-grains

(National commission on Agriculture recommended).

• The proper packaging technology must be improved.

According to the authors rural marketing plays a significant role in the economic development of a developing

country. A vigorous effort in order to provide the basic facilities to rural consumers is the needed.

(9) Rural Communication Media

Swati Priya and Pooja Bhatia(2014)Classified rural media broadly into conventional mass media and non-

conventional rural centric media. The conventional media comprises of radio, television, print, cinema, outdoor

media, and wall painting, hoarding and personalized media, point of purchase and the direct mailers etc. whereas on

the other hand non-conventional media includes rural centric media. It can be video vans, video raths, melas,

mandies and haats, which can be considered as the platform for communication. The folk media is of great

importance in rural communication. India’s multi lingual and multi-cultural identify the limited role of mass media

activities, specifically in rural areas. This gap is filled to a great extent through non-conventional, rural centric

media. It can be video vans, haat / mela / mandi campaigns, folk media, puppet shows, folk theatre, trolleys,

contests, leaflets, animal parade, hoardings and mobile display.

The authors also stated that communicating with the customers in rural areas is quite challenging. Marketers should

minutely identify such challenges; devise appropriate strategies to counter them. For communication and promotion

to be effective, it is important that marketers understand the socio cultural, demographic, and economic make-up of

the rural sector.

(10) Jehangir Bharucha (2015) put his comment on the potential of rural market. The author stated that companies

having a presence in India are making strong efforts to tap the vast potential of the Indian rural market. The paper

explores how Hindustan Unilever (HUL) has been successful to have an impact in the rural segment of the Indian

market through effective marketing and advertising strategies. It has tapped the bottom of the pyramid market in

rural India very effectively by creating capacity to consume.




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The author predicts that as India emerges as a major superpower, more and more growth opportunities come up. A

large number of foreign firms wish to do business in India. India is a country with great diversity. It is vast and

varied. Indians are very sensitive to their history and culture. Businessmen must adapt to local customs.

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

The research study was done to find out the awareness of the rural consumers on the availability of the various

products and their buying behaviors. Tounderstand about the buying behavior of the rural consumers, a

questionnaire was developed.

The area which was selected for the study is the villages of Delhi/NCR- Chalera village, Nithari village, Prahladpur

and Badarpur.

Shopkeepers and residents of these areas are the respondents.

The questionnaire was given to those who are literate and for non-literate interview method was used based on the

questionnaire. Forty respondents filled the questionnaire and 60 respondents are interviewed based on the

questionnaire.

All the questions in the questionnaire were analyzed using coding, tabulation and percentage method.

Sampling

Sample size- 100

ANALYSIS AND FINDINGS

# Rural consumer’s awareness about the availability of the products in the market

The consumers in the rural market are aware of the products through advertisements and promotional activities

which are rural market specific. The traditional and folk media plays a significant role in providing information to

the rural public. It has been observed that word-of-mouth plays an important role in informing the rural consumers

about the products in the market.

Table 1

Respondents have Come Across Advertisements of the Products They Use

No. of

Respondents

Responses in Percentage

Yes No

100 78 22

Table No.1 shows that amongst 100 respondents 78 agreed that they have come across advertisements of the

products of daily use. And the remaining 22 percent of the respondents replied that they have not seen any

advertisements. This shows that majority of the respondents have been exposed to the various brand’s

advertisements through mass media. The remaining 22 percent are either not having access to the mass media or

they simply ignore the advertisements.




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#Suitable media for rural consumers

It is found from the study that there is accessibility of both print and electronic media in the rural and semi-urban

areas.Both print and electronic media are attracting the rural consumers. Folk and traditional media are also used by

many multinationals (MNCs) which have entered the rural market.

The following table is based on 78 respondent’s response. 78 are the 100% of respondents for giving the media

preference.

Table 2

Respondents Sources of Information

Sr. no. Types of media Responses (out of 78

respondents)


(out of 78 respondents)

1. Radio 75 96

2. Television 72 92

3. Cinema 52 66.6

4. Newspapers/Magazines 28 35.8

5. Social Media 33 42

6. Traditional Media 67 85.8

7. Any Other 10 12.8

Table No. 2 shows that Amongst 100, 78 have answered this question. Amongst 78 respondents, 75 respondents

have preferred radio as source of information which is 96 percent of the total respondent’s preference.72

respondents preferred television which is 92 percent of the total respondents. 52 respondents opted cinema as a

source of information which caters to 67 percent (approximately) of the total respondents. Newspapers and

magazines which is from print media are preferred by 28 respondents. 35.8 percent of the respondents preferred

print media. 33 respondents out of 78 preferred Social media. Therefore, Social media is preferred by 42 percent of

the respondents. Traditional media which comprises of folk theatre, puppetry, publicity vans, door to door

advertisements, posters etc. 67 respondents preferred Traditional media which is 85.8 percent of the total

respondents. Other sources can be word of mouth, information from friends, relatives, call centers, etc. 10

respondents preferred it which is 12.8 percent of the total respondents

#Influence of advertisements and promotional activities on the rural consumers

The study shows that the decision making of the rural consumers are influenced by the advertisements and

promotional activities. Celebrity endorsements play a significant role in the rural market. Celebrity’sappearances in

advertisements and promotional activities through various mass media influence the rural consumers in their

decision making.

Table 3

Influence of Advertisements and PromotionsOn the Buying Behavior of Rural Consumers

No. of

Respondents


Yes No

100 55 45




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Table No.3 shows that amongst 100 respondents 55 gave positive response when asked whether advertisements have

influenced in their buying behavior. 45 of the respondents gave a negative response. The reasons for positive

response can be that the respondents have become literate, well exposed to mass media and confident enough to

make buying decision on the available information. More than half of the respondents gave positive response. 45

respondents who gave negative response due to non-exposure to media, illiteracy, ignorance and not allowed to take

the decisions in the family.

Table 4

The Most Effective Medium of Mass Communication For Advertisements and Promotions for the rural

consumers

Sr. no. Types of media Responses in

Percentage

1. Radio 70

2. Television 78

3. Cinema 40

4. Newspapers/Magazines 33

5. Social Media 30

6. Traditional Media 47

7. Any Other 10

Table No. 4 shows that television is considered to be the most effective medium. 78% of the respondents gave its

consent that television is the most effective source of medium. Next to television, radio is the most effective source

of medium which is preferred by 70% of the respondents. According to the rural consumers 47% gave the consent

that traditional media which includes folk theatre, puppetry, announcements on the market places and other public

places, etc. After traditional media next opted media by the respondents is cinema which is preferred by 40% of the

respondents. Cinema is followed by the print media which comprises of newspapers and magazines. 33% of the

respondents preferred newspapers and magazines. Next most preferred option after newspapers and magazines is the

social media which is preferred by 30% of the respondents. Other source of information can be word of mouth,

information from friends and relatives, call centers, SMSs, etc. or any other option is opted by 10% respondents.

# Rural consumer’s preferences for products

It is found out from the study that the rural consumers product preferences are not different from their urban

counterpart as in both the markets same brands are available of the products.It is also found out that after single use

of a particular brand’s products the quality of the product is known to them. If the rural consumers do not like the

brand after first use they switch over to a different brand which they consider to be of better quality. The rural

customers prefer value for money. They also want their purchase to be cost effective. Hence, the product preferences

are not of much difference of the rural customers from the urban customers.The products like soap, tea, toothpaste,

detergent, shampoo, biscuit, hair oil, face cream and coffee various brands are studied in rural market.




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Fig. No. 1

Figure No. 1 shows that 31% of the respondents preferred to use Lux among all the available brands of soap in the

market. Lux , is a product of HUL which is highly demanded. Dettol is the next most preferred soap by the

respondents, which is a product of Reckitt Benckiser. Dettol is preferred by 20% of the respondents. Other brands

soaps are preferred by 19% of the respondents. The reason of preference of other brands soap by the respondents can

be low costs and availability. Lifebouy, another soap brand of HUL is preferred by 15% of the respondents. Cinthol

is preferred by 10% of the respondents which is followed by Medimix. Medimix is preferred by 5% of the

respondents.

Fig. No. 2

Figure No. 2 shows that in the tea market the most preferred tea brand is Tata tea, which is a product of Tata. 31% of

the respondents preferred Tata tea. Tata tea is followed by Brooke Bond. 21% of the respondents preferred Brooke

Bond. After Brooke Bond the next most preferred tea brand is Taj Mahal. 18% of the respondents preferred Taj

31 20 15 10 5

19

0 10 20 30 40 50

Re

spo

ses

Various Soap Brands

Soap Brands Preferred By the

Respondents

Lux

Dettol

Lifebouy

Cinthol

Medimix

Others

31 21 18

10 5 15

0 10 20 30 40 50

Res

po

ses

Various Tea Brands

Tea Brands Preferred By the

Respondents

Tata Tea

Brooke Bond

Taj Mahal

Tetley

Lipton

Others




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Mahal. Taj Mahal is a product of Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL). Due to cost effectiveness and availability 15%

of the respondents preferred other tea brands than the ones that are mentioned in the preference list. Tetley tea is

preferred by 10% of the respondents. Lipton tea is preferred by 5% of the respondents.

Fig. No. 3

Figure No. 3 shows that in the study a list of popular toothpaste brands was given to the respondents asking them to

give their preference. It was found out that Colgate is the most preferred brand of toothpaste which is preferred by

29% of the respondents. Next to Colgate, Close-up is the most preferred brand of toothpaste which is preferred 22%

of the respondents. Close-up is followed by Pepsodent which is preferred by 20% of the respondents. Dabur Lal is

preferred by 11% of the respondents. 10% of the respondents either preferred to use salt, datun, charcoal or some

other brands toothpaste. Babool is used by 8% of the respondents.

Fig. No.4

Figure No. 4 shows that it is found out from the survey that among the listed detergent brands Rin is the most

preferred brand by the respondents. 29% of the respondents preferred to use Rin. Rin is followed by Surf as the most

20 29

22 8 11 10

0 10 20 30 40 50

Res

po

ses

Various Toothpaste Brands

Toothpaste Brands Preferred By the

Respondents

Pepsodent

Colgate

Close Up

Babool

Dabur Lal

Others

25 29 19

8 11 8

-10

10

30

50

Res

po

ses

Various Detergent Brands

Detergent Brands Preferred By the

Respondents

Surf

Rin

Tide

Henko

Fena




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preferred brand. 25% of the respondents preferred Surf. Next to Surf the most preferred detergent brand is Tide.

19% of the respondents preferred Tide. Fena is preferred by 11% of the respondents. 8% of the respondents

preferred to use Henko detergent powder. Another set of 8% respondents prefers to use some other brand’s

detergent.

Fig. No. 5

Figure No. 5 shows respondent’s preference for various brands of shampoos available in the market. It was found

out that the most highly preferred shampoo by the respondents is Clinic Plus. 30% of the respondents preferred

Clinic Plus which is a product of HUL. The next most preferred shampoo after Clinic Plus is Head & Shoulders

which is preferred by 25% of the respondents, a product of Procter & Gamble. Head & Shoulder’s preference is

followed by Sunsilk. Sunsilk is preferred by 21% of the respondents. Therefore, it can be said that Clinic Plus,

Head & Shoulder and Sunsilk are highly competitive in the market. Others are preferred by 9% of the

respondents which included some homemade shampoos or brands which are not listed. Dove on the other hand is

preferred by 8% of the respondents. Pantene is preferred by 7% respondents.

30 21 25

7 8 9

0 10 20 30 40 50

Res

po

ses

Various Shampoo Brands

Shampoo Brands Preferred By the

Respondents

Clinic Plus

Sunsilk

Head & Shoulders

Pantene

Dove

Others




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Fig. No. 6

Figure No. 6 shows the demand of various biscuit brands in the market. It was found out that 30% of the

respondents preferred Good Day, which is a product of Britannia. Good day is the most highly preferred biscuits in

the market. Next to Good Day, the most highly preferred biscuit is Marie Gold which is another product of

Britannia. 21% of the respondents preferred Marie Gold. 18% of the respondents preferred Parley-G which is a

product of Parle. 14% of the respondents choose krack Jack as their preference. Tiger was preferred by 10% of the

respondents. 7% respondents preferred others which included biscuits which are not listed.

Fig. No. 7

Figure No. 7 shows that in case of hair-oil the highly preferred brand is Parachute. 32% of the respondents

preferred to use Parachute hair oil which is a product of Merico brand. Parachute is followed by Dabur Amla

which is preferred by 21% of the respondents. Next to Dabur Amla is KeoKarpin which is preferred by 17% of

the respondents.DaburVatikais preferred by 15% of the respondents. After Dabur Vatika the next most preferred

hair oil among the listed ones is Bajaj Almond Drops which is preferred by 8% of the respondents.

21 30

18 10 14 7

-10

10

30

50

Re

spo

ses

Various Biscuit Brands

Biscuit Brands Preferred By the

Respondents

Marie Gold

Good Day

Parley G

Tiger

Krack Jack

32 21 15

8 17

7

0 10 20 30 40 50

Res

po

ses

Various Hair-oil Brands

Hair-oil Brands Preferred By the

Respondents

Parachute

Dabur Amla

Dabur Vatika

Bajaj Almond Drops

Keo Karpin

Others




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Fig. No. 8

Figure No.8 shows that Fair & Lovely is the most preferred face cream in the market 31% of the respondents

preferred to use it. Fair & Lovely is a product of HUL. Fair & Lovely is followed by Pond’s which is another

product of HUL. 25% of the respondents preferred Pond’s face cream. Emami face cream is preferred by 15% of

the respondents. Next to Emami comes Ayur in the preference list of the respondents. 11% of the respondents

preferred to use Ayur face cream. Other brands of face cream which are not listed are preferred by 10% of the

respondents. 8% of the respondents preferred to use Lotus face cream.

Fig. No. 9

Figure No. 9 shows that coffee brands are facing tough competition. Amongst all the listed coffee brands Nestle is

the most preferred coffee brand. 32% of the respondents preferred Nestle. After Nestle the most preferred coffee

brand by the respondents is Bru, which is a product of HUL. 26% of the respondents preferred Bru. Nescafe is

followed by Nestle. 24% of the respondents preferred to Nescafe. Nescafe Sunrise is preferred by 8% of the

25 31

11 8 15

10

0 10 20 30 40 50

Pond's Fair & Lovely

Ayur Lotus Emami Others

Re

spo

ses

Various Face Cream Brands

Face Cream Brands Preferred By the

Respondents

Pond's

Fair & Lovely

Ayur

Lotus

Emami

Others

26 32

24

8 4 6

0 10 20 30 40 50

Res

po

ses

Various Coffee Brands

Coffee Brands Preferred By the

Respondents

Bru

Nestle

Nescafe

Nescafe Sunrise

Tata Coffee

Others




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respondents. Other than the listed brands of coffee are also preferred by the respondents. 6% of the respondents

preferred other brands. Tata Coffee has a small share in the coffee market.4% of the respondents preferred Tata

Coffee

#Consumer’s preferences of pack size of the various products they use

It has been observed that mostly the consumers prefer smaller size packs of the products of daily use. It is due to the

low disposable income of the rural consumers and family size. If the disposable income is high and family size is big

then the consumers prefer bigger packs of the products they use. It is economical and considered rational buying

behavior of the rural consumers.

Table 5

Sr. no. Products Pack Sizes


Sachet Small Pack Medium Pack Family/Large Pack

1. Soap ---- 67 ----- 33

2. Tea 46 ----- 31 23

3. Toothpaste ---- 40 41 19

4. Detergent 45 ----- 25 30

5. Shampoo 26 34 25 15

6. Biscuit ---- 41 35 24

7. Hair oil ---- 30 42 28

8. Face Cream ---- 45 37 18

9. Coffee 67 22 11 -----

Table No. 5 shows that the respondents in the survey are from different income groups. Some of the respondents

whose household income is below average can hardly meet the basic necessities of life. They mostly prefer the

single packs, sachets, small or medium packs. Average and above average household income earner’s can prefer to

purchase the family pack or large packs. Medium and large packs are economical and cost effective as there are

discounts, gifts and coupons with large packs. Also more quantity can be purchased at low cost.

Due to monthly income level households and budget of the family the bigger size pack is preferred less. The

smaller size packs are comparatively more affordable for the respondents. Therefore, demand for the small and

medium packs is much higher than the family pack by the respondents.

CONCLUSION

It can be concluded that HUL, holds major portion of the FMCG market. It holds major shares in the soap,

detergent, shampoo & cream category. Hindustan Unilever Limited’s products are high in demand, because they

provide their products in various size packs. They have observed that rural consumers do not have sufficient

household income to spend on these products. So, the rural consumers prefer to buy the small or the medium size

packs of various products. Large or family packs are demanded by few consumers, who are from financially well to

do families. Duplicate and fake brands also have their existence. But due to increasing reach and development of

the various modes of mass media like Cable television, Radio which includes various FM Channels, Newspapers,

magazines, various internet sites, call center services, etc., the rural customers gets the right information.




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Tata holds a major share in tea. Nestle & Nescafe holds the major share in the rural market in case of coffee. Rural

consumers favor Tata because it is an old brand & has gained significant brand equity which leads to the creation

of brand loyalty. In these products, consumers become brand loyal, because they do not want to compromise with

their tastes and preferences. So they prefer sticking to one brand. These brands supply their products in different

size of packs - small, medium & large, considering the buying capacity and preferences of their consumers.

In terms of biscuits, Britannia holds the big share in the market. Consumers in the rural market favor the brand

Britannia because it is an old brand. While buying biscuits, consumers do get brand loyal, because consumers do

not want to compromise with their tastes. So they prefer to stick to their favorite brand. These brands also supply

their products indifferent size packs (small, medium &large), keeping in mind the buying capacity of their

consumers.

In the case of tooth pastes, Colgate Palmolive caters a major share of market. Nowadays consumers are very

concerned about their health, if any product suits them they strongly prefer sticking to that product. And this

product too is available in various packs, so rural consumers give their preference in terms of their buying capacity

and preferences.

In the terms of hair oils, Merico holds a major share of market. Merico is a much known brand &its product

Parachute has a reach in the market. So it is a well-known product in the market, which has created goodwill for

the brand. Consumers have confidence & trust in the brand. Henceforth, they prefer buying it.

BIBLIOGRAPHY/REFERENCES

[1]. Thomas C. O’Guine, Chris T.Allen, Richard J.Semenik, (2006). Advertising and Integrated Brand

Promotion. Akash Press, India

[2]. Wimmer. D.Roger& Dominick Joseph R, (2009). Mass Media Research

[3]. JethwaneyJaishri& Jain Shruti, (2010). Advertising Management. Oxford University Press

[4]. Kishore Devesh,(2013). Handbook of Communication Research. MakhanlalChaturbedi National University

of Journalism and Communication, Bhopal

[5]. Chunawalla S.A., (2008). Advertising Sales and Promotional Management. Himalaya Publishing House

Research Papers

[1]. BargalHitendra, Sharma Ashish & Dr. PithadiaVijay, (2005). Promotion of Brand in Rural Market of India.

[2]. Dr. Ahmed Ashfaque, (2013). Rural Marketing Strategies for Selling of Products and Services: Issues &

Challenges. Journal of Business Management & Social Sciences Research

[3]. Kaur Manpreet, (2013). Rural Marketing: A Case Study on Hindustan Unilever Limited. International

Journal of Applied Research and Studies

[4]. Kaushik Rajeev, Dev Kapil (2013).Effective Media for Rural Communication: A Study of Panipat Area.

IJCEM International Journal of Computational Engineering & Management

[5]. Kalotra Anil, (2013). Rural Marketing Potential in India- An Analytical Study. International Journal of

Advanced Research in Computer Science and Software Engineering




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[6]. BharuchaJehangir, (2015). Go-Rural decision: Successful Strategies for the Indian Rural Market. Business

& Management Review

[7]. Bishnoi Kant Kamal &Choudhary Chetan, (2010). Rural Marketing: Opportunities, Challenges &

Strategies

[8]. M. Girisha& Kumar Deepu, (2011).Challenges, Opportunities & Emerging Trends for Marketing. Paper

presented in national level conference organized by department of management studies PeriyarManiammai

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[9]. Gulati Nancy & Swati, (2013). Strategies of Rural Marketing in India. International Journal of Management

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[10]. Priya Swati & Bhatia Pooja, (2014). The Impact of Unconventional Media on Rural Masses. International

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Brand Recall

[1]. http://www.brandingstrategyinsider.com/brandrecall/

Brand Recognition

[1]. http://www.morebusiness.com/running_your_business/marketing/ah_brand_rec.brc

[2]. http://www.dummies.com/howto/content/developingbrandrecognition.html

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[1]. http://www.citeman.com/2777\buyingbehaviorofruralconsumers/

[2]. http://dspace.iimk.ac.in/bitstream/2259/426/1/RM53.pdf

[3]. http://www.trikal.org/aims8Proceedings/pdf/Consumer%20Behaviour/D8805done.pdf

[4]. http://dspace.iimk.ac.in/bitstream/2259/381/1/103110.pdf

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http://dspace.iimk.ac.in/bitstream/2259/381/1/103-110.pdf

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