Vritti i-Media Paints a Bronze Picture of Success at OAA 2012

July 5th, 2012 | Posted by Veerendra Jamdade in From the CEO's desk - (0 Comments)
Vritti i-media at Outdoor Advertising awards 2012

Mr. Veerendra Jamdade, CEO, Vritti i-Media speaks about the accolade bestowed on Vritti i-Media at the Outdoor Advertising Awards 2012 this year, and why it has been well-earned dynamic audio and video outdoor advertising solution for brands across rural Maharashtra, Vritti i-Media was awarded the Bronze award for Zonal Media Owner of the Year – West at the celebrated eighth annual Outdoor Advertising Awards 2012 (OAA) held at the Outdoor Advertising Convention (OAC) 2012 on June 9, 2012 in Mumbai. On this evening, pioneers and innovators in the outdoor advertising Industry celebrated their accomplishments and honoured those who have contemporised and leveraged the possibilities of OOH in India.

Vritti i-Media bagged the award and its majestic honour based on the strength and effectiveness of its media platforms and processes, as well as its potential to revolutionise OOH in India. Continual hard work and innovation put in by the whole team has helped drive client delight through each of Vritti i-Media’s campaigns, and has etched a unique and indelible mark for the company in its rural/target markets. A key ingredient in Vritti i-Media’s success is its partners and customers, who are among a gamut of its stakeholders that have inspired the company to perform better with their faith and belief.

Vritti i-Media is constantly attempting to push the boundaries when it comes to crafting OOH methods that can help brands better market their products to rural target groups in Maharashtra. One of the company’s flagship solutions is audio advertising to masses at district-level bus-stands in Maharashtra’s hinterlands. For this, the company has tied up with MSRTC to set up an ‘audio advertising network’ also called ‘Digitalworld’ across 85 locations in Maharashtra at prominent MSRTC-owned ST bus-stands. The advantage of this medium is that the entire network is managed by Vritti i-Media’s backend system through a control room, ensuring 100% uptime guarantee and dynamic and flexible messaging.

By communicating with a captive audience in a language they understand, and at a juncture when they are eagerly awaiting travel announcements, this medium has evinced efficacy and retention among audiences. The medium is gaining popularity among marketers as an incredibly engaging and cost-effective one to reach rural audiences, as compared to hoardings or traditional media like newspapers and television, which are inadequate to touch media-dark locales.

It does not end there. In its quest to continually explore fresher and increasingly effective OOH formats, Vritti i-Media has introduced Digital Display or Electronic Audio Visual Media at food malls. Through this dynamic, flexible and cost-effective medium, advertisers can build an engaging channel of communication with travellers and potential customers while they are in-transit and on-the-go. An instance is the set up of two 8X6 LED displays at a new Food Hub on the Mumbai-Nashik Highway, which is expected to attract corporate travellers in addition to a large number of pilgrims.

This endeavour has resulted in an incomparable marketing opportunity, which targets the two mentioned distinct and vital target groups on a single platform. Advertisers can create their messaging as per the specific demographic they intend to reach and gain from advertising to a captive audience in a high-traffic space.

Vritti i-Media is also blessed to be associated with the annual Pandharpur event/festival, where it handles a spectrum of innovative ad-activities, from audio advertising at MSRTC bus-stands as well as audio-video ads at expressway- and highway-hotels; to gantries, T-shirts, SMS campaigns, outdoor media services like hoardings, pole-kiosks, bus panels as well as event and conference management. Vritti i-Media invests heavily in terms of money and effort in successfully setting up its systems, including IT infrastructure, at two locations spread across 35 acres during the yatra event. By participating in rural events and allowing advertisers to touch the bottom of the pyramid, Vritti i-Media has become a true ground-level OOH advertising link to rural India, making the recognition from OAA well-earned.

This year’s OAA received 588 entries, its highest number of entries thus far, making the award a true acknowledgement of Vritti i-Media’s accomplishments.

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Key elements for a successful OOH campaign

June 9th, 2012 | Posted by Veerendra Jamdade in From the CEO's desk - (2 Comments)

Most marketers these days acknowledge that the largest, most challenging as well as the most lucrative consumer groups today, reside far beyond our metros. More and more people are recognising a truth about Indiathat Mahatma Gandhi, the father of our nation, noticed decades ago—that it is a country with boundless potential at the grassroots. Indeed, the consumer market is not only growing but becoming more sophisticated in our hinterlands due to a rising standard of living in small towns and villages. A recent study by MART shows that milk supplement brands like Bournvita and Horlicks and a variety of electronic goods have now made their way into rural households. According to Hindustan Thompson Associates’ research arm, IMRB International, in the FMCG category, milk food and drinks has witnessed tremendous expansion in rural volumes to 41% in 2011 over the previous year. Better options in healthcare, real estate and education are auguring this hunger among the emerging consumer class. These signs are promising because they signify an important shift in the Indian consumer market.

Choosing the right medium

Given this backdrop of golden optimism, the problem that most marketers continue to face revolves around attracting this consumer group. To create a bridge, marketers firstly need to understand the rural mindset and tap the right nerves. For instance, modernisation or not, Indian villages continue to suffer gaping inequities relating to infrastructure. The availability and adequacy of power continues to be a pressing concern in small towns and villages. Given such handicaps, advertising to this population through TV channels like Doordarshan cannot guarantee visibility. On the other hand, it is possible to create alternative touch points. In small towns and villages, locals are seen regularly travelling intra-district or further for studying, employment, shopping, legal work or business. The opportunity to reach them while they are on road can invaluably help advertisers connect to the masses. In fact, advertising on a local level has a better chance to connect to people than through TV and cable. It enhances not only brand visibility, but also brand loyalty. For instance, Vritti i-Media’s OOH audio network medium has helped advertisers draw impressive enquiries. Given lower literacy levels, such media also allow masses to easily grasp audio and visual content better than newspapers.

Creating a memorable campaign

Speaking of OOH, hoardings, information boards, ST bus panels, public vehicle branding, pole kiosks and audio networks for announcements at ST bus stands are among the most successful offerings of Vritti i-Media for rural reach. These modes offer fabulous opportunities to advertisers to communicate interact and engage with people when they are on the move for work, education or recreation. Yet, the real challenge is styling OOH or Digital OOH (DOOH) communication to aptly convince the audience. So, it is important for communication to be different, unique and relevant. A right balance should be created between disseminating and withholding information, with regard to the advertisement, so as to create curiosity about the brand.

For effective OOH, the core idea should be simple and easy to grasp. The OOH campaign should be unique and clutter-free, while the theme should resonate with the social fabric of the region to trigger mass sentiment or a wow factor. Vritti i-Media’s Digital OOH audio network at ST Bus stands, for example, garners plentiful interest of its captive audience as it integrates advertisements with content of public utility. Since advertisements are meshed with bus arrival and departure announcements, it engrains the advertising message in the minds of alert travellers, presumably people who impact buying decisions in their households. This is a very innovative concept and has worked well for several prominent brands inIndia.

Rural insight

An interesting case is that of 9X Jhakas, a newly launched Marathi music channel. Since the intent was attracting residents of small towns inMaharashtra, Vritti i-Media adopted a cent-percent OOH approach for them. To this end, an MSRTC bus was hired and embellished with the brand identity of 9X Jhakaas. The bus was then used to provide free rides to commuters. Audio announcements as well as hoardings and sign boards were further put up at MSRTC bus stands to inform masses about the free rides provided by 9X Jhakaas. The point was to garner significant captive audience through the rides for ensuing engagements with them during their travel by the bus, which included quiz contests and music shows. Participants were awarded a range of freebies. The initiative was a true 360-degree awareness connect through an outdoor medium for rural masses and its success helped 9X Jhakas reach out to more than 15 target districts in Maharashtra.

Given the growing dynamism of life in metros and beyond, such a 360-degree integrated approach can immensely impact consumers. Appropriate implementation of an integrated marketing strategy will vary as per industry vertical and dictate which medium will have greatest impact when coupled with OOH. For instance, FMCG sector loves to combine outdoor with TV, while banks go for a 360-degree approach by roping in TV, newspaper, radio and outdoor media. Today, DOOH media such as Vritti i-Media’s audio and audio-visual networks bring both, time and cost efficiency to the table. They are the very embodiment of dynamism in rural advertising today and are extremely affordable as well. Given the invaluable benefit of reaching consumers inIndia’s remotest areas, the relevance of DOOH will only increase in times to come.

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Rural, semi-urban areas to boost banking growth

November 24th, 2011 | Posted by Veerendra Jamdade in From the CEO's desk - (0 Comments)

While I was browsing the internet for information on the changing  banking scenario in India, I came across this interesting research report by McKinsey on the banking industry titled ‘Gateway to the defining decade’.

No doubt that rural & semi urban markets offer a huge potential to the banking service sector in India, but there are a certain aspects which I feel will bring in a drastic change in the way banking is done in India.

On one side of the coin there is going to be a paradigm shift in way people bank in rural areas. Use of Mobile as a wallet was launched by  Union Bank in March in association with Nokia, and they have plans to expand its service to pan India level by next year. Consumers, using the service, need not have a bank account to make use of this service. A prepaid mobile account can be opened with the help of a photo identification card and address proof. The service allows an individual to transfer money, make utility bill payments and recharge mobile phone accounts. Money can also be transferred from one bank to another using this service. The focus market for this banking service is semi urban and rural markets and also below average income urban markets. Many banks are venturing into this kind of Mobile banking. Thus Technology is going to play a vital role in banking industry. Vritti i-Media can communicate  and educate masses on such  technological modes and thereby helping the banking penetration to every Aam Aadmi of India.

Other side of the coin working on the fundamentals ie Financial Inclusion. Which is the delivery of banking services at an affordable cost to the vast section of disadvantaged and low income group. Financial inclusion also means extending the banking habit among the less privileged in urban and rural India and weaning them away from unorganized money markets and moneylenders. Every Bank has a mandate for this Financial inclusion. Thus disseminating information and educating the masses about having  savings account ,various schemes offered by the government for the under privileged ,repayment of loans on time etc  becomes very important for the banks.

Our audio network is already helping largest bank of India SBI ,Largest Private bank ICICI bank , and many co-operative Buldhana co-operative bank in this mission of Financial inclusion. The Banks are also coming out with innovative and customised products like “Crop loan”, ” marriage loan”,” business loan” against gold which is a commodity available in every household of rural India. Banks are using our services at ST bus stands inform and educate the masses about such unique schemes which is helping the banking penetration to every Aam Aadmi of Maharashtra.

You can read through the findings of the research report here:

http://www.mydigitalfc.com/banking/rural-semi-urban-areas-boost-banking-growth-004

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Vritti i-Media: Shedding light on ‘media darkness’

April 20th, 2011 | Posted by Veerendra Jamdade in From the CEO's desk - (1 Comments)

Maharashtra, with a total population of 90 million, is one of the most populous states in this country, Out of this 90 million; a whopping 55 million people reside in rural and semi rural areas. Understandably, this presents unique and limitless opportunities for brands trying to make their presence felt in the semi rural and rural areas. Traditional media like print and TV reach out only to 45% and 40% of the entire population respectively. This means, that 46% of the population can be considered as ‘media dark’ or not being approached by any media.

i-Media

Vritti i-Media

With the traditional media reach being so limited, it’s a real challenge for advertisers to connect with their audiences and get their brand’s message across. It becomes important to find a solution that will not only reach the right people, but will also ensure their captive attention thus ensuring a high recall. Vritti i-Media’s Digitalworld+ solution is a digital technology enabled outdoor media advertising solution that ensures corporates can effectively plan low-cost, high impact campaigns that reach out to the audience that are semi literate as well thus breaking the barrier of media darkness.

Vritti’s Digitalworld+ audio network relays audio announcements at MSRTC bus stands across Maharashtra at over 80 locations, every 30 minutes. The USP of this solution is that the advertisements are combined with announcements about the bus arrival and departure schedules, thus ensuring the captive attention of the audience. This medium is well established for over 4 years and leading brands like Lux, Wheel, Kirti Gold and Bajaj auto have been using the solution for their rural marketing campaigns. Lokmat, one of the leading dailies of Maharashtra has been using the Digitalworld+ audio network to promote sales of the newspaper by making use of the setup to announce daily headlines to passengers travelling by ST’s across Maharashtra. This medium is also effectively used to warn passengers against pickpocketers and other minor travelling hazards along with information on serious epidemics like swine flu.

Vritti i-Media at bus stands

Vritti i-Media at bus stands

As the announcements are in the local language, the impact level is high and helps brands reach out to the heart of the rural population, most of whom are illiterate. Unlike other OOH media, these ads can be changed dynamically and run at different times across different locations. Repeated renditions of the ads with a gap of 20 minutes ensures a greater recall (as the average time spent at a bus stand by passengers is half and hour- forty minutes) and helps form a brand image.

We can thus conclude that Vritti’s solution has a definite advantage over all other forms of outdoor advertising and it can be safely said that here is one technology that has helped brands break the barriers of media darkness and reach their message effectively to a population that just cannot be ignored by corporate anymore.

Authored by:

Veerendra Jamdade

CEO

Vritti Solutions

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Rural Marketing Trends For 2011

April 11th, 2011 | Posted by Veerendra Jamdade in From the CEO's desk - (0 Comments)

Over the course of the past decade or so, market experts have observed a few fundamental shifts in Indian marketing. These include rapid growth of services industries, emergence of organized retailing, potential growth in rural India, emerging inter-generation chasm, rise of demanding consumers, India getting globally integrated and the technology revolution which has a large impact on urban and rural consumers alike.

As the purse strings loosen in the Indian consumer’s grip, marketers worldwide are privy to a plethora of opportunities in the India’s rural markets, a sector that is predicted to have a buying capacity of a mind boggling  $25 billion. Increased levels of media, technology and mobile penetration have caused a shift in the rural consumer’s buying pattern. He is far more aware of what he wants and has shifted his focus from shopping only for necessities to discretionary items.  In such a scenario it becomes pertinent for brand managers and advertisers to be aware of how to market their brand to these consumers and reach out to the audience that comprises almost 742 million people.

In such a scenario it becomes important for corporates to gauge the trends that will shape up the future of marketing in India for the year ahead. In this blog post, we have attempted to summarize the broad trends which will determine how rural marketing will shape up in India over the course of the year.

  • Rural India Goes mobile: Rural India has emerged as the fastest growing segment in Mobile sector. As penetration in the urban regions has reached almost to the saturation level, mobile operators in the country are now vying rural India as their next area for growth in the near future. Further, it is expected that the subscribers’ base in these region will grow at a CAGR of 35% during 2011-12 to 2013-14. It is forecasted that sales of mobile handsets in rural India will grow at a CAGR of around 19% from 2011-12 to 2013-14.Certain trends like green green telecommunication and solar-powered phones are expected to prevail in near future. With teledensity less than 26% in the rural segment this market will see advertisers chase the consumers with a vengeance. A lot of innovative campaigns can expected to market mobile phones this year.

     

    • Ensuring Insurance: After the cities, insurance companies are moving to the countryside to grab a meaty piece of the Rs 1000 crore untapped rural market pie. After the directive from IRDA to get 18% of their policies from rural India, market leaders in the insurance space like Tata AIG, Birla Sun Life and Bajaj Allianz are looking to tap the market. The regulator has given a go-ahead to companies to tie up with NGOs, self help groups and micro finance institutions to market their products.
    • Media: The advertisement spends on TV are expected to grow at around 12-14 per cent and the medium will be preferred to other media, what with satellite and cable television making deeper inroads in semi-urban and rural markets. Combining the reach of television with newer technologies like audio PA systems at bus stands and audio visual displays with the use of LCD TVs will be the most effective method of capturing the captive attention of a large rural audience. Traditional print media in India is still playing steady, and is determined to reserve the second spot after TV. The horizontal expansion of the newspapers will continue to grow in 2011 by way of additional supplements to the dailies in the form of pull-outs on finance, health, real estate, entertainment, etc. The estimated size of the India radio industry is expected to reach US$ 360 million by the end of 2014.
    • Internet reach: Broadband penetration will power a surge in the awareness levels of the rural consumers, making them far more aware of what they want out of  the money they spend. The story of social networks’ growth will continue to be written in 2011 and for few more years to come, in the same tone that it has been over-written in the past few years. The advertisement business on social networking sites will forever involve the concept of innovation.
    • A ‘brand’ new story: The key is for brands to realize that the aspiration levels are higher in the rural segment. The new rural consumer will be more brands conscious and also cost conscious. It will be a challenge for brands to reach out to this new age rural consumer who is brand and cost conscious

    Rural India the next Frontier for Growth

    March 25th, 2011 | Posted by Veerendra Jamdade in From the CEO's desk - (0 Comments)

    Recent market surveys have shown that markets in rural India will be the next battle ground for companies in India. The markets which were traditionally focused on the urban populace now see a tremendous growth opportunity in this little explored rural territory. Companies have now realized the importance of this 600million- plus market which could be crucial for them to maintain their growth rate.

    vritti vaani solutionsStudies show that the rural market in India will witness the fastest growth trajectory as compared to urban markets in the coming years. The rural consumer is expected to account for a major chunk of multiple product lines driven by improving economic condition and an increasing focus of companies in strengthening their rural distribution networks. Rural Indians are developing desire for packaged foods, personal care products, consumer durables and IT products, two- and four-wheelers, and fashion accessories. Over the last five years, some consumer product companies have recognized the potential of rural markets and invested time and resources to tap into this opportunity – understanding and segmenting the consumer, based on their spends and lifestyles.

    vritti vaani solutionsAccording to a study by research firm The Nielson Company, the fast moving consumer goods market (FMCG) in rural India is tipped to touch US$ 100 billion by 2025 on the back of an “unrelenting” demand driven by rising income levels. According to the study, rural India now accounts for more than half of sales in some of the largest FMCG categories. Rural purchasing power has grown faster than urban in the last six quarters. Seemingly ‘urbane’ brands in categories like deodorant and fabric softener are growing much faster in rural India than urban.

    What remains a major concern is to make the end-rural consumer aware of the presence of the brand. Traditional advertising like television may rather remain ineffective due to frequent power outages and Medias like radio might also not be impactful due to reception issues.vritti vaani solutions

    For companies to be able to tap into rural markets, a more effective method needs to be adopted to maximize penetration.

    Rural Marketing – The Road Ahead

    March 23rd, 2011 | Posted by Veerendra Jamdade in From the CEO's desk - (0 Comments)

    The Union Budget for 2011 has evoked mixed reactions from the advertisingVritti Solutions industry. Some reactions being positive and some negative. But, by and large, the general consensus is that many advertising agencies expect companies to spend a large amount of their marketing budgets on rural communications. This is so because of the sheer number of rural population being 128 million, almost three times that of the urban population and the announcement of a large number of rural development schemes.

    Advertisers and marketers are slowly realizing the potential of the rural markets in India and are making attempts to focus their marketing and advertising initiatives to feed off the rural markets.

    Vritti SolutionsAdvertisers have started looking at rural markets seriously, given that an increasing percentage of sales are coming from rural belts in many categories. The rural market accounts for half of the total market for TV sets, fans, pressure cookers, bicycles, washing soap, blades, tea, salt and toothpowder. What is more, the rural market for FMCG products is growing much faster than the urban counterpart. Rural India has a large consuming class with 41 per cent of India’s middle-class and 58 per cent of the total disposable income.

    Vritti solutionsIn addition, with respect to the budget, rural reforms clearly are on top of the list where there is a clear scaled up flow of resources. Increase in farm credit, benefits to all tax payers, subvention of 3% to farmer paying loans on time are all steps in creating a strong base that can be built on.With all this and more it won’t be a surprise but just a matter of time before more and more companies jump on the rural marketing bandwagon and tap the rural markets in an aggressive manner.