Today, Amit Gantasala hosts an inclusive marketing training workshop and teaches us about diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in the workplace. He is from Hyderabad, India but currently resides in the United States. Additionally, his marketing experience consists of working at Proctor and Gamble (P&G) in the Mumbai Area of India as a Channel Manager.
Amit's Tips for Marketing to Diverse Groups of People
Understand the bigger picture
Know your consumer better than anyone else
Be a constant source of new ideas
Embrace diverse perspectives and new ideas
Amit uses real-world examples from his experience at Proctor and Gamble to teach AMA members the nuance of marketing to international audiences.
Marketing to International Audiences Example
One of his experiences is launching a Gillette razor in rural parts of Northern India. P&G conducted extensive research and launched their razor in these rural areas but the product failed. As a result, the company spent millions of dollars to understand what went wrong. They sent a team of travelers to stay in this region for two weeks. The team discovered there is no running water in this area. Running water is key to cleaning out the razor. That is why their product failed. This teaches us that marketers need to understand their consumers and what type of market they are going into. They can achieve this by spending time in the market to learn what’s necessary.
The Case for AMA Members
Later in the event, Amit gives the AMA members a case to work on in small groups. The case is marketing the Whisper, a feminine hygiene brand, to rural areas. The issue is that there is an uneven distribution of sales across regions, particularly in rural areas, due to cultural taboos surrounding menstrual hygiene.
His Question for AMA Members
How would you increase awareness and adoption of menstrual hygiene products in rural areas?
Some of P&G’s Methods
Partner with well-known brands E.G. Lays
Prime-time TV and newspaper advertisements
Differentiating sanitary napkins with different colors
E.G. premium products were green and products in rural areas had orange packaging. This makes it easier to identify against competitors.
AMA Members Ideas
Make packaging more discrete
Promote products with free samples
Use celebrities, like Bollywood stars or athletes, to promote and normalize menstrual care
Events promoting products in designated areas
Key Takeaway
Diverse demographics do not fit consumer segments and you have to adapt. This comes back to embracing diverse perspectives and consumer personas.
Conclusion
AMA wants to thank Amit Gantasala for speaking with us today. His presentation is well-detailed and provides us with valuable information regarding diversity, equity, and inclusion in marketing. If you want to connect with him, visit his LinkedIn profile. Make sure to check the UMD AMA website for upcoming events and meetings!
-Julia Mendel