“Bharat” has become one of the most talked-about words in boardrooms, presentations and growth conversations. Every brand wants to unlock Bharat, connect with Bharat or build for Bharat. Yet, despite the attention it receives, Bharat remains difficult to define. Is it a geography, a mindset, an income category, or an aspiration that cuts across cities and regions?  These questions formed the basis of a discussion on “The Bharat Story: Realities, Risks and Rise” at the 6th edition of IMAGEXX Summit & Awards 2026. Moderated by Yashika Sagar, Senior Account Director at Fuzion PR, the session explored how consumer behaviour across Bharat is evolving and why many long-held assumptions about this audience no longer hold true.One of the strongest themes to emerge from the discussion was that Bharat consumers are often misunderstood. Alifiya Nalwala, Group Head - Corporate Communication & PR at PhysicsWallah, argued that one of the biggest misconceptions brands continue to hold is that consumers in Bharat are primarily looking for cheaper products and services.According to Nalwala, affordability and value are not the same thing. Consumers may carefully evaluate every rupee they spend, but that does not mean they are willing to compromise on quality. PhysicsWallah’s growth, she noted, has not been driven by offering the cheapest courses in the market but by delivering outcomes that consumers believe are worth paying for. For many students from smaller towns and cities, the decision is ultimately based on value and return on investment rather than price alone.She also challenged the perception that Bharat is somehow less sophisticated than metropolitan India. Today’s consumers are digitally connected, comfortable navigating across platforms and capable of evaluating products and services with the same level of scrutiny as consumers in larger cities. At the same time, she cautioned against viewing Bharat as a single market. Consumer aspirations, cultural influences and local realities vary significantly across regions, making localisation critical for brands seeking meaningful engagement.Gunjan Batra, PR & Communications Lead (Senior GM) at Usha International, echoed the view that businesses need to move beyond outdated assumptions about Tier 2 and Tier 3 markets. According to her, some of India’s most significant growth stories are now emerging from these regions.Consumers are increasingly aspirational, digitally aware and willing to spend on products that improve their quality of life. Access to information, widespread internet penetration and digital payment infrastructure have transformed the way purchasing decisions are made. Consumers compare products, evaluate features and conduct extensive research before making a purchase.Batra also pointed to the growing influence of women in household purchase decisions, arguing that brands often underestimate their role. While traditional perceptions may suggest otherwise, women continue to play a crucial role in shaping buying choices across households.Another important shift, she noted, is the growing acceptance of premium products beyond metropolitan markets. Consumers are willing to spend more when they see genuine value, convenience or better features. The assumption that affordability alone drives purchasing decisions in Bharat no longer holds true.The impact of digital adoption has also reshaped expectations around convenience and accessibility. Deepika M Jagasia, Head - Corporate Communications at Blue Dart, observed that consumers across emerging markets increasingly expect the same levels of service and convenience available in metro cities.With greater access to brands, products and services through digital channels, expectations around speed, reliability and customer experience have risen significantly. As a result, companies are under increasing pressure to ensure that service delivery remains consistent across locations.At the same time, Jagasia stressed the importance of aligning communication with operational realities. While infrastructure and connectivity continue to improve, brands must avoid overpromising and ensure that customer expectations are managed transparently.For Akanksha Jain, Assistant Vice President - PR and Communications at Swiggy, the Bharat consumer today is not merely digital-enabled but increasingly digital-first. Consumers spend significant time on digital platforms, are aware of the experiences available elsewhere and expect similar levels of convenience, quality and personalisation from brands.She argued that localisation today extends far beyond language. Simply translating communication is no longer enough. Brands must understand local preferences, behaviours and consumption patterns if they want to build relevance and trust.Using examples from the food and dining ecosystem, Jain highlighted how consumer preferences can vary dramatically across markets. Food habits, platform preferences and purchasing journeys often differ from one region to another, making regional playbooks more effective than a one-size-fits-all national strategy.Taken together, the discussion painted a picture of a Bharat that is increasingly connected, ambitious and confident. Consumers are not looking for simplified versions of products or experiences. They are seeking value, quality, convenience and relevance.For brands, the challenge is no longer simply reaching Bharat. It is understanding its diversity, recognising its aspirations and responding to the nuances that shape consumer behaviour across markets. As Bharat continues to drive the next phase of growth, success will increasingly depend on how well businesses move beyond assumptions and engage with consumers on their own terms. 

The landscape of Public Relations in India is undergoing a profound transformation, extending its reach far beyond the traditional metropolitan centers. This dynamic shift was the central theme of a fireside chat at the 5th edition of IMAGEXX Summit and Awards 2025, titled ?ÇÿFuture of PR in India: Going Beyond Tier 2 Cities?ÇÖ. Chaired by Mukesh Kharbanda, Managing Director, Fuzion PR, the discussion brought together industry leaders to dissect the evolving consumer and media terrains in India's diverse tiered markets. The panelists included: Janet Arole, AVP Corporate Communications, Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail LimitedHimank Tripathi, CCO, Baazi GamesGunjan Batra, Head Corporate Communications & PR, Usha InternationalThe Uniformity of Aspiration: Consumers Across TiersKharbanda initiated the dialogue by posing a crucial question about consumer segmentation: ?Ç£Could we deep dive a little into the consumer landscape as well? How do you differ between consumers who are residing in metros, vis-a-vis Tier 2 and beyond??Ç¥ Janet Arole articulated a compelling perspective on consumer aspirations. She stated, ?Ç£I think this is a very interesting question. I think consumers, whether it's metros, small towns, they all aspire to have good quality products, higher aspirational brands.?Ç¥ Arole explained how Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail leverages a franchisee model to penetrate deeper markets. ?Ç£When we decided, as a business strategy to enter into Tier 3, Tier 4 markets, Investments, the business format was you do franchisee models, the investment is theirs, the products are ours. I think it?ÇÖs a great win-win for both the business and the audience?ÇÖs consumers as well, because you are taking your brands to their markets and you?ÇÖre selling it in a very branded flavor.?Ç¥ She concluded by affirming, ?Ç£I think consumers love your brands irrespective of metros, non-metros. And the way you partner with your local franchisees, I think it?ÇÖs a win-win for brands as well as for consumers.?Ç¥ Adding to this, Himank Tripathi emphasized the pervasive drive for technological and lifestyle upgrades across all demographics. ?Ç£I think something we were discussing earlier when we all gathered that nothing is going to shut down or evaporate on its own. You evolve the phase of it,?Ç¥ Tripathi said, drawing a parallel to the evolution of technology from bulky desktops to foldables. He highlighted that consumers in Tier 2 and Tier 3 markets seek ?Ç£something which is more upgraded, which is more new.?Ç¥ This aspiration, he pointed out, is fueled by ?Ç£the accessibility of far superior network and content consumption that we can deal right now.?Ç¥ Tripathi shared a compelling anecdote: ?Ç£I know of a farmer in Una, a small town in Himachal Pradesh, who had won gold at the National Poker Series (NPS), India?ÇÖs biggest gaming event. All this was possible because of the connectivity, the kind of access he got through those screens and devices and he won.?Ç¥ For Tripathi, this demonstrates a clear reality: ?Ç£For me, there is no differentiation between Tier 2, Tier 4, or Tier 5. My audience is everywhere. In fact, we?ÇÖll be fools if we don?ÇÖt look out at these markets.?Ç¥ The Media Metamorphosis: Beyond Traditional ChannelsKharbanda then steered the discussion towards the evolving media landscape, asking Tripathi: ?Ç£When you say consumer landscape doesn?ÇÖt change much and consumers are similar everywhere, would you say the same about media landscape also? Or do you think there is any bifurcation in Tier 2 and Tier 3 as far as media is concerned? When I say media, I?ÇÖm not only talking about print or electronic.?Ç¥ Tripathi articulated a distinct difference in media consumption, particularly highlighting the rise of localized digital content creators. ?Ç£Saying platform agnostic media ?Çô that?ÇÖs a valid point,?Ç¥ he remarked. He observed, ?Ç£You must be seeing a lot of YouTubers creating content, talking about technology and new devices. And these are mostly from metros. That?ÇÖs how it started. And 80% of that audience belongs to Tier 4, Tier 3, Tier 5 markets.?Ç¥ He illustrated this with a prominent example: ?Ç£If you look at the biggest Tech YouTuber we have, which is Technical Guruji ?Çô 80% of his audience would be Tier 2, Tier 3, Tier 4, Tier 5 markets.?Ç¥ Stressing on the growing influence of local content creators, Tripathi said that they have closer association and understanding about their market and hence, can get more authentic vibe and connect with the audience. He concluded on the vast potential of this shift, ?Ç£For me, I just need to switch my medium instead of relying on a city page in a newspaper, I might connect with those guys, understand what they have to say, align things from my end that makes sense, and do something interesting and hit that audience.?Ç¥ On being asked to share her experiences on working beyond Tier 2 cities, Gunjan Batra of Usha International, a brand with deep regional connections, highlighted the pivotal role of increased accessibility and awareness in driving aspirations in smaller towns. She explained, ?Ç£Both mobiles and mobility, rural electrification and various government schemes have actually enabled and empowered people beyond the Tier 2 towns to start dreaming about having appliances at home, to start having modern day conveniences at home.?Ç¥ With this, she also pointed out a significant cultural shift: ?Ç£People in Tier 3 and Tier 4 are making pasta. They are making many things which would have been inconceivable probably 10 years ago.?Ç¥ Batra attributed this evolution to fundamental human aspirations, ?Ç£because I think we are all human beings finally at the end of the day. Aspirations remain the same. Aspirations to grow, do better, eat better, enjoy life will remain the same.?Ç¥ She concluded by emphasizing on the power of localized communication: ?Ç£When you have the channels that reach you where you are, then obviously you will consume that ?Çô whether it is information or appliances or news. And if you can speak to them in the language that they are most comfortable in, then you have a connect, which is very difficult to break.?Ç¥ The insightful exchange among the panelists at IMAGEXX 2025 unequivocally underscored the dynamic shifts in India?ÇÖs consumer and media landscape. Effective PR strategies must now embrace these nuanced changes, focusing on localized content, digital channels, and an understanding of universal aspirations to genuinely connect with audiences across all of India?ÇÖs evolving tiers.