Rural markets need a dedicated structure

The Hindu – Business Line, (October 06, 2001)

Rural marketing requires every element of marketing, but with the focus on rural customers, and must be implemented by a marketing structure dedicated to this segment. This was a thrust of a presentation made by Mr. Francis Xavier, Managing Director, Francis Kanoi Marketing research, at a one-day seminar on ‘Rural Marketing for Competitive Advantage in Globalised India’, organised by AMIC India in association with Anugrah Madison Advertising Pvt. Ltd.

In his presentation, titled, ‘The revolution that is underway in rural India and its marketing implications’. Mr. Xavier said that despite the recognition of the importance of the rural markets, there was no ‘stampede’ to enter this market. This was because rural markets were still very alien to most marketers, he added.

Mr. Xavier said social patterns in rural India had changed significantly over the last decade or so. This has resulted in a situation where rural youth are playing an increasing active role in the decision-making process, he added.

He also said these youth are exposed to urban influences and hence have attitudes and aspirations similar to those of the urban youth, leading to a situation where villages are getting urbanised.

According to Mr. Xavier, these “urbanised people living in villages” are the segments marketers should target. “If the consumers of relevance in villages are urbanised, why not look at villages as scattered suburbs of districts?” Mr. Xavier asked.

He said rural marketing would become truly meaningful only when marketers look at having separate structures for catering to urban and rural centres.