We use Optical Character Recognition (OCR) during our scanning and processing workflow to make the content of each page searchable. You can view the automatically generated text below as well as copy and paste individual pieces of text to quote in your own work.
Text recognition is never 100% accurate. Many parts of the scanned page may not be reflected in the OCR text output, including: images, page layout, certain fonts or handwriting.
May 1941
FILMINDIA
ADVERTISING IN INDIA
India is a market of 400 millions, which means a fifth of the world's population. But the problem of selling in India is perhaps the most difficult one and in comparison with India, selling goods in other countries is considerably easy inspite of the fact that every other country offers larger competition through its indigenous manufactures.
In India, however, the problem of selling is made more difficult for three principal reasons: (1) Numerous languages and low percentage of literacy, (2) Religious and tradilional leanings, and (3) Economic distress.
LANGUAGES AND LITERACY
There are at least eight main languages in India, constantly spoken and written, apart from over 100 provincial dialects. These languages are as follows: (1) English, (2) Hindusthani, (3) Marathi, (4) Gu.ierati, (5) Tamil, (6) Telegu, (7) Bengali, and (8) Kanarese.
Over 500 newspapers and periodicals are printed regularly in tliese
languages and their average circulation should not exceed 2,500 per issue per papar, v,'hich means a total of 1;^ million buyers. Calculating 10 readers per copy, principally due to the economic problem in the country-, the entire prmted word should command a readership of 12^ million pf'ople. Which calculation does not compare very unfavourably with the official figure of 9 per cent literacy in the country.
Imagine, the low percentage of 9 in literacy after a 150 years of British rule. The reasons for this, mainly economical and political, had better be left unsaid.
And these 12^ million readers have to be catered in eight principal languages and through over 500 papers. And the experts estimate that 60 per cent of the newspapei readers do not read the advertisements, which again means that out of 121 millions, only 5 millions read the advertisements. And how many from these 5 millions do actually buy?
As against this, in the 1265 permanent cinema theatres and 500
touring cinemas at present in India, over 17 million people are accommodated every week and every one of them give 100% attention to the commercial or entertainment fare presented there. There is no other alternative but to sit through.
FRESH AUDIENCE
There is another point of preference in a motion picture audience over the readership of the printed word. It is well known that Indian pictures run for weeks and weeks continuously at a single station and with every new week the audience changes and new people come in to see the pictures.
The advertiser thus covers a very large number of different people automatically while with the newspapers and periodicals, the same people read the printed word day in and day out.
RELIGIOUS AND TRADITIONAL OBSTACLES
India which had once the oldest civilization in the world has stili many twisted notions as relics of the
a
1 1
HHOUHCemCH
THE BOmBliy Fllim IiHBORHTORIES
UNDER EFFICIENT TECHNICIANS WILL BE AT THE SERVICE OF
all producers For Film Processing Work
From fsi of May 194-1
FOR DEMONSTRATIONS AND RATES PLEASE REFER
THE MANAGER,
The Bombay Film liaboratories
Christopher Mansions, Portuguese Church Street, Dadar, Bombay Telephone; 60623
41