PR Beyond the City: Rethinking Communication Strategies for Rural and Disadvantaged Audiences

If your PR strategy only works in cities, is it really reaching your nation?

Across Africa - and in many parts of the world, public relations is still disproportionately urban. We build for middle-class, digitally connected audiences in cities and call it “national communication”. But the truth is, if our strategies stop at the city limits, we’re not just missing out - we’re failing the very people many campaigns are meant to serve.

It’s time to rethink how we engage with rural and underserved populations. Not as an afterthought. Not as an “extension market.” But as essential, dynamic communities with their own rhythms, cultures, and channels of influence. At Coral Communications, we believe the next frontier of truly impactful communication is off the grid and deeply rooted in understanding.

Why Rural and Disadvantaged Audiences Matter

In many African countries, rural and peri-urban communities make up the majority of the population. These aren’t passive or disengaged audiences - they are active participants in their societies, economies, and democracies. 

Their modes of engagement may differ from urban ones, but they are no less powerful. Oral storytelling, radio talk shows, community meetings, churches, and agricultural cooperatives are often the real information highways in these areas. 

From voting blocs that sway elections, to consumers who shape informal economies, to mothers who decide whether a vaccine campaign succeeds - these communities are not minor. They are vital. Ignoring them isn’t just a messaging oversight. It’s a strategic failure. 

The Pitfalls of Urban-Centric Communication

Too many campaigns assume what works in Johannesburg will translate effortlessly in other cities. That assumption has cost governments, NGOs, and brands millions and more importantly, credibility. 

Consider campaigns that relied solely on social media hashtags, while communities with limited data access never saw the message. Or health messaging pushed in English during religious holidays in deeply conservative regions, missing not only the language but the timing and tone. 

Some of the most common mistakes we see include: 

• Language disconnects: Using English without acknowledging dominant local languages. 

• Over-reliance on digital platforms: Assuming everyone is online, when in reality, radio and word-of-mouth are still relevant. 

• Cultural tone-deafness: Messaging that doesn’t align with local customs, seasons, or beliefs. 

• Urban elitism: Communicating to rural audiences rather than with them, often reinforcing harmful stereotypes. 

This urban bias not only reduces effectiveness - it can breed distrust and disengagement, especially in communities already underserved by public and private institutions. 

Strategies for Effective Rural PR

We don’t need to “dumb down” communication to reach rural audiences. We need to contextualize, co-create, and commit. Here’s how: 

1. Local Media Partnerships 

Community radio is thriving. In many regions, it remains the most trusted source of information. Partner with local stations to co-create programming in local languages. Newspapers, town criers, SMS platforms, and church announcements also play crucial roles. 

It’s about relational trust and not just reach. These are platforms embedded in people’s daily lives. 

2. Community Influencers and Trusted Voices 

Influencer marketing doesn’t end with Instagram. In many communities, influence wears a uniform or a collar. Chiefs, nurses, teachers, agricultural extension officers, and pastors often have more persuasive power than any celebrity. 

Rather than parachuting in messages, equip these local leaders with accurate information, training, and tools. Let them adapt the message in ways their communities understand and respect. 

3. Go Multilingual and Cultural 

Language is not a medium - it’s a message. If you’re not speaking in the mother tongue, you’re not truly speaking to the heart. 

Great rural PR leans on formats that already work: songs, folktales, poetry, storytelling, drama. Embrace the format. And remember, translation is not localization. Nuance matters. 

4. Meet People Where They Are 

If people don’t come to the message, take the message to them. Mobile roadshows, market day activations, health caravans, and storytelling vans are still some of the most effective tools on the continent. 

Timing is key: engage during market days, after church services, during harvest festivals — not just when it suits the donor or campaign calendar. 

Case in Point: A Rural Health Campaign That Built Trust and Access  

A rural healthcare initiative combined mobile clinics, telemedicine, and local health workers to expand care access in underserved communities. Instead of relying on digital-only campaigns, the project used market activations, town criers, and storytelling workshops to engage residents directly. 

Key elements included: 

• Mobile clinics visiting villages with medical staff and vaccines 

• Telemedicine centers for remote consultations in local languages 

• Trained community health workers who delivered accurate, trusted information 

• Culturally relevant health education through songs, plays, and gatherings 

The outcome? Higher vaccine uptake, early illness detection, and stronger community trust. By prioritizing presence over virality, the campaign proved that local, human-centered PR creates lasting impact. 

Rethink, Relearn, Rebuild 

Rural does not mean uneducated, inaccessible, or irrelevant. It means different and that difference deserves respect, investment, and intentionality. 

PR must evolve beyond the press release, billboard, and Instagram post. It must rediscover the power of presence, listening, and cultural fluency. 

It’s not enough to design for rural audiences, we must design with them. That means recruiting local talent, involving communities in strategy, and testing messages on the ground, not just in the boardroom. 

At Coral Communications, we specialize in human-centred PR strategies that go beyond the urban bubble. We help brands, governments, and NGOs communicate with depth, empathy, and measurable impact, whether you're working in a remote village or a bustling township. 

Let’s shape narratives that travel beyond city streets.