Canara Bank’s ‘Be Cyber Smart’ campaign across state Bus Stations empowering Rural India

Cybersecurity awareness is critically low in Rural India- State Bus Stations present a strategic option for reaching rural and semi-urban commuters

• The ‘Be Cyber Smart’ campaign successfully launched across 489 bus stands in the States of Karnataka, Maharashtra, Haryana, Punjab, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan and Goa

Canara Bank, a leading public sector bank in India, has taken an important step towards addressing the rising cybercrime rates in Rural India with its ongoing initiative, ‘Be Cyber Smart.’ The ‘Be Cyber Smart’ campaign has been successfully launched across 489 bus stands across India. Fourteen unique jingles, scripted and recorded, play every 15 minutes on the Digital Passenger Information Systems (PIS) at the bus stations, reinforcing the importance of cybersecurity in a catchy and memorable manner. 

“Canara Bank identified a disturbing increase in cybercrime cases. We observed there is a critical need for creating awareness and educating the public, particularly in rural areas where cybersecurity awareness is critically low. To tackle this issue head-on, the ‘Be Cyber Smart’ initiative was launched to equip people with the knowledge and skills needed to protect themselves in the digital age,” said Mr R P Jaiswal, General Manager, Head Office, Canara Bank

State Bus Stations present a strategic option for reaching rural and semi-urban commuters, who frequently utilise bus stations for their regular commutes between villages and cities. The campaign was conceptualised and executed by Vritti iMedia. Vritti utilised its mass media platform, Audiowala Bus Stand, a leading Digital Audio Network that employs the digital Passenger Information System (PIS) in State bus stations to deliver messages to passengers located within the bus stations.

“Vritti Solutions recommended the use of engaging musical jingles and messages on cyber awareness, strategically placed within the regular bus announcements. These jingles are placed amidst bus arrival and departure announcements; thus, guaranteeing 100% engagement rate. The ability to convey messages in regional languages and dialects proved to be a key asset, fostering a direct and relatable connection with the target audience,” said Mr. Rajesh Radhakrishnan, Co-Founder and Chief Marketing Officer- Vritti iMedia.