STRATEGIC MARKETING OF TRIBAL PRODUCTS THROUGH CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETIES IN KERALA: ENHANCING CONSUMER ACCEPTANCE, EXPORT POTENTIAL, AND SUSTAINABLE BRAND POSITIONING

Abstract

This paper analyses strategic marketing of tribal products based on the co-operative societies in Kerala in terms of consumer acceptance, export, and sustainable brand positioning. With the help of a mixed-method research design, tribal producers, cooperative officials, and urban consumers were sampled to determine the usefulness of promotional strategies, branding mechanisms, and market integration practices. The results show that cooperative-based storytelling, eco-labelling, and exhibition-based promotion have a strong positive impact on the product perception and consumer confidence, and that the low adoption of digital marketing limits a broader market penetration. Consumer acceptance of tribal products is high owing to its perceived authenticity and moral worth but there are problems associated with packaging, certification, and facilitation of export trade, which limit competitiveness both at the national and international levels. The paper identifies the twofold position of co-operatives as institutional middlemen and strategic marketing agents that have the potential to empower value chains and sustainable livelihoods to tribal communities. The combination of the traditional knowledge and contemporary branding and online platforms assumes that cooperative marketing is one of the possible avenues towards increasing market resilience and inclusive economic growth. This research will make its contribution to the indigenous marketing literature by connecting the concept of cooperative governance to ethical models of consumption and sustainable development outcomes and providing policy-relevant information to empower tribal enterprise systems in Kerala.