Govt to study impact of its ads on people to chalk out publicity strategy

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting plans to conduct an independent study to gauge the impact of government advertisements on people, a move aimed at drawing strategy for judicious use of money for the state publicity works, sources said.

The initiative comes ahead of the crucial 2019 Lok Sabha elections for which the government is expected to reach out to the people and highlight the works done by it in the last four years.

The Directorate of Advertising and Visual Publicity (DAVP) is the nodal agency of the central government for advertising on behalf of various ministries, departments, public sector firms and autonomous organisations funded by the government.

The advertisements are carried in various media platforms, including print and visual media.

The sources said the study will help the government to understand which medium to be used for publicising a particular state scheme for better impact.

Last year, the DAVP was merged with the Directorate of Field Publicity and Song and Drama Division to form a new entity --Bureau of Outreach Communication-- for bringing in synergy for efficient publicity works of the government.

The DAVP had spent about Rs 12.86 bn in 2016-17 on advertisements about government policies, schemes, projects and events through various media, the Rajya Sabha was informed last year.

The amount spent by the advertising agency for 2016-17 was 8.15 per cent higher than Rs 11.88 bn spent in 2015-16.

The DAVP had spent Rs 99.83 bn in 2014-15, Union minister Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore had said in a written reply.