lectoral campaigning in India underwent a sea change this year. The 14th Lok Sabha elections witnessed a more systematic use of media than ever before and oodles of money being spent. The Indian media has never had it so good.

In one corner was the Bharatiya Janata Party, represented by Grey Worldwide, and on the other, the Congress with Leo Burnett handling the account. According to data supplied by Adex India, a division of TAM Media Research, close to Rs 175 crore was collectively spent by all the parties put together between January and May 2004, in trying to woo over 670 million people who elected 539 representatives. ... more