Marketing in the Indian Market

India, as the second most populated country in the world, already had an advantage in attracting companies. However, they also sport a pro-business environment with an aim to attract multinationals. However, it is important to understand that this cannot be considered an entirely favourable place to market one's product. There are large differences between the North and the South, the country has 17 different languages and citizens are either Hindu or Muslim.

One must also take into account that, also the younger generations are becoming more 'westernised', the older are still very much set in their ways. Products that are commodities in the West may even be completely foreign to them. A good example is toothpaste. In the West, toothpaste brands compete against one another. In India, they compete again tooth powders and 'natural' ways of cleaning your teeth. So marketing is not as competitive, but it is difficult because it entails the introduction of a truly new product. This is one of the hardest things to do as a company.

This has not been easy for Colgate, as it has been accused of stealing and patenting an indian toothpaste recipe. Coca-Cola understood it better, looking at potential customers' lives and searching for possible marketing opportunities. An example of this is how they, looking at how villagers put their mangoes in the village well to cool them, pulled Coca-Cola bottles out of the same well, showing they understood their consumers and their habits, and at the same time showing respect for their traditions.

In the last 50 years, India had evolved a lot, catching up with everything and showing the world that they too could be a nation of power. This shows in the advertising business too. Advertising used to be quite unimportant and not at all attractive. But now, Indian advertising agencies are winning prices for the best advertisements and marketing campaigns.

The advertisement for Happy Dent, which won a silver lion and a bronze lion at Cannes in 2007.

In this case, it seems easier and more efficient to outsource your marketing campaign to an Indian company specialised in whatever you need, or to hire an expert to assist you. India had changed a lot, and in becoming more westernised companies have often overlooked its individuality and marketed their product the way they would anywhere else. Unless you have a thorough knowledge of India and its culture, it is smarter not to take the easy path, but to ask for help.

Sources:
http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-27502938_ITM
http://qn.som.yale.edu/content/how-do-foreign-companies-market-india
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1322863/Colgate-accused-stealing-1-000-year-old-Indian-toothpaste-recipe.html
http://businesstoday.intoday.in/story/minds-behind-classic-advertising-campaigns/1/185624.html