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“Sustained engagement through promotions repeatedly is necessary for consumer loyalty”

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SaysKrishna Mohan, CEO - Sales, Supply Chain & Human Capital, Emami Ltd. FMCG firm Emami is tapping more states - Gujarat, Chattisgarh and Karnataka - to expand sales in rural markets. Around 40 per cent of its total revenues are accounted by the semi-urban and rural markets. The company, which gets majority of its rural revenues from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal, is looking beyond these markets for its future growth. To support its vast expansion plans in the rural markets, Emami is relying on some interesting experiential campaigns to build consumer loyalty and broaden customer base.



EE: What kind of experiential activities are targeted for rural markets by Emami?



Our sales and distribution network, Swadesh, is present in more than 10,000 villages. It is a hub and spoke model, which forms a significant part of our sales and distribution plan. Basically, our products are available in over 20-25 lakh outlets all across these villages.



As far as the on-ground marketing activities are concerned, we have both, our usual set of activities and some novel activities. Our van promotions are the most common mode of promotion wherein along with the product in the vans, television ads are played and consumers get an opportunity to understand the application and strength of the product.



Besides, we have some novel promotions as well. For instance, during melas or haats, we erect stalls where we offer free massages using our brand, Navratna Oil, which offers immediate experience of a cooling oil.



EE: How are the on-ground marketing activities designed differently according to:



a)      Area that is focused



Mostly we do not have to focus as much on the area because more or less rural consumers have pretty much the same psyche everywhere. For instance, in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, common activities bring the desired output. However, according to timing of cultural festivals or various other factors specific to a region, the marketing activities might differ a little.



b)     Product



Undoubtedly the focus of experiential activities greatly varies with the product. For instance, some products like Boroplus Antiseptic Cream and Navratna Oil can offer an immediate experience anytime and anywhere.



However, some products are more of problem-solution products. You may not use a Zandu Balm unless there is a need. Accordingly, we would place a Zandu Balm where there are more chances of trial, probably in a Mela like Sawan Mela (in Deogarh, Jharkhand) where pilgrims/ may get tired after walking for long hours.



EE: What, according to you, are the most important standpoints of experiential marketing as far as rural markets are concerned? 



Connect with the consumer is supposed to be the key focus irrespective of whether we are targeting rural or urban consumer. However with the rural audience, the engagement has to be built on a different tangent all together. Also we have to make sure that the product is available all the time in the remote regions. Henceforth, we have to sustain our supplies, otherwise there is no point of marketing.



Secondly, we have to ensure that there are three to four levels of engagements with the same consumer. Sustained engagement through promotions or activations repeatedly for three-four times is necessary for proper consumer connect and building consumer loyalty. We can experiment with different types of marketing promotions or campaigns to find which one strikes a chord with the consumer.



Last but not the least, in rural areas, visuals should be able to create a stronger impact for obvious reasons.



EE: What have been some of the memorable experiential marketing campaigns by Emami that you can recall?



This year, for our product Boroplus Antiseptic Cream, we tied up with BIG CBS channel in 10 melas in MP, UP and Bihar for a talent hunt programme titled "Mele ka BIG star". This also includes Kumbh Mela. Under this tie-up, there is a talent zone in the Mela area mainly targeting women consumers where a talent search game is conducted for multi-talented ladies. The whole activity is televised and telecast Live by BIG CBS. It has proven to be a major point of interest among the mela visitors.



Further, in the Maha Kumbh Mela- 2013, we had put up gaming zones endorsing Boroplus Antiseptic Cream within the Mela precincts for increased consumer interaction. This activation has been a major crowd puller where the consumers have to recall their top-of-the mind brand fit for BPAC and target the same on a dart board. Successful participants are offered with exciting prizes. Consumers also get an opportunity of wet sampling at the gaming zones of BPAC.



Moreover, few years back we had put up a ‘revolving globe’ for Navratna Oil on top of our stall as the product is branded as “Vishwa ka Number One Tel” (World’s number one oil) We were able to gauge a tremendous consumer response. Apart from these, we keep on using other means like magic shows, talking dolls, in-theatre branding etc during our activation programs at such rural melas.



EE: What are some of the melas where Emami is a regular participant for the experiential campaigns? How does it help in boosting the brand?



Throughout the year, we keep on participating in about 10-20 rural melas across India especially for brands like Navratna and BPAC where the target group is primarily from the rural market. For example: Sonpur Mela (Hajipur),  Sawaan Mela (Bihar and Jharkhand), Nauchandi Mela (Meerut), Khichdi Mela (Gorakhpur), Govardhan Mela (Mathura), Urs Festival (Rajasthan), Shivaratri Festival (Vijaywada), Shabarimala Festival (Kerala), to name a few.



These melas offer a good opportunity to engage with a vast gathering of rural and semi-urban consumers and bring them under our brand portfolio. They also provide good insights into the consumer expectations and behaviour. These fairs offer you the basis of idea generation where marketers try to and often find “that connect” between an innovative idea and the brand.


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emami rural market

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