Communication channels in rural marketing: A comparative study of brands

Abstract

The dissertation project “Communication Channels in Rural Marketing: A Comparative Study of Brands” has been prepared under the guidelines of Prof Seema Gupta (IIMB, Prof- Marketing). This project report provides an overview of the rural marketing scenario in India. About 6 brands have been identified as popular and in-demand in the rural areas of Chikballapur, Devenahalli, Arekere and Nandi villages of Karnataka. These brands have been studied in detail, with a comparison of their communication channels in the urban as well as the rural areas. Our analysis is based on sample results. It was a difficult task to gather the information from respondents by meeting them personally in order to get questionnaire filled. There was a lot of time pressure and sometimes unwillingness of respondents to respond. Hence, a lot of data in the report is based on secondary research. However, the qualitative part of it, regarding rural consumer behavior and HUL and CavinKare’s strategies, our primary research has been instrumental in providing the necessary inputs. The report also throws some basic insights into the rural consumer behavior. There is a plenty of data analysis done on the feedback of rural consumers, urban consumers and retailers. On the basis of feedback through questionnaire and observation method, it is evident that the rural consumer has changed their strategy towards the products and is not just dependent on the price anymore. As a result, there is close competition between the companies. Hence each of them is increasing their products, qualities, packaging and providing better services every day. In this paper, we have emphasized on the FMCG giant HUL and its most effective competition in South India – CavinKare. HUL and CavinKare is often compared to the parable of Goliath and David and is hence of utmost interest in terms of the above mentioned villages. Both of these companies have different strategies, distribution and promotional activities and have been compared thus.