Without doubt, the Incredible India campaign is one of the most memorable and effective branding campaigns for a country. Wordplay was the hallmark of several print campaigns from the past while the television ads were all about visual impact. While advertising plays a role in creating brand perception, country branding is a little tricky. Consumers form perceptions about a country through news sources, recent events, word of mount, historical baggage and so on.
In my view the brand equity of India among global travellers is still pretty strong – despite the spate of bad news (rapes, ill-treatment of women) emanating from the country recently. India is seen as the mystical destination, full of surprises and extremes. It is also seen as destination best suited to ‘discover oneself’. In that context, a new print campaign is likely to hit the right chords among potential tourists. ‘Find what you seek’ is a promise with great appeal and very credible when it comes to perceptions about India.
Agency: Ogilvy India
[Update]: Here are some more ads from the campaign, all visually stunning, transporting you to that spot and telling a story.
The campaign was released in select global markets recently.
