Incredible India Essay

The Incredible India Ad campaign was started in 2002 as an initiative by the Government of India to promote tourism in India. They did so by engaging with advertising and marketing firm Ogilvy and Mather. It was conceptualized by V Sunil, Director of O&M and Amitabh Kant, Joint Secretary Ministry of Tourism. The idea behind the campaign was to cater to tourists from western countries and change the image of India from a budget travel location to a luxury travel destination. In 2009, the campaign extended to the domestic tourism sector as well. In 2008, the Aditi Devo Bhava campaign was launched to compliment the IIC. The idea behind it was to teach and educate locals about etiquettes to be followed while interacting with foreign tourists and

IIC shows images of Yoga, natural medicines, spirituality, loosing oneself in religion, the festival of Holi, mingling with ‘locals’ and ‘experiencing’ culture. ConclusionOverall, the Incredible India advertisements are very attractive and engaging. As an Indian, the advertisements do make me feel emotional at times and proud of the rich culture of my country. The IIC has helped in increasing tourism in India. It has been successful in branding India as a country that offers luxurious travel to destinations across India. It has also branded India as a region rich in culture and one that offers tourists an opportunity to explore and have a great experience. It also caters to the hidden needs of the audience. Powerful images have been used through the advertisement to compliment the nation branding process. The images are bright and colourful and send across the image of a vibrant country rich with culture and tradition. The music and cinematography used help foster the process of nation branding. IIC caters to those who are looking to be branded as ‘travellers’ and not tourists. It may also cater to the NRI audience who may look at the advertisements with a sense of root and