Towards An Analysis of Rural Consumers Brand Awareness in Rural Markets in Indian Scenario

A brand is a tag, span, symbol, mark, sketch, or an amalgamation of these attributes to recognize the items of the trader and distinguish it from the remaining entrants. The brand means conventional excitements or perceptiveness perceived by purchasers for thinking regarding the items. Barely limited products are capable of creating a market for their selves. It is greatly significant for each unit to generate consciousness regarding products to the purchasers to recognize their merchandise as they desire to distinguish it called branding. It is utilized to generate distinct recognition in the highly cutthroat driven market. The object is to appeal purchasers and upsurge the sales by attracting rural purchasers. Nowadays’s the marketplace is engulfed with a great number of analogous products. The rural market inhabits a greater fragment of the Indian economy. Rural marketplaces of India obtained substantial importance, due to the comprehensive development of the Indian economy which gave rise to a considerable upsurge in the buying power of the purchasers even living in rural areas and rural markets gaining importance for the motives of development in rural regions of India. Items for sale in rural marketplaces need to be more naive, accessible, recognizable, reasonable, presented in a stimulating panache, and existing at purchaser approach. The rural consumer demonstrates distinguishing appearances that promote rural products to be bought by rural buyers. There are features of Rural Market, for each marketer to be aware of: 1. Small income is affected by seasonal fluxes. 2. Small literacy rates. 3. Opposition to revolution Price sensitivity 4. Bigger brand allegiance Guided by conventional acceptance 5. Quality awareness 6. Short risk handling capability 7. Absence of Structural skills 8. Purchasing choice 9. Small and deferred Hard to forecast demand Messages unruly 10. Snags linked to dispersal and channel organization 11. Varied socio-economic underdevelopment 12. Almost 75% of India's population inhabits in rural areas. 13. The purchasing power of rural purchasers is on the upsurge. 14. The market is developing at 5%p.a (approx).

1. To explain the distinguishing characteristics of rural marketing. 2. To describe the distinguishing importance of rural marketing. 3. To recognize the significance of rural branding 4. To examine the contemporary promotion strategy for limited brands in the rural market. 5. To establish an increasing trend towards brand cognizance. 6. To appraise the components that effects brand consciousness. 7. To ascertain determinants that promote the establishment of the rural brand.

In India, major variations among rural and metropolitan traders. Also, the cultural settings change but the facets that affect buying pronouncements vary. Charge and worth for currency are elevated for urban marketers. There is a transformation in media spread and the level of literacy in rural society and the kind of products that are used. There is a huge variation in the standard of living of the inhabitants subsisting in rural sectors. The nature of the range of brand which urban purchaser relishes are diverse from the ranges existing with the rural purchaser. Rural branding demands for a bigger factor of regional media and lesser of corpus media. As rural markets have focused mediums such as temples, commemorations, fairs, movie halls, which can be used for the promotion of brands. Direct Marketing, also activities such as street displays, movie shows, fairs, and road plays help in promoting brands. The infiltration in rural areas is remarkably for brands with household electrical gadgets. These are highly efficacious due to advertisement campaigns and dispersal web in the rural parts. In the rural areas, Branding necessitates expertise management of marketplaces. The rural purchasers switched using branded in place of basic items. Traders willing to expedite in rural areas confront numerous challenges. Traders need to beat complications of accessibility, economical, appropriateness, and responsiveness. The first object is to confirm the accessibility of the product Traders needs to make the cost of distribution manageable. Traders have evolved a sturdy distribution system to promote its brands reaching even in the cores of rural areas. To deal with interior parts, traders resort to the usage of traditional means of transport like auto-rickshaws, ships, and bullock-carts,. The second object is to warrant the economy of purchases of items available in rural areas earning mostly on daily wages. The third object is to gain satisfactoriness for the products to be promoted in rural areas. There is a necessity to propose items that ensemble the rural marketplaces. The fourth object for creating awareness is to spread information through vans and roadshows T.V., cinema, etc. to reach rural consumers.

Brand Awareness implies customers know the presence of a brand. Cognizance of the brand shows every bit of brand information is related. Creating awareness encompasses the creation of the brand clearly and loudly to the purchasers in rural areas by different promotional means like promotions, patronages, proceedings, advertising, promotions, etc. Brand awareness relates to an avenue adopted to which users get conversant and accustomed to a brand and identify the brand. Brand awareness comprises of a brand recognizing and brand remembering. Brand recognizing is the capability of the purchaser to identify the brand put up questions regarding the brand or the ability to identify the explicit brand, which means the ability to differentiate the brand from other brands. To recall the brand is the probable ability of the purchaser to get well with a brand. Brand awareness amended to the level of brand names carefully chosen which are easy to speak recognized and communicative; and inimitable as and dissimilar. There are two kinds of brand awareness: 1. Assisted Awareness – It implies that on stating the item class, purchasers can identify the brand on their own with some hints. 2. Unassisted Awareness-It implies that on stating the item class, the purchaser can identify without hints. Aaker recommend following important points for achieving awareness among consumers, • Being diverse and remarkable • Using a punchline or slogan • Exposing brand sign • Media hype brand. • Promotion of events • Extension of brand • Using hints of product category, brand or both • Repeating regularly. It significant to generate brand awareness regarding products and aids tp recognize the awareness about the product by the purchasers. Higher the rate of brand awareness increased is the sales volume as well as the profitability and share of the market. To generate brand awareness, its vital to generate a dependable brand image, jingles, and punchlines.

There are numerous steps to be followed which can aid in creating such a brand much simpler. These comprise of, perceptive with the onlookers, edifying brand, upshot of logo and calligraphy of the same, pointing the suitable spectators, and engaging advertising By doing so more sales can be expected than before. The brand must have existed in the market for some time ago. However, brand building is a tedious task in rural areas As it is a lengthy, wearisome, and systematic effort concerning subdivision, marketing mix, and packing methodological and monetary efforts. The below-stated instruments have been used to effectively shape brand in rural markets:

Rural consumer needs to customize the usages of diverse items as per their requirements. As per the requirements of the purchaser, customization aids in brand building by generating or changing an item to make it pertinent to the requirements of rural consumers.

There should be credentials of the products to their name, color, package, quality, etc. The brand name to be important or the punch line is in a language understandable and is in harmony with the culture prevailing and the societal environs of the market It should be simple for the user to remember about the product.

Vehicles with audiovisual instruments determine the prevailing impediments of rural consumers to influence. Haats to be effectual means for rural advertising. Rural consumers are in purchasing disposition at the Haats and fairs. The mass media was selected by the traders to generate responsiveness. The brand-building be done by Fairs, street plays of the rural areas. The television and radio are significant procedures of media.

The communication regarding the products and the company to be vibrant. The local language is used to influence rural purchasers. The company to bequeath the communication appropriately in a manner it creates excitement in the concentrations of the user.

The rural consumers desire trustworthy information and the narrations they hear are additionally credible in the form of hints and aids.

Images present should also be consistent to increase brand awareness. It is important that consistent in the use of images so that maximization in recognition and positive impressions can be achieved. Wegman's logo, for example, can be found on its storefront, on the products it produces itself, on the receipt consumers receive after purchase, on the bags customers carry out of the store, and in many of its distributed informational material.

The concept of branding entered in Indian rural markets. A brand is recognized in the rural market with the help of colors, visual effect, or any other identification rather than name which facilitates easy brand recall. The following are the tools which show how a brand could reach rural India:

Technologies fill the gap in rural India's supply chain and get big brands even to the smallest of the villages. Technologies must be promoted in rural areas.

The majority of Rural Indians are illiterate. Rural folk should be educated about the merits of the product before launching the product. So that the product shall be made easily available. Effective Pricing and Packaging contribute a lot. Mass media ads can persuade people to try affordable products. For that product need to be packed as per their convenience and pocket.

A scheduled display and sale items on Wheels can also enhance the Sales. Moreover, they can organize the Demonstration cum Sales Exhibition at frequent Intervals.

The potential buyer usually uses all brands according to their capacity. But if a rural area not holding the potential buyers then "To promote the brand is useless”.

The brand reaches needs to know the customer base for particular brands in rural areas. Leveraging brand reach to rural areas may not be that much difficult in case it is properly well planned to tap the source of customers. All visual Media like TV channels are very popular in rural areas. The ad campaign will help to promote. Then it is necessary to appoint dealers/retails to keep stocks to distribute. The advantages, applications, and other service back-up have to explain by the marketers. Moreover, the rural masses with their hard-earned money have been more price-sensitive, and hence the price benefits to them play a vital role.

The difference in purchase behavior between the rural and urban population is mainly decided by the money power, literacy standard, mental maturity, and lifestyle. The marketers should give what the customer base in rural areas want intending to penetrate this segment. Then only the repeated purchase can be assured.

The higher income group in rural India is growing at a phenomenal rate, and the concept of brands and quality is very much prevalent. These current consumption trends provide compelling opportunities for marketers to capitalize on the increasing mass market in India for almost all product categories.

CSR marketing is an important method for the brand to enter the rural marketplace.

The efficacious rural marketing representations have established a strong encounter with the regional inhabitants to ensure items bought belong to a brand with which they were familiar.

For stepping into rural market effort is to differentiate the features of rural markets and successfully match rural opinions.

To generate consciousness of items and its eminence. To dominate the quality administration is indispensable. • Localized population Guidance of local source by demo, helps to promote. • Transfer business partnership For rural masses. a business partnership is important. • By relating products and satisfying rural needs affordably. By displaying the appropriate connection between product, faith, and usableness in rural marketplace.

For stepping into the rural market, dealers require to modify its 4Ps - Product, Price, Place & Promotion in a manner so that marketing strategy is advantageous to locate and create the brand in directed rural markets. The Product to be considered matching the requirements of the rural marketplace. Promotion to comprehend communication in a manner employing media. A good blend of all Ps is essential to create a brand in the rural marketplace.

A distribution and follow through with the facility can only endure in market rural or urban.

Brands can always provide a good product over the traditional but they need to know what is the need and requirement.

Reasonably cheap price of the product and dealer network makes a brand to reach rural people. Rural Indians only see the cost of the product but not the quality or value. Hence a brand can reach only by cutting its sale price reasonably.

There is a need to identify the brand with widespread arrangements of entertaining rural greeneries. These supporting and sponsoring sports, street plays, or leading roadshows to lead the brand to homes.

Render products pf good quality than misrepresenting them.

Education and judgment enable purchasers to buy the exact product and others begin copying which helps in bulk production.

Rural marketing necessities scrutiny because variations are occurring in the rural marketplaces. Venders need to secure a deep acquaintance of purchaser needs. Marketers usage of determinants like outlooks, inclinations, disposition, and régime to slice marketplaces. The rising influence of the rural purchaser is a chance for businesses to congregate to the rural marketplaces. Some exclusive distinctive topographies which demand distinct marketing plans to be characteristically established to ensemble the rural and urban marketplace. The purpose to generate a good picture regarding the brand compels to penetrate rural marketplaces. Establishments need to discover the exclusive features of its items and message to potential purchasers. This aids to generate improved outlook of the brand in the minds of purchasers to generate brand awareness. The current products, businesses need to retain an authorization on brand image and need to apprise with the aid of consumer’s responses to preserve its brand appearance and generate brand awareness. For the initiation of new items, it is significant for traders to communicate about products at the accurate time.

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Senior Lecturer, Department of Commerce, M.Com,M.Phil.