Rural PR plays an important role in informing rural populations about government schemes, initiatives, and standards. Many large companies consistently feature rural imagery in their PR campaigns to promote sales in both rural and urban areas. Government schemes related to health, financial inclusion, and development are also aided by PR activities to build trust, often featuring popular personalities. Some examples of private companies that have effectively used PR in rural India include AMUL, Lijjat Papad, and MDH, which promote their brands and empower rural communities.

1. Role of PR in Rural
Development
An i k e t S i n g h C h a u h a n
P R a n d A d v e r t i s i n g

2. WHAT DO YOU SEE IN THIS
PICTURE?
An eminent personality once asked a
gathering - If you see a woman in a
village milking a cow, do you see an
opportunity?
Most did not reply and the ones who did
reply, replied in the negative. But that is
exactly where Dr. Varghese Kurien saw
an opportunity and it gave birth to one
of the most successful organizations of
India, AMUL

3. THE STATE OF RURAL INDIA
• According to a World Bank
study, the share of rural
population in India amounts to
65.53%, as of 2019.
• Rural India is also plagued by
the disguised unemployment
due to overdependence on
limited resources and lack of
income sources.
• Along with this, an average
rural Indian worker’s income is
half of what his/her peer may
get in urban areas.
• Due to these reasons, the
PPP or Purchasing Power
Parity in Rural India is much
lower than that of Indian cities.
• This disparity leads to little
investment on advertising and
PR in Rural India.
• However, PR plays a pretty
important role in informing the
rural public about NGO
initiatives, Government
schemes, hygiene standards,
etc.
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4. USE OF RURAL INDIA AS A CATALYST
FOR URBAN SALES
• Many leading FMCG, electronics, cellular network,
automobile firms consistently use rural Indian imagery in
their PR campaigns.
• Companies like HUL, ITC, Patanjanli, TATA, Samsung,
TATA Sky, AMUL, etc. prominently use such imagery in
their PR campaigns.
• Others like AMUL and Lijjat Papad not only use imagery but
also do a major chunk of their business in Rural India.
• Campaigns like HUL’s #startsomethinggood, ITC’s
#sabsaathbadhein, Marico’s #AchhayiKiDubki, Samsung’s
#sapnehuebade, etc.
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5. “ The more the target audience,
rural Indians in this case,
understands a scheme, the more
they will trust it.
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6. GOVERNMENT/POLITICAL
INITIATIVES AIDED BY PR
ACTIVITIES
• Various government schemes and aides are aided
by PR activities. Trust is an important factor in Rural
India and thus most of these campaigns either bear
or feature eminent personalities including actors,
politicians, social workers, etc.
• Therefore, schemes like Polio eradication’s, “Do
Boond Zindagi Ki”, PM Jan Dhan Yojana,
#namamigange, etc.
• Apart from this many NGOs and religious
organisations have also used PR activities to
promote their work as well as development. For
instance, the Syro-Malabar Church’s schools and
other institutions that have helped in major
educational upliftment of Kerala.
• The ‘Khelo India’ games started the #5MinuteAur
campaign and was able to convince people about
the importance of sports. Because of its relevance,
the sports extravaganza saw an increased amount
of participation from tier 2, 3 and rural areas.
• Other campaigns and slogans like #chaipercharcha,
Jai Jawan Jai Kisan, BJP’s India Shining, INC’s
Bharat Nirman, India Against Corruption, Abki Baar
Modi Sarkaar etc. are used majorly by political pr
agencies.
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7. • Jan Sangh ko vote do, bidi peena chhod do;
Bidi mein tambaku hai, Congress-wala daaku hai (Jan Sangh ‘67)
• Yeh dekho Indira ka khel, kha gayi shakkar, pee gayi tel (Atal Bihari Vajpayee)
• Garibi hatao, Indira lao, Desh bachao (INC ‘71)
• Indira hatao, Desh bachao (JP, Jan Sangh, ’71)
• Jab tak rahega samose mein aloo, tab tak rahega Bihar mein Lalu (RLSP)
• Bachcha bachcha Ram ka, Janmabhoomi ke kaam ka (VHP, BJP)
• Mile Mulayam-Kanshiram, hawa ho gaye Jai Shree Ram (SP, BSP)

8. PRIVATE COMPANIES THAT HAVE
BEEN EFFECTIVELY USING PR IN
RURAL INDIA
• Companies like Lijjat Papad, MDH and AMUL are prime examples
of companies that not only have a strong presence in Urban areas
but also dominate Rural India.
• AMUL alone employs more than 31 lakh people who in turn are
part of various co-operatives and thus has been able to alleviate
many from bpl levels.
• On the other hand, Lijjat Papad, works on a co-op model similar to
that of AMUL and via its door-to-door PR campaigns has been
able to advertise its image as a trustable brand in Rural India and
employs more than 43,000 women as its employees.
• While MDH was able to transition a less retail oriented rural India
to going for packages spices.
• Campaigns like #lepanga from Pro Kabaddi League and
#letsfootball from Indian Super Leagues Grassroots Programme,
have been successful in popularizing as well as developing the
particular sport in rural areas.
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