Advertising and marketing in rural India: language, culture and communication

Economic liberalization, globalization and growing economic power have led to the development of rural India in the past two decades. This book explores the various facets of rural media and integrated marketing communication. In order to meet the formidable challenges of reaching 638, 365 villages, Indian advertisers have mastered the art of the video-van form/technology and the art of crafting messages customized to meet rural tastes and sensibilities. The revised edition follows a 'bottom-up' approach and presents case studies of rural markets (hats), advertising media discourse and unique features of Indian rural advertising. Facts, figures, tables and analyses have been updated and new developments and approaches to the study of advertising and marketing have been added. Both 'conventional' and 'non-conventional' media forms are accounted for in order to provide a holistic and systematic perspective on rural advertising and marketing media. Interviews with rural consumers and media giants provide a first-hand look at the dynamics and complexity of Indian rural media on one hand and the interaction of the various manifestations of rural media with urban media on the other. The study is the first of its kind devoted to advertising in rural India.