Mobile explosion in India offers chance for marketers

I try and measure value derived from gatherings such as these by the things that make me say, "hey, I didn't know that."

I didn't know, for example, that there was a direct and measurable correlation between the penetration of cable and satellite and the growth in the sale of FMCG products. The implication is, keep tabs on where cable and satellite is growing and increase your marketing efforts in such markets.

I didn't know that young people from semi-urban and rural India want mobile handsets that can handle voice, data, images, video, the works. The implication is that once these phones are available, consumers can be targeted by brands.

I also didn't know that Nokia has developed a phone with solar cells that overcome the power shortages in large parts of rural India; these phones need to be charged at an electrical point every fortnight or thereabouts.

I didn't know that micro financing has developed to the extent that consumers in large parts of rural and semi-urban India can buy phones - even the ones that cost only Rs.1,200 (US$25) - in easy instalments. I didn't know that the lowest recharge voucher they could buy for their mobile phone service was Rs.5.

The imminent explosion in mobile phone services in rural India and the galloping penetration of DTH and cable and satellite (spurred by hyper-competition), have enormous implications for marketers. If, till now, marketers were hampered by the absence of media to carry messages to consumers, that obstacle is on the way out.

What makes it more exciting is that DTH operators, handset manufacturers and mobile service providers have not transported their urban marketing strategy to new markets, but have created products, services, pricing and payment options that will ensure high growth.

It's up to marketers and communication partners to find the means to take advantage of these developments and attack new markets. Creative agencies need, quickly, to figure out how to communicate - in multiple languages - on the mobile, while media agencies need to work out the new complications in media buying and planning.

Hitherto, it was the media dark areas in India that presented a challenge. If the mobile and cable and satellite transform these into media light, there's a simple lesson. Get on to the bullock cart if you want growth.

This article was originally published in the 12 August 2010 issue of Media.