MAM
Rural marketing agencies form RMAAI
MUMBAI: With the growing importance of rural markets in corporate marketing strategies, there is an increased recognition of rural specialties in helping companies plan and implement their rural marketing activities. This has resulted in a number of players, both big and small entering the field in the last couple of years.
As was reported by Indiantelevision.com earlier this month, a few leading players who have been providing tremendous value added rural marketing services all across the country have come together to form the Rural Marketing Agencies Association of India (RMAAI).
Anugrah Madison, Sampark Marketing and Advertising Solutions, MART, Rural Relations along with other players like O&M Outreach, Linterland, Impact Communications, Rural Eight, RC&M, India Agrilbusiness Systems and Kripa Outdoor have come together to form RMAAI.
Anugrah Madison chairman and managing director RV Rajan will be the president of the association, whereas MART’s Pradeep Kashyap will hold the position of vice president. The association’s secretary will be Impact Communications’ Sanjay Kaul and the treasurer will be Kripa Outdoors’ R Parthasarathy.
The committee members of RMAAI are Sampark’s R Patankar, Rural Relations’ Pradeep Lokhande, Ogilvy Activation’s J C Giri, Linterland’s Dinesh Malhotra, RC&M’s Priya Monga, Indian Agribusiness Systems’ Sunil Khairnar and Rural Eight’s Amla.
These agencies have come together on a common platform and will work towards recognition, credibility and meeting the needs of the rural marketing industry.
One of the important objectives of RMAAI would be to set industry benchmarks in areas of performance evaluation and financial practices. To improve the overall understanding of rural markets by the corporate world, RMAAI will conduct seminars, workshops and conferences, besides offering guidance to Management Institutes in running courses in rural marketing. It will also undertake syndicated research in rural marketing on select topics, which will help increase the knowledge base of rural marketers, which in turn could help marketers develop better and more effective rural marketing strategies.
Rajan said, “Marketers look at rural India as a mass market, which it is not. That is the reason why we’ve not got adequate success. A lot of corporates have been talking about going rural for the last two decades, but if all of them walked the talk, we wouldn’t be forming this association today.”
Kashyap, on the other hand, said, “We hope to expand the scope of the Rural Network by including other big players O&M, Linterland etc., so that the association is completely representative of the rural marketing agencies.”
The founding members have paid a nominal fees of Rs 6000 to be a part of the association.
RMAAI also has plans of starting an award function in the near future to recognise individuals and organisations who have actively contributed to the growth of the rural marketing industry. Also on 10 and 11 November, RMAAI will be hosting a two day seminar on rural marketing in an effort to bring together all the rural players in the field under one roof, share developments in the industry as well as the advantage of being a part of the association network. “This seminar will be an important launching pad for the association,” Rajan said.
Brands
Mother Dairy unveils 30 plus products for summer portfolio push
Ice creams, regional dairy and high-protein range drive 30 per cent growth plans
MUMBAI: If summer had a flavour, Mother Dairy is making sure it comes in at least 30. As temperatures climb, Mother Dairy is turning up the chill with an expansive product blitz, announcing a pipeline of over 30 new offerings across its value-added dairy portfolio. Rolled out in phases through the season, the line-up spans indulgence, health, convenience and regional tastes, an attempt to meet India’s increasingly diverse consumption patterns head-on.
Ice creams take centre stage, accounting for around 20 of the new launches. The brand is introducing formats such as a Two-in-One Matka and Tub, alongside a premium ‘Crafted’ range and flavours like Cream Cheese Pistachio Cone and Kulfi Cassata. There is also a clear nod to calorie-conscious consumers, with the debut of a ‘Go-Low’ range featuring variants such as Choco Almond, Shahi Mewa and Kesar Pista Tilla Kulfi.
Beyond indulgence, the company is sharpening its regional play. Products like Jamun Yoghurt and Bhuna Jeera Raita aim to tap into local flavour preferences, while Shrikhand offered in three variants targets western markets. For northern consumers, Meethi Dahi joins the mix, reinforcing a localisation strategy that goes beyond one-size-fits-all offerings.
Convenience is another key lever. Mother Dairy is expanding its UHT milk portfolio with Cow Milk and Standardised Milk in markets such as Jammu and Kashmir, catering to demand for longer shelf-life products without compromising accessibility.
On the nutrition front, the brand is doubling down on protein. Its ‘Pro’ range is being strengthened with Procurd and Propaneer high-protein curd and paneer variants positioning itself within the growing health-conscious segment while retaining its core taste proposition.
The scale of the rollout signals more than just seasonal experimentation. With expectations of over 30 per cent growth across key categories, the company is betting on innovation as a primary growth engine, supported by a mix of traditional and new-age distribution channels.
Marketing, too, is set to match the ambition. High-impact campaigns across ice creams and flavoured milk are in the pipeline, aimed particularly at younger consumers and designed to amplify summer consumption moments.
In a market where heat often dictates demand, Mother Dairy is not just responding to the season, it is trying to own it, one scoop, sip and spoonful at a time.
