No work for tourism brand envoys

BANGALORE: Two brand ambassadors to promote it and yet brand Karnataka as a tourism destination is yet to become a force to reckon with. Almost two years ago, Karnataka tourism signed on cricketer Rahul Dravid and singer Vasundhara Das as its brand ambassadors. And then seems to have forgotten all about it.
Their terms were simple: to promote Karnataka tourism whenever they address the media or public in their line of duty as well as any promotions or campaigns that the tourism department might launch.The two were signed on for a period of three years.
While they have been doing the first bit, the department has hardly done any focussed campaigns with the two and has been quite unable to harness their popularity.
"The department is yet to do any specific campaigns with them. A series of photo shoots were planned with some of the state���s destinations in the backdrop, but it has not happened," sources said.
Agrees Das. "I speak about Karnataka wherever I go and in the shows that I do, but I have not done any campaign or promotion, except for a few photo shoots with Rahul last year," she said.
The most predictable reason ��� of busy schedules and inability to give coinciding dates for promotions ��� is routinely trotted out by the department, but does not wash with the industry.
"There's much that can be done: use them in road shows, media promotions, advertisements even if it is only stock shots, do events specifically around them using their fame and popularity to the hilt to promote Karnataka brand.
They can be used individually as well. Cricketers Steve Waugh for Australian tourism and Jonty Rhodes for Conservation Corporation Africa fly all over the world to be brand ambassadors for their respective brands, despite their equally hectic schedules.
Others do it, so we can too, considering that we have signed them on and no other state in the country has," industry sources said.
Das said she represented Karnataka at a travel and culture show in China recently and did a piece for Discovery channel on Karnataka tourism.
"I talk about it whenever I can; it is something very close to my heart," she said. But even Das is unsure of the results.
"It's difficult to say whether I have succeeded in what I have been doing, since it is not tangible. I feel I have had an impact in enticing people to visit Karnataka," she said.