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Four media agencies finalised for Incredible India
Local campaigns and the overseas outdoor budget together will push up the total ad spend to Rs 200 crore
Four media agencies have been roped in for the media duties of the Incredible India campaign released by the Ministry of Tourism in India. The agencies are Crayons Advertising, Zenith Optimedia, Span Communications and MPG (Media Planning Group).
The campaign has been divided on the basis of three continents – Europe, Asia Pacific and America. There is also a global print campaign. Zenith Optimedia has won the television duties for Europe and the global, standalone print campaign. MPG has won the print duties for the APAC region and the television duties for America. America's print and APAC's television duties have been awarded to Span Communications. The responsibility of Europe's print campaign has fallen to Crayons.
Sources claim that the Ministry of Tourism will allot Rs 100-150 crore to its international campaigns. Including the outdoor done overseas (which is not included in this pitch process, and the budget for which is calculated separately, too) as well as the local campaigns, the budget could be in the region of Rs 200 crore.
The international campaigns are run between October and March.
The Ministry of Tourism has a global, open media bid every year. This year, the pitch was called for in July. More than being simply a media planning pitch, the process requires agencies to get the financial bid (the media quote), which they offer to the Ministry of Tourism, officially signed and accepted by media houses.
The ministry reviews its agencies every year. Zenith Optimedia was on its roster last year, and is on it again this year.
Talking to afaqs, Satyajit Sen, managing director, Zenith Optimedia, North, says, "I have been working on the Incredible India account, coincidentally, for five consecutive years. Each year, it has something distinct and interesting to talk about." Last year, the agency handled the print duties for Europe. Sen has been working on the account since his days in Maxus (2003), Grey and, now, Zenith Optimedia.
Ranjan Bargotra, president, Crayons Advertising, talks about the win: "We pitched only for the European business because we are aware that our strengths lie in that region."
Various Incredible India campaigns, which have a new theme each year, are well known for the accolades they have won from time to time.