In a world where brands are always looking for more attention, the true differentiator is not longer about visibility, but about understanding and conveying one's true identity. Today, markets are more connected than ever, and people are more informed and aware of what is going on. However, it is not about creating more noise and following trends, but about understanding people and the market, and creating stories based on honesty rather than imitation.
Welcome to Crafting Bharat: Brand Ki Baat – Mumbai Edition, a podcast where we talk about brands, businesses and the people who build them from the inside out. In this engaging episode, host Kartik Chawla sits down with Ravikant Banka , Founder of Eggfirst, and Jateen Kore, Founder of Lynqnext Consulting Pvt.Ltd for a conversation about rural markets, storytelling in the age of shrinking attention spans, and why brands must discover their “Identity” before they seek growth.
This series is proudly brought to you by NewsReach, India’s leading PR-tech platform, with Production Partner HT Smartcast; Gifting Partner Nanaji Natural and Beauty Partner Lakme Academy. Tune in for stories, insights, and inspiration!
Episode Link: https://youtu.be/_Ap-V0tAttc?si=_t6PflAd0qST-bXR
Edited Excerpts
You have worked on both sides, client and agency side. How has that helped you in brand building?
Jateen Kore: I have had the opportunity to work on both sides of the table, as a client and as an agency professional, and that has helped me understand the balance between conceptual thinking and execution. “I’m probably one of those few professionals who’s worked on both sides of the table so I bring in that perfect balance between understanding conceptualization and execution.” That helps me think creatively as well as think about execution and its impact on the business.
Why did Eggfirst focus intensively on Tier 2, Tier 3, and rural markets?
Ravikant Banka: About 12-13 years ago, we saw that rural India was growing at a very fast pace. Brands wanted to get into rural India, but they didn’t know the consumer. We spent a lot of time in rural India understanding how they live their lives, what they aspire to, and how they make different decisions compared to urban consumers. "The more we understood the dreams and aspirations of those consumers, the more we understood that we could create better value for brands."
Consumers in rural India need to be understood in a very different manner. That understanding forms the basis for communication.
What is one mistake brands make when they attempt to reach regional markets?
Ravikant Banka: One of the major blunders is underestimating the complexity of these markets. India is a highly heterogeneous market, and serving beyond metropolitan cities demands far greater depth and effort in distribution, communication, and messaging. “If you wish to target a large mass of people beyond urban centers, it becomes a massive challenge… the entire media landscape changes.”
What should be the brand’s perspective on the consumer behavior in the current digital and connected world?
Jateen Kore: The consumers today have been influenced by the global world, and yet their behaviors are also influenced by the nuances of the local world. The opportunity for marketers is to identify the triggers that bring communication closer to consumer behavior. Even though the consumers’ experience may be similar globally, the way consumers behave with the brand is different.
How do you balance creativity with speed in the market that we are in today, which is so competitive?
Ravikant Banka: Today, the market needs speed and creative depth, and it is our responsibility as an agency to give that to them. “It is imperative that brands protect their turf and grow against intense competition, and therefore they need the right combination of speed and creativity.” While technology and AI can aid in this process, creative thinking must come from human insight and understanding.
This discussion illustrates one of the great truths of brand building in the modern world: it starts with understanding who you are. Whether it is understanding rural consumers, adapting to changing attention spans, or coping with the arrival of AI, it is all the same. You need to stay true, stay disciplined, and stay connected to those you are serving.
In a world where speed and change are everything, it is not sameness but uniqueness that leaves a lasting impression. It is those brands that understand who they are and express it with honesty and integrity.
Brought to you by NewsReach–India’s leading PR-tech platform, with our production partner, HT Smartcast.
