The corporates, the private and public sector enterprises in the city were urged to tap the potential of Dasara as a brand building opportunity and reach out to the public.
At a sensitisation programme on sponsorship for Dasara held here on Saturday, Deputy Commissioner Bagadi Gautham said that the events will reach lakhs of people as it will be broadcast or telecast live over different social media platforms spread over 10 days.
Besides, Mysuru Dasara itself was a brand and hence the corporates were urged to harness the potential of the event and hard-sell themselves to the viewers during the Nada Habba which will be held from September 26 to October 5.
The meeting was attended by representatives from major public and private sector players, including State Bank of India, Cycle Brand Agarbathies, multinational companies dealing with beverages, TVS group, Red FM, established players in the world of jewellery etc.
The last date for finalizing the sponsorship is September 10 and the Deputy Commissioner said the corporates could sponsor a single-day event or even a portion of a proceeding of the day and there was no minimum stipulations.
They could also opt for joint sponsorship of events which would be spread across eight different venues. Superintendent of Police R. Chetan said that the Yuva Sambhrama and Yuva Dasara are two of the most popular programmes among the youth and institutions keen to make their presence felt and enhance their recall value among the new generation could take the opportunity of sponsoring the programmes.
In the discussions that followed, representatives of the corporate bodies assured their cooperation and sought details of the programme so that it could be shared with the decision-makers and revert to the district administration. An MNC was keen on exclusive sponsorship of the Aahara Mela while it was announced that the multiplex DRC would dedicate one screen free of cost for Dasara Film Festival.
Though the government bears the bulk of the expenditure, sponsorship of individual events or cultural programmes not only provides an opportunity for brand building of the corporates but helps reduce the expenditure.
In the past, sponsorship and sale of Dasara Gold Cards would help meet a significant portion of the expenditure like meeting the remuneration of artistes or handling their stay and transportation. The amount saved out of the funds released by the State used to be taken up for shoring up civic amenities, including road repairs.
Yuva Dasara and Yuva Sambhrama in particular are being projected as major platform for advertisers to get assured eyeballs and help in brand building among the youth. The event in the pre-COVID times used to attract not less than 25,000 to 30,000 people, mainly students, every day. For, Dasara in general and Yuva Dasara in particular had captured the imagination of the youth and hence, the district administration exhorted the corporate bodies to seize the opportunity. The main cultural events at the palace is another slice of the Dasara pie that the corporates are being wooed to sponsor.
