Government advertisements for the print media—issued by the central ministries or public sector undertakings (PSUs) for newspapers or magazines—will now have a short video attached to them by way of an embedded QR code, News18 has learnt. Such a video will further attractively elaborate on the relevant schemes, achievements, welfare programmes or the initiatives being promoted in the print advertisements. They will have to be prepared by the ministries that are releasing these ads.
The idea, officials said, is to ensure better visibility of the government’s messages and an enhanced recall value of what it is seeking to advertise.
In a letter written to all ministries and departments two months ago, accessed by News18, information and broadcasting secretary Apurva Chandra said that digital media has been a powerful tool in all spheres of governance, adding that in the field of communication, it has thrown up a range of options that includes integration of various media platforms.
“Convergence of various media platforms like Print, TV and Radio, etc, with digital media has become inevitable for effective and efficient communication,” the letter stated.
Citing the example of a print advertisement issued by the Government of India on August 15 this year, which had carried a video in a QR code embedded in it, he said all government advertisements issued for the print media should ideally carry a similar code.
“While the print creative conveyed the message in a traditional manner, the video linked with the QR code has helped to amplify the message,” he said.
Chandra’s letter refers to a half-page advertisement issued in newspapers on August 15 this year that conveyed the government’s greetings to all citizens on the occasion of Independence Day and carried a message from Prime Minister Narendra Modi. It also had a QR code asking readers to scan it to participate in ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’ –the government’s over-a-year-long campaign to commemorate the country’s 75th year of independence.
He said the government’s print advertisements with a short video embedded in a QR code and related to what is being advertised will add value to the message and enhance its outreach.
“It is therefore considered desirable that all display advertisements may have a QR code embedded video on the theme of the print advertisement,” Chandra said.
Requesting the ministries to consider having a QR code embedded with their prospective print advertisements, he said the print creative and the video content created for the QR code linked to it should be sent to the Bureau of Outreach and Communication under the I&B ministry after due approvals.
In a subsequent communication to the ministries last month, Chandra reiterated that the move will provide the reader “value-addition” and “holistic communication”.
He said that relevant and appropriate content should be packaged well while developing the video to be linked through QR code for the print advertisement.
“It should be borne in mind that on scanning the QR code by the reader it should land appropriately in the video link or info-graphics etc created for the purpose (sic),” he said, adding that the designed content or the QR code should come on an appropriate platform that can widely disseminate the message.
As per sources in the government, very few advertisements have been issued by the central government in the past few months. Every prospective advertisement has to be cleared by the Prime Minister’s Office.
This, a senior government official said, is because the government believes more in direct messaging as compared to messaging through advertisements.
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