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Case study 1:

Census 2011

Census 2011 survey is already underway across India. Indian census is often seen as a mother of
most of the surveys conducted across the world. This is because it covers the entire population of
about 1.2 billion Indians.

Some of the specific features of the census 2011 are:

 It promises to be the largest market initiative taken by the government and includes
certain crucial information such as source of drinking water, sanitary facilities and usage
of mobile phone and radio

 There are plans to make all the information complete with geographic information system
(GIS) within 18 months after the data is collected.

 Rural market

 Information from census 2011 will be useful to marketers (both national as well as
multinational) who have realised that there is a huge rural market with more than 70
percent of the population are located and are said to generate about half OF the national
income. Companies such as Nokia, Airtel, Hero Honda etc., have already realised the
potential of the rural and semi rural areas as the new engines of growth, not getting
affected by the resent global recession although the urban consumption behaviours had
been hit. The rural India consists of 6.37 lakh villages spread accros the county without
access to proper road, electricity, and safe drinking water. Thus the new census data will
have information to exite the many marketers who are looking to penetrate the many
bottom-of-the-pyramid opportunities that exist.

 According to Thomas Puliyel President, Market Research Agency IMRB International


“Data on water availability and sanitation facilities will be of help to those marketing
washing products, toilet soaps as well as civic and health planner”

 Census 2011 can also help marketers to work out on marketed communication
programmes. Apart from adding a question on television ownership, the census 2011 also
asked citizens if they own a computer and mobile phone. Further it also makes a note of
how many people have F.M radio in mobile phones. It is believed that such an exercise
could help advert isers to customize their communication for a clear target audience.

 It also increases the possibility of bringing together different details to help marketers and
policymakers in making more informed decisions. For instance, based on the assumption
that the data is available in a form which helps to interlink the findings, say education
with occupation within territories can help to ascertain the well-being and social class of
a region. Further, if this is combined with ownership of household assets and quality of
housing, it becomes a powerful tool for assessing the market potential of the region.

 When the Ministry of Petroleum and National Gas in mid 2007, had asked their state run
oil marketers to expand LPG distribution in rural India, the census data had proved to be
useful. They were provided with three sets of data: population of every village in the
country, percentage of households that use LPG in each village and the number of people
having a scooter or TV set in the villages. This data was then plotted on the village level
map of the country. The assumption was that those who can afford a T.V can afford gas
connection with the help of such a correlation, they could make a decision. HSEL Ltd.,
which owns sanitary fittings brand. Hindware is eagerly awaiting Census 2011, which
will have data on the types of bathrooms and latrines, kitchen facilities and roofing
material used in houses among other things. The Head of Marketing, HSIL,
Krishnamurthy feels will be relevant to the real estate and construction industry for the
reduction in the time lag for releasing census data will allow corporates to plan for more
realistic time frames than in the past.

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