Krishna steals ad-march over Naidu

In Krishna’s own words: “The advertisement wove a magic spell on the dignitaries and the investors alike. The impact was so evident that the organisers were forced to talk about Karnataka when many participants wanted to know about it. I can’t think of any better way of projecting my State at such a prestigious meet”.

Since Krishna was not scheduled to deliver any formal speech at the meet, the advertisement itself acted as a presentation on Karnataka. And, going by Krishna’s words, the advertisement hit bull’s eye.

Sourcessaid that the advertisement, which cost the Government around Rs 20 lakh, was kept a top-secret, obviously to keep arch-rival Andhra Pradesh in the dark. Having the advertisement cleared was not an easy job, however. Many voices inside the Government were opposed to the very idea of spending such a huge sum on an advertisement in a foreign newspaper.

The advertisement itself —- which appeared a day before Krishna attended the Davos meet —- was also a result of meticulous planning in terms of content, timing and publication.

Strangely, the advertisement is mum on India, talking instead about Karnataka alone. It carries a map of South India with a pointer to Karnataka. The punch-line in the advertisement is an invitation by none other than Krishna himself to his web-site for further information.

The advertisement gives a very interesting introduction to Karnataka, calling it an `Oriental sounding name’ and `quite a tongue twister too’. Soon it comes down to talk business: “It is a place where 56Fortune 500 companies are thriving”.

It further says: “It is one of the leading states towards south of India. A place known for its rich source of exemplary intellectual capital throughout the global business map. Also known for its large domestic market, bountiful resources, pleasant climate, well-developed commercial and legal infrastructure and an enthusiastic pro-business government.”

The advertisement also describes Karnataka as resource for profits, competitive resources, infrastructure for development and positive government support.

The Chief Minister himself is excited about the response the advertisement evoked and now waits to see whether it will play magic with the investors. Krishna is expecting quite a few enquiries on his web-site and has promised to keep a watch in the days to come.

Some interesting facts about Karnataka revealed in the ad.:

Though part of the State’s delegation to Davos, Karnataka Industries Minister R V Deshpande and Industries Secretary B S Patil were among the other senior Government officials who could not gain entry into the venue of the meeting. Only the Chief Minister and his Personal Secretary S V Ranganath were allowed to attend the meet.

Barring the two, others who joined the Davos band-wagon had to confine themselves to their hotel rooms in minus 20 degree Celsius temperatures, glued to TV sets.