Universal appeal in God's own country

AGKSPEAK/ Kerala Tourism's campaign reflects Indian hospitality

What I've liked
One visit to Kerala is all that you need to realise how appropriately the phrase "God's own country" applies to it. If there was one campaign that justifies the product it is the long-running campaign for Kerala Tourism.

Though the account has changed hands it hasn't affected the quality of the work. The original "God's Own Country" campaign was written right before my eyes by a very senior Creative Director, Walter Mendez, and though the account moved, the work on it has gathered momentum and brilliance as it passed on from agency to agency, carefully nurtured by the brand's custodian T K Harshan.

Keeping the original line as the theme, every successive ad has used it as a platform to launch some truly spectacular creative. In fact, I don't remember seeing even one ad, be it a tiny ear panel or a TV commercial, that disappoints.

Clever yet charming headlines accompanied by breathtaking visuals have made the grace and pace of "God's own country" continually relevant and inviting to today's stressed urbanites.

No doubt, Kerala does have the scales tipped in its favour as far as natural beauty goes, and is now equally fortunate in having a tourism campaign that reminds us of it at every turn, with all the traditional warmth and hospitality for which India is known.

What really works for the campaign is this universality "" the throwing open of God's bounty to everyone. This generosity of spirit shines through in every ad and I hope will continue to do so over the years to come.

What I've learned
Just do it. An Asia Pacific journalist once pointed out that, "Just do it" was Dhirubhai's motto long before it became Nike's. He was one person who never waited for anybody to tell him what to do.

If things were in a mess, he took ownership and turned the mess around. And this one precious lesson I have learned from him. Actually, I see it all around me in everyday situations. Initiative is the amrut that chaos churns up.

There are two episodes, that recently brought this home very sharply. On my way to the airport I was held up a few yards away, because the traffic signal decided to take just that hour off. And in Mumbai, something like this means instant chaos.

I too, like the rest of the passengers who waited in the long line of cars, sweated and fretted. After what seemed like ages, the traffic started slowly moving again.

Curious I looked out to see what made the difference and there in the middle of what was chaos just some time ago stood a couple of young men, ordinary guys, who took the initiative and decided to do some traffic policing.

Everyone happily complied. I was so impressed I could have given them a standing ovation had it not been for the fact that my flight would have taken off without me.

In the second instance, a situation that I'm sure all moviegoers are familiar with "" the problem of hecklers who take the sheen out of an evening of enjoyment by hooting and passing lewd comments. We all just sit in our seats and make ineffective protests.

Have we ever joined together, walked up to them and silenced them? The majority wants to enjoy the movie in peace but the minority manages to overrule them. Why do we let it happen? Simple: because none of us is brave enough. We do not have the courage of conviction. And without it we would all be caught in little traffic jams of our own making.

Let's teach our children this crucial survival tool, instead of holding them back. There is however, only one way they will learn this. That is when they see their parents/ teachers practicing it themselves!

Email: agkbrandconsult@yahoo.com