Mastercard and Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) Launch Multicity Merchant Awareness Campaign to Accelerate Country’s Progression to a Cashless Economy
July 11, 2018 | Raipur- WhatsApp campaign to build awareness about digital payments among merchants in Lucknow, Kanpur, Varanasi, Raipur, Chandigarh and Ahmedabad
- The campaign aims to reach out to 63 million merchants pan India
Mastercard and CAIT today launched the second phase of their ongoing WhatsApp campaign to create awareness about the benefits of digital payments among merchants in tier 2 and 3 cities. The multicity campaign will reach out to merchants across Lucknow, Kanpur, Varanasi, Raipur, Chandigarh and Ahmedabad. The initiative is directly in line with the Government of India’s agenda to build a cashless economy.
Through this campaign, all merchants who are part of CAIT’s network in these cities will receive specially created animated videos through WhatsApp. These videos depict the benefits of digital payments in several day-to-day situations and burst the common myths around it. The campaign also promises response to queries and issues about digital transactions and prompt support for registered merchants looking at adopting the technology. The first phase launched in Bhopal and Nagpur last month had received overwhelming response from merchants. Basis the insights from both phases, it will be gradually rolled out to 63 million merchants pan India.
Speaking about the campaign, Praveen Khandelwal, National Secretary General, CAIT said, “CAIT is acknowledged as a voice for the Indian traders’ community. We are glad to partner with Mastercard to help merchants understand the benefits of digital payments and enable them to implement it for their business. This will create new business opportunities for merchants, provide superior convenience and safety, and increase their contribution to the nation’s progress.”
Manasi Narasimhan, Vice President, Marketing and Communications, South Asia, Mastercard added, “Mastercard payment modes have been present in India for more than two decades. Mastercard constantly works on technologies that enable the convergence of digital and physical worlds and make digital payments a seamless experience. At the same time, Mastercard uses innovative ways to create awareness about the benefits of digital payments. This allows Mastercard to partner with the government in building an inclusive society. Mastercard’s research suggests that about 60 percent small merchants are still not aware of the benefits of digital payments. Therefore, we started this campaign last month from Bhopal and Nagpur. In this phase, we are looking to take the message to a larger merchant base across 6 cities. We believe this campaign is a natural extension of Mastercard’s successful consumer awareness campaign ‘Khul Gayi Life’ which was launched in January 2018. Through this, Mastercard expects a behavioural change amongst merchants and thereby contribute to make India a cashless economy.”
To make the content engaging, Bollywood Star and Mastercard ambassador, Irrfan Khan’s animated avatar has been used for the videos. With him as its ambassador, Mastercard launched ‘KhulGayiLife’, a marketing campaign aimed at transforming user behavior and accelerate country's ongoing shift from cash to digital payments.
Click here to watch campaign videos
https://youtu.be/mKsG7oxB0gc
https://youtu.be/KsrHE0r45Qs
Merchants in Lucknow, Kanpur, Varanasi, Raipur, Chandigarh and Ahmedabad can register for the campaign by sending a WhatsApp message on +91 9222592225.
About Mastercard
Mastercard (NYSE: MA), www.mastercard.com, is a technology company in the global payments industry. Our global payments processing network connects consumers, financial institutions, merchants, governments and businesses in more than 210 countries and territories. Mastercard products and solutions make everyday commerce activities – such as shopping, traveling, running a business and managing finances – easier, more secure and more efficient for everyone. Follow us on Twitter @mastercardindia, join the discussion on the Beyond the Transaction Blog and subscribe for the latest news on the Engagement Bureau.
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