i don’t see a way of contacting your cousin from his site…can you direct me to his contact info? thanks

yup i did… sorry… typo… i’ve had a hectic couple of days… but in all honesty i can ask him about the campaign and get back to you guys.

i was actually talking about this thread with my brother last night. he used to intern in the office and he agrees that they’re definitely Orientalist but that the ad campaign is geared to a luxury consumer set that has an impression of india as conveyed by orientalist literature [i.e. E.M. Forester or anything by Kipling] and films. I agree that the Indian ad agencies shouldn’t be perpetuating this idea but its about money and about attracting tourism.

I think the Pure White/Coffee Brown ad was probably just an attempt at being funny. From meeting a lot of the ad circuit in india… they have a peculiar sense of humor.

I mean here are some of their other ads… http://adsoftheworld.com/files/images/smoke_high.preview.jpg http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uBTRv14_Jfc

Anyways… i’m too tired and emotionally spent [sorry... its been a completely nutty week] to get in a huge argument over an ad that I truly don’t think is representative of the entire campaign. Ennis, you’re right that particular example… is really irritating and if i’d seen it on a bus or in a magazine… i’d been annoyed about it too.

here is his site, where you can see his portfolio: http://www.candysingh.com

here is a link to some good india promotional ads: (My personal favorite is the “Absolute India” ad)

http://web.mac.com/singhcandy/candysingh/portfolio/Pages/advertising.html

You surely meant Oglivy and Mather not Mathur.

that was cute and totally inadvertent I’m sure.

Do you have any questions for the creators of the Incredible India campaign? My uncle’s ad agency is in charge of the account… I can ask around about why they chose to go in the direction they did. I know Sunil the creative director at Ogilvy and Mathur… and I’ll prolly be hanging around in the office in Mumbai some time next week or the week after.

I didn’t know they did the “pure white/coffee brown” ad… i think some of the other prints that i’ve seen are really quite beautiful… but i do agree that some of them are really obnoxious…

It is a picture of a Rajasthani man. If you click the “Coffee Brown” pic, it takes you to a page about Desert in India, namely, the Thar Desert.

Rajasthan = Thar Desert = People who live in the desert, make it worthy of toursim.

I agree and that is the part I am conflicted I can’t find the actual picture to check if clicking on it takes to a bigger picture with the landscape. I agree with you that it is stupid as it stands right now.