Mumbai: The 3rd edition of the Eggfirst Chalo Rural India Conclave & Awards, held at the Westin Goregaon, Mumbai, marked a historic milestone in the advertising and digital marketing landscape. The event, organised by Eggfirst, a prominent advertising and digital agency specialising in rural advertising, brought together over 500 industry leaders from more than 250 renowned brands for a transformative evening dedicated to exploring the vast potential, growth prospects, and digital advertising avenues in rural India.
The Conclave featured two insightful panel discussions: 'Rural India ki Kahaani, Brands ki Zubaani' and 'Badhte Bharat ki Nayi Kahaani,' where leaders from top-tier companies including Bayer CropScience, Corteva, Fino Payments Bank, DeHaat, Ambuja Cement, Yes Bank, Del Monte, Parle, SBI General, and NABARD shared profound insights and experiences related to rural India.
Rural India is a vast and diverse landscape, comprising more than 70 per cent of the country's population. With such a significant portion of the population residing in rural areas, it is crucial for businesses and brands to tap into this market through effective advertising strategies. Rural advertising in India has gained prominence in recent years, as companies recognize the immense potential and untapped opportunities that lie within these regions.
In recent years, the rise of digital technology has also opened up new avenues for rural advertising. With the increasing penetration of smartphones and internet connectivity in rural areas, brands can leverage social media platforms and mobile applications to reach their target audience. Social media campaigns, influencer marketing, and targeted online advertisements can effectively engage rural consumers and create brand awareness.
The highlight of the event was the presence of YouTube influencers Akash Jadhav and Santosh Jadhav known for their Indian Farmers channel, which boasts 18.2 million subscribers and serves as a valuable resource for millions of farmers across the country.
Indiantelevision.com in an email interaction with Banka, shared insights on the conclave and the significance of rural marketing in this modern dynamic world
Edited excerpts
On Chalo Rural India Conclave and Awards fostering innovation in the field of digital advertising
Rural India has a huge consumer base and naturally harbours endless opportunities for the marketing and advertising fraternity. However, much of the rural marketing campaigns go unnoticed due to lack of reach and awareness. Chalo Rural Conclave and Awards fills in this gap by offering a platform to discuss and reward everything related to rural marketing.
On trends in digital advertising that have shown the most promise for reaching rural audiences
There are a few points I would like to highlight
Mobile phones are the primary internet access point for rural audiences so designing marketing strategies compatible with mobile phones is a must.
Next, influencer marketing can be a strong way to leverage local influencers for building trust and credibility in rural areas.
Third, the content has to be localised to suit the taste of the target audience. The culture and values should be kept in mind while crafting the communication.
On the challenges and opportunities existing for digital advertisers when targeting rural markets
Opportunities galore as the rural landscape is a playing field with a major chunk of population with diverse culture and markets to tap into. At the same time, there are a few challenges like limited internet connectivity, low levels of digital literacy and a lack of trust in the digital medium.
The conclave can play a pivotal role in addressing these aspects by bringing together industry experts, advertisers, policymakers, and community representatives to discuss and propose strategies, share success stories, and create awareness.
On the impact digital advertising industry had on rural India
The digital advertising industry has penetrated into the rural population with the advent of easy and affordable access to digital devices and media. A shift towards digital has been observed as more and more people from rural areas have adopted technology and keep in touch with the outside world. This has certainly impacted rural India for the better in a way that digital advertising has enabled communication better than ever before.
On content creators shaping the field of rural advertising today
Certainly. The intent behind setting up a session with the youtubers was to highlight the present of rural creators and the thriving discourse happening online.
I feel rural India is a treasure trove of knowledge and generational wisdom. With increased use of digital media, communication has increased manifold. On one hand, creators are able to put their thoughts before an eager audience ready to consume such content. So, it is a win-win situation that defines the effective communication facilitated in contemporary rural India.
