DNA begins 'India Positive' campaign

It was the coverage of the Commonwealth Games in India in 2010 that planted the seed of thought for DNA's new initiative 'India Positive', which launched via TV and print on Republic Day this year. Gautam Dalal, vice president - marketing, DNA, explained, "For the Commonwealth Games, the media went overboard with their bashing of the arrangements, but an informal research on social networks tapped into what the youth thought: rather than belittling the country, whoever wants to come for the Games can come with respect. Then the opening ceremony went off flawlessly, and all the pride of it was quickly forgotten. So the entire campaign is born from the thought that while as the fourth estate, we have a responsibility to report about the negatives, it's also important to highlight the positive energy in the country."

Watch the TVC 

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Manish Bhatt, co-founder of Scarecrow Communications, DNA's agency, said, "As a brand, DNA wanted to boost positivity around a rapidly growing country, and the initiative will be looking at the many things India can be optimistic about. When we looked at sports, cricket is overdone, and hockey isn't globally popular. The one game that is popular across countries and we're left behind in is football. The TVC is a symbolic representation of the hope that India can be a global leader in areas one couldn't think of."

KU Rao, chief executive officer, DNA, said, "DNA's initiative aims to replace negativity with a positive mindset. In the recent past there has been too much of criticism though as a nation we are achieving growth better than the best in the world. The India Positive initiative cuts across cultural and geographic boundaries and tries to bind the people of India under the new mantra of being Positive." 

According to Dalal, the first phase of the initiative aims to sensitise the nation and then go on to mould public opinion, through various activities.