A casual glance at the advertisement reveals the Eiffel Tower, Russia’s Saint Basil’s Cathedral, pyramids and Rio’s Christ the Redeemer. Bengal, however, makes only a brief appearance through the iconic Howrah Bridge in what users described as a blink-and-you-miss-it moment.
The advertisement was released as Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari unveiled a new logo and a fresh brand identity for Bengal tourism. He also announced a Rs 500-crore push to develop tourism infrastructure in the state, whose geography stretches from the mangroves in the Sundarbans to the snowy peaks of the Himalayas in the north.
“We have destroyed the tourism infrastructure in our state. Tourists pass through Darjeeling and Kalimpong in our state and travel to Sikkim. We are determined to change this,” Suvendu said at the event.
The logo, along with the catchline, “West Bengal: Where India feels different”, was released by Suvendu with much fanfare at the Dhono Dhanyo auditorium on Friday.
The initiative is part of the BJP government’s move to do away with Mamata Banerjee’s famous “Biswa Bangla” branding, which was conceptualised to showcase Bengal’s cultural heritage.
However, the new tourism advertisement has not gone down well with the Bengali bhadralok. The advertisement opens promisingly with a montage of the iconic Howrah Bridge.
It then moves away from the state, taking viewers on a whirlwind tour of deserts, pyramids and other iconic destinations that are nowhere in Bengal.
Global landmarks and skyscrapers that have no diplomatic relationship with Digha or Darjeeling also make guest appearances. The Victoria Memorial, the famous Terracotta temples of Bishnupur and the Darjeeling toy train are nowhere to be seen.
Political analyst Mayukh Ranjan Ghosh quipped that the advertisement’s creative director deserved an Oscar. “When West Bengal has hills to sea, forests to cities, what was the point of giving free advertising to the Eiffel Tower and St Petersburg?” he said.
A section of online users also compared the advertisement with the way the Trinamool Congress promoted tourism in the state. “There was culture, character, sweetness and subtlety,” one user tweeted.
The tagline, “Where India feels different”, also came under criticism. “Compare it with Kerala tourism’s ‘God’s own country’. Or Rajasthan’s ‘Padharo Mhare Desh’. Which is such a welcoming and warm tagline,” Joy, a political commentator, posted.
It remains to be seen how the BJP government reacts to the stinging criticism of the tourism advertisement, which has prompted users to ask the obvious question: Where is Bengal?
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