Govt set to advertise with YouTube and digital influencers to promote schemes for ‘greater reach’

The government’s spending on traditional media has sharply declined over the last five years — from Rs 1,200 crore in 2017-18 to Rs 264.78 crore in 2021-22.

As a practice, 2 per cent of the outlay of various government schemes is kept aside for publicity and outreach activities, and it is from this kitty that the CBC releases funds for advertisements and publicity campaigns.

One of the key reasons for looking beyond legacy media, officials said, was the ability of social media to better reach the target audience for particular schemes.

For instance, women-oriented schemes such as Ujjwala, Beti Padhao Beti Bachao or Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (to extend maternity benefits) will be advertised on various digital platforms and YouTube channels that have women as the main audience. These may include shopping, cookery or parenting channels, or other spaces where women make up a majority of the audience.

Similarly, for schemes pertaining to youth, YouTube channels and non-news websites that have 18-28 year old youngsters as the main content consumers, will be targeted. “The idea is to ensure that the information about the schemes reach the person they are meant for,” Apurva Chandra said. Campaigns for schemes would be directed towards platforms based on their regional reach, and type of audience — urban or rural, he said.

Between 2017 and 2022, the government spent over Rs 3,700 crore on advertisements, according to information provided by I&B Minister Anurag Thakur to Parliament in December 2022. This includes advertisements released to the print media, electronic media, and outdoor publicity campaigns.

The CBC, set up in 2017 by the integration of the erstwhile Directorate of Advertising and Visual Publicity, Directorate of Field Publicity, and Song & Drama Division, has the mandate to provide communication solutions to various government ministries, departments, public sector undertakings, and even autonomous bodies. Its primary responsibility is to advance the Centre’s image as the prime facilitator of people’s empowerment by positioning messages through various media.

Over the past five years or so, there has been a push to tap the potential of the ever-growing digital space, and ad spend on legacy media has seen a declining trend. “The policy guidelines at the bureau are adapted to keep pace with the emerging media scenario. Non-traditional digital mediums can be utilised as a great cohort in today’s times,” said a senior official. This will be a first when non-news mediums will also be involved structurally in publicity of government campaigns as part of policy and with notified ad rates.