Transport system is a very important component of any developing nation’s economy. An efficient, quick and economic transport system helps the country in adding tremendous value to its manufactured goods. Moreover, it added spatial coverage of the international markets for manufactured products and thus acts as an effective avail resource. The success of any manufacturing process largely depends upon the transport system used in that particular industry.
Indian railways are among the best developed transport infrastructures in Asia. At present Indian railways transport over 14 million ton freight loads every year. Majority of this freight traffic is transported on the back-end air transport. In fact, air transport is considered the most viable transport solution for India as compared to other back-end modes like sea shipping, road moving or river shipping.
Air transport is fast and comparatively cost-effective than road and rail transport. Indian railways are at par with world standards in terms of speed and inbound/outbound mileage ratio. However, there are still some aspects that need to be given special attention like poor air quality, adverse weather conditions, rough terrain, etc. These challenges pose a huge risk for air cargo especially perishable goods like fruits, vegetables, fish and other perishables. Continuous air traffic congestion in major cities of India such as Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Kochi and Pune can adversely affect the smooth movement of perishable goods during monsoon season.
In order to cater to the increased demands of passengers and to improve freight transportation efficiency, the Indian Railway Transport Department has come up with multiple advertisements campaign that are released throughout the year. Major railway companies across India have been spending huge amounts of money on advertisements on national as well as international newspapers and websites. However, these advertisements sometimes create negative impact on the customers as they seem to target only one category of people and do not specify the category in which goods should be transported.
Some of the major Indian transport systems such as the Delhi Mumbai highway, Western railway, Arabian network, Goa Chandigarh and Andaman railway are all utilizing modern technologies such as electronic posters, digital signage, etc., to expand their market share in foreign trade. They have also adopted a new innovative advertising strategy of displaying attractive images, text, etc., in an attractive format so that customers may find it easy to access the information needed by them. However, even with these advanced techniques, the customers are not aware of their precise location due to the lack of visible maps and road directions.
The advertisement campaign on the trains is considered as a more economical mode of advertisement in India as it can reach the global audience which is not possible with the other modes of advertisement. The Indian railways are a crucial mode of transport for the goods and passengers carrying valuable and important items and they can only be accessed through airways. Hence, the railway advertisements form an important strategy in Indian public relations (promotion) for the development of the Indian railways. These advertisements are designed to attract the attention of as many people as possible. The images and words used should have some relevance with the nature of products carried, services offered by the railways, and the unique status of the particular trains or coaches.
The cost of using such a platform to advertise has been reduced in comparison to other mediums of advertisement. The cost is quite affordable compared to other modes of advertisement in India. The railway transport company is able to save on costs because they do not have to bear the additional cost of printing, distribution, marketing, and promotion. However, the consumers need to take extra precaution while using such platforms to advertise the goods/services in new areas.
The best place from where to advertise the goods/services is the state capital where the major hub of action occurs. The advertisements should be placed near the railway station or the major road intersections. This will attract the maximum possible visitors to come to that place and check out the goods available. The advertisement campaign can consist of anything related to the railways, goods/services carried, and also the unique status of trains. It can even include the fares and the discounts given on every fare. The advertising should be such that it appeals to the consumers and increases their interest in buying the product/service from the transport company.