Rural consumers are a combination of rural sensitivities and urban aspirations. They want to try out products, which were earlier considered to be the prerogative of the urban populace. But price proved to be a major constraint. Driving rural consumption is much more difficult than lowering prices and increasing volumes. It entails product innovation and developing indigenous products to cater to rural demands. Practical demonstration of the efficiency and efficacy of the products before a gathering of the village folks can go a long way in changing the existing habits and lifestyles and escalating to the ones needed by rural marketers. This article discusses some of the aspects of rural advertising and marketing.

Rural market is the key area of survival in India. Most consumer markets are getting cluttered, thereby slowing down the growth rates of consumer products. While overall volumes continue to grow reasonably well, there are too many players eating into each other's market share. Reducing prices and investing heavily in sales promotion becomes inevitable in the urban markets. Consequently, operating margins come under pressure and new growth markets need to be explored. It is here that the rural markets provide an opportunity, a ray of hope for the marketers.

Rural market comprises 74% of the country's population including 41% of its middle-class, 58% of their disposable income and a relatively large consuming class. Around 700 million people which amounts to 70% of India's population live in 6,27,000 villages in rural India. Ninety percent of the rural population is concentrated in villages with a population of less than 2,000. For manufacturers of consumer goods, these markets are certainly hot cakes.

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