By SWARAJ THAPA AND CHAITALI CHAKRAVARTY - TIMES NEWS NETWORK - NEW DELHI: 

It finally took the runaway success of the Vajpayee government’s ‘India Shining’ campaign for the Congress to radically recast its publicity strategy and decide to go for professional help in a big way. 

The best in the advertising industry, including Lowe, formerly Lintas, are now vying for the Congress account as the grand old party, which has traditionally displayed reluctance when it comes to change, has allowed itself to be dictated by professionals. As many as seven agencies, most of them Mumbai-based, are in the fray to take charge of the Congress campaign, estimated in tens of crores. Global players like JWT, O&M and McCann Erickson, however, have refused to join the bandwagon. 

Bowing down to the need of the hour, the Congress seems to have conceded that an essential shift in its approach to publicity was necessary if it has to compete with the reflexes of the BJP. This issue, in fact, was discussed at length in the CWC meeting last month, with Sonia Gandhi herself backing the idea of taking professional help in propaganda. 

Though the Congress had hired the services of ad agencies earlier, their role until now was confined to extending logistical support, with the party insisting on providing the basic themes. The party had employed Delhi-based Madhyamam and the Mumbai-based Rediff to help in its publicity strategy in the last general elections. 

Though, still slow on the footwork in comparison to the BJP, Congress managers have energised themselves to go through power-point presentations by smooth-talking advertising professionals. Party circles were tight-lipped about the contents, but it is apparent that the they are more than eager to come out with a counter that would smudge the gloss off the India Shining campaign of the Vajpayee government. 

Senior party leaders including Ahmed Patel, Salman Khurshid, Motilal Vora as well as Jairam Ramesh, secretary in the economic cell of the AICC have been sitting through hours of presentations made by professionals for the whole week now. It is, however, obvious that the Congress’ answer to India Shining will take some time yet, as it was yet to finalise the agency. Party managers hoped to do it by this Saturday. 

Until then, the party has been forced to field the likes of Jairam Ramesh, even though to little effect, to address a series of press conferences aimed at rubbishing the claims of the Vajpayee government in the India Shining campaign. According to party circles, the leadership is favouring an advertising campaign at two different levels. The first, is primarily to counter the feel-good sentiment raised by India Shining, while the second would be a concerted strategy in the run-up to the general elections. The second is obviously going to be a massive exercise, especially with private television news networks now playing a crucial role in publicity and campaigning. 

Source: Economic Times - India Times