Evolution of rural media

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: Rural media has a long history of evolution. Within this the tradition of wall painting may be traced to the Indian rock-art paintings that go back (according to various estimates) to 4000 BC.

The most vibrant and colourful wall paintings can still be witnessed in rural households of Rajasthan. Painted on wet lime plaster in mineral colours, these paintings depict the day-to-day scenes of life. Some researchers claim that this form was employed for commercial purposes during the emergence and establishment of the Indus Valley Civilisation.

Written forms went hand in hand with oral advertising. So powerful was this tradition that it gave birth to the field of phonetics in ancient India. Ancient Indians developed the scientific view of the physiological basis of human speech sounds. That included the conceptual foundation of the arrangement of letters in Indian scripts; for example, the Devanagari script bears witness to this concept. The vowels and consonants are arranged separately and consonants are arranged according to the point and the manner of articulation.

Professionals ranging from snake charmers, magicians, and herbal medicine men to jugglers, ropewalkers, and vendors developed their distinct calls or advertising patter, which can be witnessed in rural haats and radio ads to this day. Announcements made by video vans still remind one of the old oral traditions. Vocal calls were supplemented by a wide variety of art, and music forms and instruments—e.g., musical instruments such as drums, dafli (a tambourine), dabba (a tin box), and damru (a small drum) played by Lord Shiva—still maintain a centuries-old presence in rural India.

Although these forms of advertising are deeply rooted in Indian culture and its fold and literary traditions, they are neglected by the modern Indian advertising industry. Only small rural companies or self-employed rural advertisers make use of them, and some are in danger of becoming extinct. Before I proceed further, let me mention that the use of animals such as elephants and camels is not restricted just to rural advertising. Dabur, one of the largest advertisers in India with more than 457 products ranging from hair oil to digestive tablets, employs two elephants—Laxmi and Gulabkali—for advertising purposes. The use of animals for carrying advertising messages is also categorised as a non-conventional advertising form.

Reaching rural India