Agencies see red in Kannada hoardings

Agencies see red in Kannada hoardings

BBMP's two-language formula for hoardings disappoints Industry

Sobia Khan. Bangalore



Agencies dealing with out-of-home (OOH) advertising have come out hammers against the BBMP's two-language formula for hoardings in the city.
In a directive on Friday, the Palike, in consultation with the Karnataka Development Authority (KDA), had made it compulsory for every hoarding to sport a Kannada translation of all advertisements. Hit hard as they are by tightening advertising budgets and pending payments, the Rs125-crore industry feels that the move would add to the cost, further discouraging the advertisers.
Sunil Dutt, country head, Samsung Telecommunications is not sure if such initiative will serve the purpose of the state government. "It will be an advantage for brands to communicate in the local language but making it mandatory won't serve the purpose," he said stressing brands were aware of the need for local connect and always communicated in language understood by their consumers.
Selvel Advertising managing director Noomi Mehta said it was a hasty move by the government which will also lead to compromising of creativity.
Advertising Club Bangalore president and CEO of Saatchi & Saatchi Malvika Harita felt this will make hoardings look more like tender documents. But Lokesh Kumar, vice-president, Platinum Outdoor felt it would not impact the industry. English and the local language can be incorporated on the same hoarding and creativity can be used to couple both languages aesthetically, he said. k_sobia@dnaindia.netmedium is massage: The BBMPnow wants all hoardings to display advertisement material in Kannada also by July 3