If there is one piece of rural ‘ gyan ’ you want to give me as an MNC player wanting to enter India, what would it be?

_ Timothy Pittie, New York

Timothy, the vast rural opportunity in India, as represented by 69.1 per cent of the population that lives in rural areas as opposed to the 30.9 per cent that lives in urban areas, is a market opportunity that offers solutions to many an urban marketing flux. As urban markets dry up, and as they get into the grip of a recession psychosis, rural markets remain insulated and ready to grow.

The vast rural opportunity is really an ocean of niches. There is not one, but thousands of rural niches. Each niche is an opportunity. Each niche is a differentiation that needs to be addressed. The moment you recognise the need to do this, it means you respect the rural niche. And this is welcomed by the consumer in rural markets at large.

Urban marketers thus far have approached rural markets as a cow that is waiting to be milked. Urban marketers have treated the differentiation of rural markets as creases that need to be ironed out with the great big urban marketing iron box. That approach seldom works.

I propagate a mindset among rural marketers, which says that you must first see the thousands of creases in this market. Having seen the creases, learn to respect them. Maintain the crease and become a part of the crease rather than try to iron out the crease with one common marketing approach.

Tim, where do I send my bill? Ha, ha!

The automotive category is still skewed in its communication format to the man. Am I right? Why?

_ Pallavi Bohra, Kolkata.

Pallavi, you sure are correct. The automotive category in India is very man-besotted. Advertising creative does say it all. Man is seen to be the calculative one, and women are seen to be the impulsive ones. Marketers and advertisers don't want to disturb this imagery, as it divides the sexes and their dominant appeals clearly. Any attempt to bring fuzziness here, will result in confusion. Marketers and advertisers are in many ways postponing the inevitable, one ad at a time! The death of the differentiator between the genders is going to happen, later than sooner. But till it exists, reap it to your advantage. And guess what? Both the genders love it, as of now.

Overall, I do believe all advertising in India is gender-targeted. There is a clear imagery of both the genders and their drivers that is being exploited. There is a paradigm of advertising that has survived over decades. This is being propitiated. Milked to the last drop. The funny thing is that there is still much more to be milked.

What’s happening to my favourite brand, Kingfisher Airlines?

_ Sampath Kumaran K. K., Tiruchi

Sampath, you need to ask Dr Mallya this. I am told he has plans for the airline.

Kingfisher Airlines is a funny brand. While its physical assets are totally devalued, its image value still remains intact. If Kingfisher Airlines is to make a comeback, I do believe its value will bounce back by a huge multiple.

Do remember, the value of a brand lies not in its physicality, but in its metaphysicality! And brand Kingfisher has plenty of ‘Maya’ left in it.

Luxury brands seem to love hosting parties with celebrities. Why and how?

_ Sona Nandakumar, Hyderabad

Sona, luxury brands are different kinds of brands altogether. Luxury brands are about snob value. To an extent, their mission is not to look like the common brand at all. In the caste hierarchy of brands, the luxury brand is a super-Brahmana, sitting right at the top of the brand caste system altogether. Brands that occupy this space want to even distance themselves from the crass manner in which all other brands advertise, promote and popularise themselves.

The brand party is, therefore, one of the tools such brands use. In many cases, these brands rope in a celebrity who will host a party. The greater the social credibility of this celebrity, the better for the brand. These parties are meant to be non-brand parties, even. Yes, there will be the subtle brand cues all over, but these cues will not poke your eye, ever. Branding is never overt here. It is covert. So covert at times that you will not notice it even, except on the invitation card that welcomes you in and the takeaway gift that accompanies you back as you leave the party.

Harish Bijoor is a business strategy specialist and CEO, Harish Bijoor Consults Inc. askharishbijoor@gmail.com

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