Srinagar, March 25: Advertising has come a long way in India, thanks to the great strides made in printing technology supplemented by computer technology applications.

Flex technology that involves printing real life images on boards or banners with the help of computers, is the latest most popular mode of advertising. It has made advertising more appealing and easier than earlier times. One can find flex-based boards and hoardings at most of the public places.

In Kashmir, products and services promoted through flex-based boards and hoardings have lent a new fillip to the business of advertising.

Local advertising agencies have increasingly capitalised on the flex type technology for popularizing and projecting their products and services. The technology is said to have made advertising easy.

Time and cost-effectiveness have also motivated advertisers here to opt for boards and banners. And, the advertising agencies too have familiarised themselves with flex-based publicity campaigns.

"It has benefits in two ways; one is that it has benefited the advertising agencies. The work has become easier. If somebody wants a board in urgency, we can deliver it in the evening and the second thing is that the places where these small units are working, the employment opportunities have increased. A large number of boys are working in those units. So flex boards have the dual advantages," said Rafiq Ahmad, Managing Director, Raqia Advertising Agency, Srinagar.

The latest technique saves the time and print a large number of copies in one go.

"The latest technology that has been introduced is time saving and attractive because you can print an image also in it and within a span on an hour we can print nearly about 100 copies," said Irshad, a flex printing operator.

Kashmiri youths are also benefiting for employment opporntunities after popularity of flex technology. Customers are happy to find the attractive and stylish boards.

"It's a very nice concept. It will be a benefit for our new generation. It will solve the problem of unemployment in Kashmir because when the new companies enter the market, they will definitely need it for wide advertisement. This way we, the youths, will get more jobs," said Hilal Ahmad, a local resident.

All the agencies in Kashmir valley are doing well with lucrative accounts. The total turnover of advertising business is around rupees 250 million (61.8 million US dollars) in Kashmir. (ANI)