NEW DELHI: It's not quite often one gets to see a proactive approach from the bureaucratic offices. But Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) is proving to be an exception.
MTDC, which is gearing up for the launch of luxury train 'Deccan Odyssey' in October this year, has already released a print campaign in the leading publications of Europe, US and Asia.
The first part of the campaign, which lasted for three months, was released in January earlier this year. The next round of advertisement is scheduled before the launch of the train.
The corporation has roped in the services of advertising agency Ogilvy & Mather India, Mumbai office, for promoting the train modelled on the style of Indian royalty. In all, four advertisements have been created and the scheduling and placement of the advertisements is being handled by MindShare India.
MTDC has released all the four advertisements in the UK edition of Condenast Traveller and Travel Agent in the US. Other publications include Tutturismo, Gulliver's India and Quality Travel India from Italy.
France, Germany and Japan are the other key international markets being targeted.
Sumanto Chattopadhyay, senior creative director, O&M, said, "The brief from the client (MTDC) was to communicate the launch of a super luxury train in Maharashtra, in which passengers travel like Indian royalty. The advertising has been released internationally well in advance as this kind of a lead time is required for the international trade."
The common headline in all the `Deccan Odyssey' advertisement is: "A train journey where you travel like Indian royalty." The body of the copy reads, "The Deccan Odyssey invites you to experience the decadent comforts of India's regal past. Travel from Mumbai to Ratnagiri, Goa, Pune, Aurangabad, Nashik and back..."
The four advertisements depict royalty through a chain of elephants, palanquins, horse drawn carriages and boats, symbolizing a train.
"We depicted Indian royalty through elephants and boats, which were the traditional way of commuting in the ancient times. These were the royal ways of traveling and we accordingly conceptualized the idea. We shot in various locales in Maharashtra for 11 days and it was a great experience," said copy supervisor of the campaign, Sukesh Nayak.
Deccan Odyssey will start its journey from Mumbai and take the tourists on tour of Ratnagiri, Sindhudurg, Goa, Pune, Aurangabad and Jalgaon, covering Maharashtra in eight days.
