Specialization (MM)

Rural Marketing introduces students to the challenges and the opportunities of Rural Markets through exploring various issues that face these markets. There are three such challenges that needs to be understood in order to devise functional as well as overall business strategies. The first of these is the challenge of reach – markets in rural India are small and scattered, making them inaccessible, unviable, or both. The next challenge is to ensure that consumers are aware of and want your brand. Large parts of rural India remain media-dark, and low literacy rates and the poor infrastructure are a limiting factor.

Economic and technological progress is making it easier to communicate with a rural audience. The challenge is to communicate the right message – to engage with and understand rural consumers, their shopping and consumption behavior, and to develop communication that connects with them. The third and by far the biggest challenge in rural marketing is that of influence. Across product categories, rural penetration and awareness remain low. Often, marketers need to build not just their brands but also the entire category. And the need is not just to reach or communicate but to actually influence consumption and buying behaviour. Hence this course provides ample clarity and deep insight into rural marketing which is essential for students interested to choose their career in rural or agro related marketing activities.