Digital Agencies
“Chalo Rural Conclave and Awards fills in this gap by offering a platform to discuss everything related to rural marketing”: Eggfirst’s Ravi Banka
Mumbai: The 3rd edition of the Eggfirst Chalo Rural India Conclave & Awards, held at the Westin Goregaon, Mumbai, marked a historic milestone in the advertising and digital marketing landscape. The event, organised by Eggfirst, a prominent advertising and digital agency specialising in rural advertising, brought together over 500 industry leaders from more than 250 renowned brands for a transformative evening dedicated to exploring the vast potential, growth prospects, and digital advertising avenues in rural India.
The Conclave featured two insightful panel discussions: ‘Rural India ki Kahaani, Brands ki Zubaani’ and ‘Badhte Bharat ki Nayi Kahaani,’ where leaders from top-tier companies including Bayer CropScience, Corteva, Fino Payments Bank, DeHaat, Ambuja Cement, Yes Bank, Del Monte, Parle, SBI General, and NABARD shared profound insights and experiences related to rural India.
Rural India is a vast and diverse landscape, comprising more than 70 per cent of the country’s population. With such a significant portion of the population residing in rural areas, it is crucial for businesses and brands to tap into this market through effective advertising strategies. Rural advertising in India has gained prominence in recent years, as companies recognize the immense potential and untapped opportunities that lie within these regions.
In recent years, the rise of digital technology has also opened up new avenues for rural advertising. With the increasing penetration of smartphones and internet connectivity in rural areas, brands can leverage social media platforms and mobile applications to reach their target audience. Social media campaigns, influencer marketing, and targeted online advertisements can effectively engage rural consumers and create brand awareness.
The highlight of the event was the presence of YouTube influencers Akash Jadhav and Santosh Jadhav known for their Indian Farmers channel, which boasts 18.2 million subscribers and serves as a valuable resource for millions of farmers across the country.
Indiantelevision.com in an email interaction with Banka, shared insights on the conclave and the significance of rural marketing in this modern dynamic world
Edited excerpts
On Chalo Rural India Conclave and Awards fostering innovation in the field of digital advertising
Rural India has a huge consumer base and naturally harbours endless opportunities for the marketing and advertising fraternity. However, much of the rural marketing campaigns go unnoticed due to lack of reach and awareness. Chalo Rural Conclave and Awards fills in this gap by offering a platform to discuss and reward everything related to rural marketing.
On trends in digital advertising that have shown the most promise for reaching rural audiences
There are a few points I would like to highlight
Mobile phones are the primary internet access point for rural audiences so designing marketing strategies compatible with mobile phones is a must.
Next, influencer marketing can be a strong way to leverage local influencers for building trust and credibility in rural areas.
Third, the content has to be localised to suit the taste of the target audience. The culture and values should be kept in mind while crafting the communication.
On the challenges and opportunities existing for digital advertisers when targeting rural markets
Opportunities galore as the rural landscape is a playing field with a major chunk of population with diverse culture and markets to tap into. At the same time, there are a few challenges like limited internet connectivity, low levels of digital literacy and a lack of trust in the digital medium.
The conclave can play a pivotal role in addressing these aspects by bringing together industry experts, advertisers, policymakers, and community representatives to discuss and propose strategies, share success stories, and create awareness.
On the impact digital advertising industry had on rural India
The digital advertising industry has penetrated into the rural population with the advent of easy and affordable access to digital devices and media. A shift towards digital has been observed as more and more people from rural areas have adopted technology and keep in touch with the outside world. This has certainly impacted rural India for the better in a way that digital advertising has enabled communication better than ever before.
On content creators shaping the field of rural advertising today
Certainly. The intent behind setting up a session with the youtubers was to highlight the present of rural creators and the thriving discourse happening online.
I feel rural India is a treasure trove of knowledge and generational wisdom. With increased use of digital media, communication has increased manifold. On one hand, creators are able to put their thoughts before an eager audience ready to consume such content. So, it is a win-win situation that defines the effective communication facilitated in contemporary rural India.
BENGALURU: For years, creative teams have learned to live with ambiguity. Vague comments, last-minute changes, feedback that arrives without context, clarity, or conviction. It became part of the job – something teams worked around rather than getting it solved.
But as we head into 2026, that tolerance is wearing thin.
Creative work today moves faster, scales wider, and involves more stakeholders than before. Teams are producing more content across more formats, often with distributed collaborators and tighter timelines. In this environment, guesswork is no longer a harmless inconvenience. It’s a cost – to time, to budgets, and to creative mindspace.
The real problem isn’t feedback, it’s how it’s given
Most creative professionals you see today will tell you they’re not against feedback. In fact, they rely on it. Good feedback sharpens ideas, strengthens execution, and pushes work forward. The problem is ‘unclear’ feedback. When someone says “this doesn’t feel right” without context, they aren’t just revising – they’re basically decoding. They’re guessing what the problem might be, trying different directions, and burning time in the process. Multiply that by a few stakeholders and a few rounds, and suddenly days disappear.
In 2026, when teams are expected to deliver faster without compromising quality, interpretation is a luxury most can’t afford.
Scale has changed rverything
Creative projects used to be smaller and simpler. A designer, a manager, maybe one client contact. Feedback loops were short, even if they weren’t perfect.
Today, the same project might involve internal marketing teams, agencies, freelancers, brand reviewers, and regional teams. Everyone has a say. Everyone leaves comments. And often, those comments don’t agree. More people reviewing work means alignment matters more than ever. Clear feedback isn’t just about being nice to creative teams, it’s about keeping projects moving when complexity increases.
Guesswork quietly wears teams down
One of the less talked-about impacts of unclear feedback is what it does to people.
When feedback is vague or contradictory, creatives second-guess their decisions. They hesitate. They overwork. They keep extra time buffers “just in case.” Over time, confidence drops. Ownership fades. Work becomes safer, not stronger. Creative energy gets spent on managing uncertainty instead of pushing ideas forward. And in an industry already grappling with burnout, unclear feedback adds unnecessary mental load.
Actionable feedback is a shared skill
Clear feedback doesn’t mean controlling creative decisions or dictating every detail. It means being specific enough that someone knows what to do next.
Actionable feedback answers three basic questions:
What exactly needs attention?
Why does it matter?
What outcome are we aiming for?
This applies whether you’re reviewing a video frame, a design layout, or a copy draft. The clearer the feedback, the fewer follow-ups it creates. In 2026, teams that treat feedback as a skill and not an afterthought, will move faster with less friction.
Tools shape behaviour (whether we admit it or not)
The way feedback is delivered is often dictated by the tools teams use. Comments buried in long email threads, messages split across chat apps, or notes detached from the actual work all contribute to confusion.
When feedback lives outside the work, context often gets lost. When it’s disconnected from versions and timelines, decisions get questioned. When it’s scattered, accountability disappears. More teams are starting to realise that feedback problems aren’t just communication issues, they’re workflow issues. How work moves between people matters just as much as the work itself.
From Opinions To Alignment
One of the biggest shifts happening in creative teams is a move away from purely opinion-driven feedback. Instead of “I like this” or “I don’t,” teams are asking better questions:
● Does this meet the brief?
● Does this solve the problem?
● Does this align with the goal?
This change reduces unnecessary back-and-forth and helps feedback feel less personal and more productive. It also makes decisions easier to explain and defend. As creative work becomes more strategic, feedback has to support that shift.
2026 Is About Fewer Loops, Not Faster Loops
There’s a misconception that speed means moving through feedback cycles faster. In reality, the most creative teams aren’t just accelerating loops, they’re reducing them. Clear, actionable feedback upfront leads to fewer revisions later. Clear approval stages prevent last-minute surprises. Clear decisions stop work from circling endlessly.
In 2026, efficiency won’t come from working harder or longer. It will come from designing workflows that respect creative time and attention.
Ending guesswork is a mindset change
Ultimately, ending creative guesswork isn’t just about better tools or processes. It’s about mindset. It’s about recognising that clarity is an act of respect – for the work, for the people doing it, for the time invested and for the mindspace used. It’s about moving from “figure it out” to “here’s what we’re aiming for.”
Creative teams that embrace this shift will find themselves not only delivering faster, but also enjoying the process more. And in an industry built on imagination, that might be the most valuable outcome of all.
