‘Incredible India’ ads to appear during Oscar, Grammy awards

NEW DELHI - Get ready for a high-voltage “Incredible India” advertisement blitzkrieg in the foreign media. With an eye to attract the world to India, ads will now appear when the prestigious Oscar, BAFTA and the Grammy awards are showcased on television.

The Indian government is also planning to release advertisements on the Euro sports TV channel during the Winter Olympics to be held in Vancouver.

We have planned a series of international campaigns in the potential market to attract and motivate travellers to India, an official in the tourism ministry told IANS.

The ministry has planned major campaigns for this year and for the next to attract tourists to the country. We have planned to place these spots and advertisements tactically and judiciously, the official said.

The Incredible India spots would appear during the Oscar, Grammy and BAFTA award Functions on E! Entertainment Channel to catch the attention of the world population, the official added.

While Oscars are the most prestigious Hollywood award functions, the BAFTA or the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) is a British charity that hosts annual award shows for excellence in film and television.

Grammy awards - given to outstanding work in the music and spoken recording industry - is awarded every year and is a major televised event.

Apart from these major events, Incredible India spots will also be placed on major pan European channels during renowned world events.

The official said such spots will also appear on CNN television, mainly during the Talk Asia programme. This is aimed at attracting the ethnic Asian population, he added.

The ministry will also place advertisements in the print media to coincide with the World Economic Forum and the G20 summit.

The ads will also feature during the popular Hollywood Bowl held in Los Angeles in September.

The Hollywood Bowl is a famous modern amphitheatre in the Hollywood area of Los Angeles in California that is used primarily for music performances. It has a seating capacity of 17,376.

The Incredible India brand will also feature during all road shows to be held in Moscow and St. Petersburg in September this year, the official added.

Apart from road shows and television spots, the advertisements will appear in the in-flight magazines of all major international carriers.

About 5.36 million foreign tourists visited India in 2008. The first five months of 2009 showed a sharp decline in the number of foreign tourists arrivals in the country, compared to the same period in 2008. But from June onwards, a slight increase was witnessed, officials said.