MAM
Tourism ministry sells ‘Incredible India’ with generous dose of spirituality
NEW DELHI: With spiritual therapy proving to be an attractive proposition for foreign travellers, the ministry of tourism and culture has decided to capitalise on the particular theme in its new advertising campaign released in Europe, Asia Pacific and the Middle East recently. The plans for the new television commercial – based on this theme – are yet to be finalised, and will be on air soon.
The second part of the Incredible India campaign, which was released by O&M’s Delhi office in January 2003, stresses on the popular spiritual amenities which India offers, according to company sources. For the campaign, erstwhile creative director of O&M, V Sunil continues to work as a consultant.
Regarding the campaign, Sunil says, “We have taken forward the same idea of `i’ (which stands for India). But now the focus is on `spiritual India’. Body, mind and soul are a big thing for tourist (opting for India as a destination) and people will come for this. It does not mean that we won’t do other categories but spiritual theme will be the main aspect in the time to come.”
The earlier campaigns have focused on Himalaya, wildlife, yoga and ayurveda.
On the new print campaign, comprising five sets, Sunil says, “The new ads are different – they are very stylish and young in nature. They are unusual with a generous usage of graphics, they are more like campaigns for a sportsbrand. There is propagation of how spirituality is good for body, mind and soul.”
Sunil throws light on a particular ad, “We have portrayed breathing technique and meditation in an Himalayan background, but through graphic treatment, explaining what it does to you.”
On the decision to specifically focus on spirituality, Sunil says, “Let’s take the example of Singapore – there the focus is on shopping, fun and entertainment. Similarly, most people come to Indian for spiritual reasons. That is the big differentiator for India, in comparison to other countries.”
The campaign has been released in leading airlines, news and travel publications such as Conde Naste traveler , Tutotourismo, Geo, Vogue,Tattler, Financial Times and The New York Times.
The ministry had worked on Incredible India campaign for the US earlier this year. The objective was to position India as ‘an unique and preferred destination for tourism’.
MAM
VML India lands two finalist spots at Cairns Hatchlings 2026
The Mumbai agency is back in Australia with two teams, a UN brief and 24 hours to impress
MUMBAI: VML India is heading to Australia again. The Mumbai-based creative agency has secured two finalist spots at the Cairns Hatchlings 2026 competition, one in the Audio category and one in Design, making it the only Indian agency to have reached the finals in both editions of the contest since its launch in 2025.
Four people will make the trip. Senior copywriter Shilpi Dey and senior art director Raj Thakkar will compete in Audio. Art directors Shabbir and Shruti Negi will go head-to-head with the world’s best in Design. The finals take place at the Cairns Convention Centre from 13th May, culminating in an awards ceremony on 15th May.
The work that got them there is worth examining. For the Audio category, Dey and Thakkar tackled a brief for LIVE LIKE MMAD with a campaign called Inner Voice, Interrupted. Using spatial audio techniques, the campaign recreates the overwhelming self-doubt that descends after a long workday, physically panning negative thoughts left and right before cutting the noise entirely to reveal a confident inner voice. Strategically targeted at commuters via Spotify during evening rush hours, the campaign reframes the hours after work as an opportunity for personal growth and charitable action.
For the Design category, Shabbir and Negi worked on a brief for Canteen’s Bandanna Day, a campaign highlighting how cancer pushes teenagers out of their own defining moments. Using a pixelated design language to create stark contrast between a blurred world of isolation and a focused world of connection, the campaign, titled The Flipside of Cancer, shows teenagers fading into the background of birthdays, skateparks and school proms. As a Canteen bandanna appears, the blur flips and the teenager snaps back into sharp focus.
Kalpesh Patankar, group chief creative officer of VML India, made no attempt to disguise his satisfaction. “We are immensely proud to see our teams consistently excel on the Cairns Hatchlings platform since its inception,” he said. “They have masterfully tackled challenging briefs across diverse categories, demonstrating both layered storytelling and a unique creative approach. This exceptional teamwork is truly inspiring.”
Dey and Thakkar, returning to the finals after last year’s run, were candid about the demands of the audio medium. “It’s one of the most demanding mediums, where we only have a few seconds to capture a listener’s world with sound alone, so absolute clarity is essential,” they said. “The true measure of creative work is its ability to create positive change, and our audio submission was made to help those who need it most while encouraging people to silence the inner voices that hold them back.”
Shabbir and Negi, competing in Design for the first time, described the experience as “a completely different beast.” “We see it as an opportunity to showcase our expertise, raise the bar, and challenge ourselves in new ways, while also learning from creative minds from across the globe,” they said.
In Australia, the four finalists will face a live 24-hour brief from the United Nations before presenting in a live pitch session. Twenty-four hours, one brief, one shot. VML India has been here before. It knows exactly what is at stake.
