Amplifying IDFC FIRST Bharat Limited’s Reach through Innovative Medical Pouch Advertising

Posted on November 10, 2025

IDFC FIRST Bharat Limited (IFBL), a subsidiary of IDFC FIRST Bank, is dedicated to empowering rural and semi-urban India through accessible financial services. Originating from Grama Vidiyal—founded in 1986—IFBL evolved through the strategic merger of Capital First Limited and IDFC Bank. Today, it serves over 2.5 million households across 10 Indian states, offering a diverse portfolio of loan and insurance products designed to foster financial inclusion.

When IFBL sought to build awareness for its Gold Loan offering in local communities, it partnered with AD Vantage Integrated Marketing to create a cost-effective, high-impact campaign that would reach its audience at the grassroots level.

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Objective

To enhance awareness and visibility of IFBL’s Gold Loan product among residents living within a 2 km radius of its 209 branches located across Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Madhya Pradesh.

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Target Audience

Residents from rural and semi-urban localities located around the 209 IFBL branches across the six states.

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Challenges

1. Limited Accessibility: The target regions had minimal access to conventional advertising media, limiting exposure through traditional channels.
2. High Market Competition: The Gold Loan segment is crowded with competitors, making differentiation a key challenge.
3. Budget Limitations: The client required a creative yet cost-efficient solution that could maximize impact without overspending.

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Strategic Approach: Medical Pouch Advertising

To overcome these challenges, AD Vantage devised an unconventional yet effective medium — Medical Pouches Advertising.

Promotional creatives highlighting IFBL’s Gold Loan offers were printed on medical pouches commonly used by pharmacies and distributed across all 209 branch locations.

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Why Medical Pouches?

• High Daily Visibility: Pharmacies are frequented by community members daily, ensuring consistent exposure for the brand message.
• Extended Household Reach: Each pouch acts as a mini-billboard that travels home with customers, reinforcing recall and visibility beyond the pharmacy.
• Cost-Effective Medium: The production and distribution costs were minimal, providing a strong ROI and fitting perfectly within IFBL’s marketing budget.

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Execution

• Design & Creative Development: Eye-catching, informative creatives were designed to promote the Gold Loan offer clearly and concisely.
• Printing & Quality Control: High-quality, durable medical pouches were printed with IFBL’s branding and key message.
• Distribution & Partnerships: Pouches were dispatched to all 209 IFBL branches, which coordinated with local pharmacies for usage and distribution in their daily operations.

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Results & Impact

• Increased Awareness: Within a month, IFBL recorded a 25% surge in inquiries for its Gold Loan offering in targeted areas.
• Proven Cost Efficiency: The campaign delivered measurable outcomes while staying within budget, validating the effectiveness of the medium.
• Enhanced Community Engagement: The unique advertising format generated positive word-of-mouth and positioned IFBL as an approachable, community-focused brand.

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Conclusion

Through strategic innovation and localized execution, AD Vantage Integrated Marketing successfully amplified IDFC FIRST Bharat Limited’s brand presence among rural and semi-urban audiences. This campaign stands as a testament to how creative, non-traditional media can achieve significant results — even in competitive, cost-sensitive markets.