MxMIndia

Category: PR

  • India now has three to four signature events and globally there are a handful of global events that one should consider attending, writes Amith Prabhu

    Amith Prabhu: The season of PR events is here!

    By Amith Prabhu

     

    It is that time of the year when announcements for various PR conferences take place. India now has three to four signature events. Similarly, globally there are a handful of global events that one should consider attending if a plan has been put in place.

     

    In India, the first event is slated for mid-August which is PR Moment’s conference. Next up in September is the South Asia leg of the SABRE Awards in Mumbai. That is followed by Praxis in the fourth weekend of September in Mysore. Then in October comes the e4m conference and awards.

     

    Internationally, there are several but the focus is on six that are becoming bigger and better year on year. The Arthur W Page Conference end of September in Chicago is where the Who’s Who of Corporate America assemble. Then in end October is the Holmes Report Global Summit in Miami. Outside of the Americas there are two major conferences taking place in Africa. The IPRA summit around the fourth week of September in Johannesburg and the World PR Conference on Emerging Economies in Nairobi in mid-November. November third week also has the Asia Pacific Communications Directors Summit in Hong Kong. The Nairobi event by Global PR Forum which organizes the World PR Forum every alternate year and the Hong Kong event organized by Communications Director are taking place for the first time. Besides these, the Spikes Asia Festival in Singapore in mid-September is a good event to attend.

     

    Three other signature events just went by in June and are good to consider in 2016. The PR Week Asia conference and awards in Hong Kong took place two weeks ago. This happened at the same time the Cannes Lions took place in France. A few weeks prior, the IABC World Conference took place in San Francisco.

     

    Four other gigantic events that one should aim to attend as they offer so much learn from. Several top guns also attend these which makes it a great opportunity for high level interactions. These depend on the interest area one has. South by South West in Austin Texas every March, The International Auto Shows in Europe and Detroit, The World Economic Forum in Davos and the Consumer Entertainment Show in Las Vegas are must attends during one’s professional career to get amazing exposure.

     

    Which one have you budgeted for and which one is in your bucket list? If you put them in writing, attending several of these over the next few years will not be hard. It all starts with an intent.

     

  • Three incidents in a span of 10 hours in three cities make Amith Prabhu wonder where is the value system that takes us towards complete freedom

    Amith Prabhu: Liberation is what we need!

    By Amith Prabhu

     

    We completed 68 years as an independent nation on Saturday. On last Thursday and Friday I travelled to Mumbai. My journey had three components and throughout the journey I was reflecting on our life in a nation which is soon gearing up to celebrate the 69th Independence Day.

     

    What transpired on the Metro train I took from Gurgaon to Delhi, then the experience I had at the airport before I took the evening flight from Delhi to Mumbai and finally the auto ride from Mumbai airport to Bandra for my meeting was quite astonishing. This may not be the typical Public Relations column. But basic common sense and mutual respect is how we grow as a nation in an ongoing public relations campaign with one and another and the world.

     

    The metro train I got into was full, as it always is with space for standing passengers only. On a following station a heavily pregnant woman entered the general compartment and came and stood in front of a fairly young man hinting that she needed the seat. He began to look the otherway. After a few seconds she asked him to make place for her and he immediately gave up his seat. She alighted four stations later and another man who had seen how she got her seat quickly parked himself on the vacant seat to everyone’s bewilderment and the man who was originally on the seat and the woman just watched as this trivial incident unfolded. I asked the man as to why he pounced on the seat when the original occupant was right in front of him and he replied that the original occupant had no right over the seat because he did not initiate the offer. Weird!

     

    Next, at the airport I stand in line for the security check and the queue does not seem to move at all. That’s because the CISF personnel at the monitor has got up to check a bag that has liquids thus preventing movement of the x-ray machine causing a long wait. These are the inefficiencies with which we function. After watching the spectacle for a few minutes I asked another constable as to why he could not monitor the screen to avoid a pile up of passengers which led him to action.

     

    I’m not going to devote space here for passenger behaviour before take-off and after landing. That will be a separate column. The way we want to occupy everyone else’s cabin luggage space and then rush for the exit door upon landing can be a novel or feature film. Less said the better.

     

    Finally, I landed in Mumbai and took an auto. Now the auto man starts riding away and refuses to put down the meter. He has reached the main road and argues that I should pay him a flat Rs 250 when I’m aware on the meter it does not cross Rs 150. I insist on him putting the meter and he insists on dropping me mid-way. Well, after mutual threats I reach my destination and pay him Rs 150 which he refuses but finally moves on with the cash.

     

    Three incidents in a span of 10 hours in three cities on three different modes of public transport. We are yearning for progress and are proud of our independence. But where is the value system that takes us towards complete freedom? When will we become a liberated nation? How will this change? Who will take the step towards making lives and things better?

     

  • Only when there is complete clarity among the fraternity on what each term stands for, we can say PR is changing, writes Amith Prabhu

    Amith Prabhu: PR is not changing. We are!

    By Amith Prabhu

     

    Last week I was at a PR conference on the theme “PR is Changing”. There were some interesting insights shared. However, the most catchy insight was what got shared towards the end of the conference which caught my attention. A stalwart of the profession after hearing what all the co panelists had said declared that nothing is going to change. He was so right! Public Relations has been around from time immemorial. It has been called different things. It has evolved but it really has not changed.

     

    Some tools have got added, some have become obsolete. The mediums have changed. Professionalism has increased. The bottomline is that the core of Public Relations, which is engaging and communicating to influence behavior has remained fundamentally the same. So in sum, Public Relations is not changing. One can argue that Change is the only constant. Indeed, we have seen so much change in the last decade.

     

    The number of magazines have increased with super specialty. TV channels have grown manifold. Digital has become mainstay. Mobile has become the primary screen. Generational shifts have taken place.

     

    Most interestingly, after years of discussion and debate, there is no fix on the Measurement Dilemma in Public Relations. This has nothing to do whether Public Relations has changed or not. We have changed and in the process forgotten to put in place written briefs with clear measurable parameters.

     

    Content marketing has always been a part of Public Relations. Plain vanilla media releases have transformed into infographics, listicles and native advertising. But we think Public Relations has changed. Social media has changed the way content is absorbed. It is yet another medium to communicate in addition to the legacy mediums of print, television and radio.

     

    Most of all the education avenues of PR professionals and the events for the fraternity have increased. The change is merely cosmetic and in the ‘how’. The ‘what’ remains the same. However, my biggest concern is that PR is not doing enough PR for itself.

     

    Several people in the profession are still confused about the very nature of what they do. What has not changed is the nomenclature of terms used ranging from corporate affairs to public affairs to strategic communications to reputation management to marketing communications to corporate communications to external relations to brand communications. Only when there is complete clarity among the fraternity on what each term stands for, we can say PR is Changing. That is unlikely to happen in the foreseeable future. Until then only we will keep changing, Public Relations will not.

     

     

  • The client base is increasing, newer PR firms are mushrooming but retainers are not changing and quality of talent is not improving, writes Amith Prabhu

    Amith Prabhu: Where is our talent coming from?

    By Amith Prabhu

     

    In the last few months, three firms appointed chief operating officers who neither rose from the ranks nor came from a rival PR firm. They came from outside the world of Indian PR consulting. One came from an overseas conglomerate where she headed corporate communications, the other is on his way from a business daily where he holds a fairly senior position in editorial and the third who holds a fairly differentiated designation came almost from retirement after a long stint in the corporate world. All these positions in reputed, large firms.

     

    The story at other levels is no different where every month half a dozen journalists are joining in-house or consultancy jobs with just one or two strengths of content creation if they come from print journalism and some great contacts in the world of media most certainly. None have skills in campaign planning, strategy mapping or crisis counselling. Some learn on the job, most don’t care because the client just wants some content drafted and some journalists engaged with.

     

    So, how is the need for 500 freshers at the entry and middle level going to be fulfilled? This is a million dollar question. Some head honchos say they hire from Tier 2 MBA schools. Unless one is fortunate, the quality of talent from Tier 2 B Schools tends to be just about average and a lot of time and energy is spent training them for the PR consulting job which requires a good mix of writing skills, brand management and marketing concepts, digital understanding and common sense.

     

    The client base is increasing, newer PR firms are mushrooming but retainers are not changing and quality of talent is not improving. This is a real problem that needs to be addressed. CEOs of consultancies are constantly on the look for bright sparks and when they think they have found him or her and trained the person for the role the individual decides to move on. This will get interesting as the first true blue PR professionals evolve to be leaders.

     

    Currently, most PR firm leaders are either CEOs or immigrants from other domains who moved to PR and grew into leadership roles. In couple of years there will be native PR specialist emerging as consultancy firm leaders and they will increasingly look for talent that is well-rounded and will find it hard to get the specialists. The question we need to ask then and now is where is our talent coming from and what are we doing to up the level of service across the board?

     

  • A ready reckoner for any PR professional who wishes to get a grip on event management and all that goes into it

    Amith Prabhu: 21 steps to a bloody good event

    By Amith Prabhu

     

    A PR professional spends a large chunk of his or her time planning, ideating, strategizing experiences which are usually in the form of stunts, events and gatherings. One of the most fascinating facets of Public Relations to me is the ability to bring an experience to life. I have had the privilege of creating many an event in my decade long career. The annual gathering of communications professionals which is round the corner is closest to my heart because it touches all the four elements of a PR exercise – Building Credibility (of the profession), Strengthening Relationships (with various stakeholders), Offering Experiences (to delegates) and the option of Creating Advocacy (for the profession). This column is a ready reckoner for any PR professional who wishes to get a grip on event management and all that goes into it.

     

    1.     Finalise date and venue including the reconnaissance (recce)

    2.     Draw up list of speakers/performers/presenters/panelists/moderators

    3.     Reach out to event partners, essentially the sponsors

    4.     Form a dream team. This has to be cherry-picked and should be a core group

    5.     Make announcements and launch an event website, so potential attendees make plans

    6.     Open registration, so people set aside monies

    7.     Plan sub-events that create ‘talk-ability’ and buzz for the main event

    8.     Follow up like crazy with everyone from point 2 and 3 (speakers and sponsors)

    9.     Prepare for any eventuality – a crisis can hit anytime

    10. Negotiate with various vendors – event technicians, swag makers, band etc

    11. Start designing collaterals – emailers, backdrops, standees, handbooks and the like

    12. Close on the event producers

    13. Decide kits and lanyards styles – attendees take these home so they better be good

    14. Connect panelists and moderators with each other

    15. Get all payments in and organise advances

    16. Registrations need to close so people look forward to a packed house

    17. Communicate with attendees on email, social media

    18. Draft emcee script

    19. Prepare a final checklist

    20. Ensure good food and punctuality – these two can be bummers at an event

    21. Offer great experience and good memories so people come back

     

    These elements are critical for a good event. Each one can be elaborated but they are self-explanatory. I call them the 21 steps to a bloody good event.

     

  • Life becomes smoother…Expectations are managed better…when one equates Public = "Target Audience"

    Siddhartha Mukherjee: Define the ‘P’ of PR

    By Siddhartha Mukherjee

     

    There was a time when the Client Corporate Communication team and its PR Agency army would shudder to plan the delivery of the EAV/AVE target set by their CXOs. With the start and through the year, the duo would run helter-skelter trying to garner as much editorial coverage as possible…doesnot matter the print medium or television channel in which brand’s news exposure was achieved. Further, it certainly did not matter if the news quality actually helped the brand. The one and only objective was to get some editorial space anywhere and everywhere, somehow!

     

    No wonder, more than the Corporate Communications Team, this left the PR Agency team disoriented & disgruntled.

     

    The situation today is not drastically different from then. Gunning for thicker Clippings Folder and the cancer called EAV/AVE, both continue to exist even today within many parts of our industry. However, I do know of some industry corridors that have shelved this archaic, thoughtless approach and resorted to a welcome way of adopting the media planning activity. The starting point of this is very clearly ‘Asking and Understanding’ the ‘Target Audience’ of the Brand’s ‘Public’ before one starts building on the ‘Relations’.

     

    For this evolved lot of our Industry, their starting point from now on is PR = TAR (Target Audience Relations).

    What are the advantages of a well defined, clear definition of “P” in Public Relations?

    1. Client Corporate Communications Team feels “Included”: While there are exceptions, many a times, however, Corporate Communications team carry minimal or zilch details about a Brand and its Communications requirements. The definition, profile or description of its Target Audience being one of the key important missing links. Before commencing on the planning and execution, if the PR Agency asks for such details, it becomes a very constructive initiative for its clients. Corporate Communication Team and its PR Agency army are assured of a high probability of “effective” PR Planning & Execution.

     

    2. Client Corporate Communications team gets positively positioned within Organization- Irrespective of Corporate Communications Team reporting to CMO or the CEO, when Corporate Communications team asks for details of the Brand’s Target Audience, internal customers normally feel happy that their brand’s mandate is with safe hands – a good quality and scientific Communications Team. The measurability of PR Campaign Input, Output and Outcome, very importantly, becomes much more practical and seamless.

     

    3. Quantitative & Qualitative Target setting easier: Client’s expectations from its PR Agency is fixed basis the media plan the Target Audience requires. Secondly, Corporate Communication Team’s KRAs and KPIs for delivering an effective Communication plan become much easier and manageable. Lastly but importantly, the PR Agency doesnot waste unwanted time chasing unwanted editorial space that doesnot matter to the Target Audience of the Brand. Further, in many cases, dependence on stringers becomes selective not always…resulting in substantial savings of operational cost.

     

    4. Fast turnaround cycle: The time taken starting from Researching, Ideation of the Campaign, Implementation & Evaluation gets trimmed. Brand Custodians get faster evaluation opportunities and implement course correction if need be.

     

    5. Will lead to even better PR Campaigns: Our Industry has been acknowledging “Creative” PR Campaigns. No doubt, some of them have been brilliant! Hats off to those teams. However, I feel “Creative” should get fortified with “Effective” as well. This will further push the standards of our Campaigns. Our Industry has some amazing minds…it only needs a nudge to go for the best…those that actually move the cheese! This will only happen when one understands the “P” of Public Relations. A habit of regular Listening & Researching is required to understand the nuances of “P” or the Target Audience.

     

    A key reason behind Advertising Industry earning respect within India Inc. is because it has always worked with specific reference to the Brand’s well defined Public or Target Audience. No wonder, results have been monitored well, measured scientifically and is relatable for the Brand’s key internal Custodians – CXOs.

     

    Public Relations will need to quickly imbibe on this art and convert it into a science. We tend to waste unwanted energy in getting “Thick” Clippings Folder or “Potha” as some say, for our clients! Does that really help the clients…? Scientifically managed News visibility in editorial platforms which matter to the Brand’s Target Audience is what one should gun for.

     

    Understanding “P” in PR is the start of any sensible Communications process. Only by doing so, the perception of some that our PR Industry only deals with abstracts will be shattered to a great extent.

     

  • Rather than listening to repetition and future versions labeled as 2.0, 3.0, 4.0 et al, industry professionals would much rather be happy discussing the present and how to tackle pressing issues, writes Siddhartha Mukherjee

    Siddhartha Mukherjee: PR Industry Seminars: Beyond Networking…Time for Action Points

    By Siddhartha Mukherjee

     

    With an average of at least two PR Industry events (seminars/conferences/award shows) every year, over the last decade, our industry professionals must have attended a minimum of 20-30 such events by now. However, the interesting part is that, in almost every second one, the topics/ discussion points have not seen any real change. Of course, to maintain newness, ways of discussion did change with the use of active or passive voice, direct or indirect speech, or through the standard conundrum of could, would and should.

     

    Events and seminars, apart from the default benefit of acting as a business networking ground, will give our industry a leap of faith if they start acting as platforms to trigger and formally document action points and charters.

     

    I personally believe that our Indian brand communication industry comprises some of the most brilliant, well-aware, effective and humble thought leaders and professionals. I also believe that they are fully aware of what the future has in store for them. They do not need to be told that… repeatedly, unless there is really something new.

     

    The industry professionals, rather than listening to the repetition and future versions labelled as 2.0, 3.0, 4.0 et al…which, by the way, is a new fad off late – they would much rather be happy discussing the present and how to tackle the pressing issues. They want simple and effective action points:

     

    Industry events or seminars should trigger specific action points such as:

    # First and foremost, how do we go about getting our industry recognised to the external world: Yes, our Industry does exist! The question, however, is that whether we are acknowledged as Singular, Separate and an Official Entity. For industries and professionals outside that of ours, do we exist as some shapeless, by the way, BTL entity or are we known as an Industry to be reckoned with. As an after- thought, is there even a need to re-brand PR? How do we set the vision and mission charter for ourselves? Who does it?

    #PR Industry size, Targets & Confidence Index: Are we ready to set an industry size target for ourselves? Do we know the exact size of our industry today? How do we ensure that the Industry grows at a specific rate? How do we build a Confidence Index for our industry that ensures growth both in terms of width and depth of investments by clients?

    # Measurement Charter: PR measurement can play the central role in PR industry size growth. The basic question is that should PR be allowed to get measured, at all? I still believe that given an option, for majority of the PR Industry, they would not even touch measurement and audit with a barge poll. Whatever systems, if at all, they follow or are being made to follow are cosmetic or simply for self gratification. Till the answer or the intent is not a firm Yes, we can never move on to solutions for subsequent questions such as: How can PR be measured? How can PR Measurement benefit both the Client and the Agency? How can PR measurement help in achieving industry growth targets, sustain Confidence Index, upgrade Talent Quality and so on!

    #Talent Management: The first challenge is that of really evaluating the kind of talent we really want! That by itself will need specific charters on exactly what the PR industry wants to claim as its specialisation areas. Only after one is clear on that, the next blocks come up as: a) Attracting talent – right sources of institutes, right course curriculum, right job entry or selection processes etc. b) Sustaining Talent – the kind of training we want to impart for each professional continuously through their career curve, formal accreditation policies, if any, etc.

    # Client Servicing…but who is the Client really?: Depending on what PR Industry will and should claim as its specialisation, the actual client within an organization can be the corp comm head, marketing head, other CXOs or even the CEO! With their unique KRAs and KPIs, expectations from PR Agency will not only change but be diverse.

    # Industry Acknowledgement Event Charters: Too many number of (scattered) industry events is a sign of industry fragmentation…and that the industry is not cohesive! It is time that our industry gets lesser but bigger and fortified version of Abbies, Emvies, Goafest etc. These are not event management and merry-making exercises but have a thought process behind getting the industry thinking hats together, review what was missed, what are the plans to achieve the targets and create the blue print for the coming years.

    # Educate on Digital…along with Offline: For certain product categories of the Indian economy, Digital PR Communication is God sent. However, the real crux still stays with Offline mediums – Print, TV and Radio. The future is not just about understanding Digital PR. In fact, the key is to understand the amalgamation of cross mediums – Print, TV, Radio and Online. Experts, whether from Western markets, or India, need to tell professionals about not just Online/Digital PR but how to manage them in sync with Offline PR. One of the key traits of the Communication Professional 3.0 is that he/she should be able to understand cross media, build and sustain brands for clients.

     

    Without any effective backing or real encouragement from the outside world, the Indian PR Industry has come a long way. Kudos! It has been a great case study of self growth – albeit through a trial and error method. This growth story shows gives a glimpse of what we as an Industry can actually do if we get formal backing, guidance, clear Industry charters, deliverables and very importantly, scientific growth mechanisms.

     

    Industry seminars/events bring the advantage of getting the industry well-wishers, visionaries and learned experts together. Why not utilise their presence to trigger and document action points? A good starting point towards that can be to build it on a theme that is specific, relatable and not abstract. A theme where industry experts can bring their thought points ready for immediate reference and use. This will go a long way in changing the perception of prprofessionals about attending a PR Industry event. It will no longer be just a refreshment/ relaxation job perk for them but a parallel learning ground as well.

     

     

  • And with this edition every PR firm from among the Top 30 has witnessed at least one of the four summits, writes Amith Prabhu

    Amith Prabhu: A Praxis like no other

    By Amith Prabhu

     

    The weekend that went by witnessed the largest gathering of public relations professionals in one place, both consultancy based and in-house. Four hundred fifty professionals gathered in Mysore for the fourth edition of Praxis in what has come to become a signature event in the annual calendar of Indian communicators. As someone who has a small role to play in the co-creation of this summit it I’m thrilled with the outcome.

     

    Getting together 35 speakers, 30 partners and the Who’s Who of Indian PR from Madan Bahal, Dilip Cherian and Ashwani Singla to Radha Roy, Papri Dev and Archana Jain to the global communication heads of Infosys, Arvind, Biocon, Suzlon, Aptech to Indian comms heads of Vodafone, Kellogg’s, GSK, Omidyar Networks and more it was the coming of age of Indian Public Relations. Almost every Indian ecommerce player was present. And with this edition every PR firm from among the Top 30 has witnessed at least one of the four summits.

     

    What stood out was the overwhelming response from the community of senior professionals. Three keynotes representing three continents and a panel of young leaders. Rajdeep Sardesai’s session was certainly the icing on the cake. World renowned percussionist Sivamani performing live had the audience spell bound.  Startups such as Astrum and Value 360 and established players such as Adfactors and MSLGroup supporting the event along with 25 others added vibrancy.

     

    The corporate communications panel chaired by Aparna Jain with corporate communications from Yahoo, Coke and Quintles was a hit with the audience. So were the keynotes by Shonali Burke and Andre Manning. The special address of Creativity by Kiran Khalap and on Analytics by Mike Ziviani had a lot to offer the young professional.

     

    An important aspect of Praxis is the celebration of talent. Honouring young professionals has become a tradition. Two pairs of individuals have come forward to be generous donors of the prize money. I wish more professionals institute prizes to encourage exceptional younger professionals. Seema Ahuja and Shravani Dang have instituted the prize for the young in-house professional, which was won by Abhishek Mahapatra of Ford Motor Company. The consultancy-based prize went to Prasidha Menon of Edelman India. This year a lifetime achievement award was given to the indomitable Jayoti Lahiri of PRCAI.

     

    The student volunteers make a big difference and this year students of St Joseph’s College put their best foot forward. The summit has grown since its inception in 2012. Having been part of the previous editions I can proudly say that we have come a long way as the largest gathering of PR professionals in the country and the only event of its kind that is neither organized by a trade association nor by a media outlet. But by a community of volunteers who spare time to bring this event alive.

     

     

  • To create awareness about water crisis in villages; and raise funds for water harvesting

    PRCI launches #20plenty4water campaign

    By A Correspondent

     

    In a unique Gandhi Jayanti Day  initiative, Public Relations Council of India (PRCI) -  the premier body of PR, advertising, media and HR professionals – has launched a nationwide drive called #20plenty4water  to have donations pooled in for water harvesting and conservation projects under the Prime Minister’s relief Fund.

     

    The objective of the multi-media campaign, being launched through PRCI’s 20 plus pan-India chapters, is to appeal to people to donate just Rs 20 which is the average cost of a packaged drinking water bottle

     

    “This being the festive season, we tend to spend on various luxuries and it is not difficult for us to set aside Rs 20, the cost of a bottle of water, to help our farmers and other drought hit people across India,” said B N Kumar, national president of PRCI.

     

    PRCI Chairman Emeritus and Chief Mentor M B Jayaram said: “We appeal to people to donate Rs 20 each – the cost of a packaged water bottle – to the PM’s Relief Fund. It is something easy for us to do and anyone can do it. We can contribute at our individual levels and corporates can match the donation in the manner that they deem fit.”

     

    PRCI is the national body of professionals drawn from public relations, advertising, media and HR, apart from academicians. PRCI also has a youth wing called Young Communicator Club (YCC), comprised of mass communication students.

     

    PRCI has appealed to the Prime Minister to help spread the good word about the unique donation drive and utilize the money collected for water harvesting and conservation projects across various states.

  • Several smart individuals did not learn the characteristics they possess in a Business or Communications school, writesAmith Prabhu

    Amith Prabhu: 7 things they don’t teach you at C school

    By Amith Prabhu

     

    The period after Praxis is time for reflection. Time to think of what’s right and what’s not in our community. On my flight back from Bangalore I was pondering on what attributes are found in the brightest and the best professionals and I realised that several of the smart individuals did not learn the characteristics they possess in a B-School or C-school (C for communications). I listed some of these attributes and thought of sharing them here:

     

    Agility – The ability to be flexible with limited lead time. An interesting example for this is on how we managed to deal with the proposed Bandh in Karnataka on the second day of Praxis. We ensured we reached out to the police to handle any eventuality and detailed planning led to a flawless Day 2.

     

    Brevity – The skill to be concise and precise in communications. This is an art that can be mastered only through practice. There are umpteen examples of this quality. However, Twitter is the best place to learn this skill.

     

    Mindfulness – This is a combination of having an eye for detail, a strong presence of mind and immense amount of alertness. While this portal mentioned in a news article on how the founder of a PR firm was discreet about selling his firm to a global firm until three days prior to the announcement. What very few know is that Rishi Seth was thoughtful to inform the organisers a month prior to the event in Mysore that his firm would not be independent around the time of Praxis and it would not be proper for him to be on a panel.

     

    Discretion – Deciding what to share and what not to. For this one timing is everything. A case in point is this new handle on Twitter called @Praxisian. While I neither know who is behind it nor do I want to know, the fact that someone has been able to create a handle is in itself intriguing. How the person behind the handle uses discretion while being anonymous will be interesting.

     

    Enthusiasm – What separates good and not-so-good professionals in today’s day and age is enthusiasm. An example for this is a gentleman called Vikram Kharvi and his passion for the profession that very few display. Follow him and you’ll know what I’m referring to.

     

    Fairness and Fearlessness – These are life values that are essential in the PR profession. They are not taught but have to be learnt. I have been fortunate to have four mentors in my four Indian jobs from whom I have learnt these two characteristics. Fairness from Amit Misra and Ravi Kiran. Fearlessness from Ashwani Singla and NS Rajan. If you know them you will know what I mean.

     

    Goodness – In a cut-throat world this is rarely an attribute we come across frequently. For a lady to have started a PR business in the early 90s and later create a Foundation to give back to underprivileged children takes a lot. If one has to learn goodness Prema Sagar is a solid example.

     

    You can learn strategic thinking, campaign planning and good writing in a C School but the seven attributes mentioned above only will come from experience and exposure.

     

  • Wouldn't it be nice to see CXOs being publicly vocal about their use and importance of PR in their business, writes Siddhartha Mukherjee

    Siddhartha Mukherjee: PR needs CXOs to say ‘I DO’, publicly!

    By Siddhartha Mukherjee

     

    On an average, a minimum of 70 percent of a company’s news visibility is basis its spokespersons.  I would like to believe that these spokespersons, typically CXOs, give time for the news piece because they see genuine value in Earned Media initiatives and not for any other reason.

     

    If so, wouldn’t it be nice to see CXOs being publicly vocal about their use and importance of PR in their business. It will be really great if a CEO or a CMO speaks about PR as the future of Brand building and sustenance in their interviews with Financial Papers, TV channels, conversation on Social Media or during their lectures at B-Schools.

     

    If done, it will be one of the best “PR needs PR” initiatives that I have been campaigning for since Day One.

     

    Below, I highlight the top 10 benefits from such Public Disclosures:

    1. Within Client’s office, importance & definition of IMC will get redefined: The fact that brands are built through touchpoints across earned, paid and owned stimuli will get corroborated. PR machinery will be made to get involved starting from the planning stage. It creates positive buoyancy for the PR function within the corridors of the Organization.

     

    2. Will give a much-needed acknowledgement and endorsement to PR Industry: After decades of hard work, they will receive a moral boost from their true consumers.

     

    3. Will result in higher fees and investments from Clients into PR Industry: Certification from CXOs, slowly though, will pave the way for higher fees and investments from Clients into this brand building tool.

     

    4. Procurement departments of Clients will be forced to acknowledge PR Firms and services: This should stop them from treating PR Firms and Agencies as vegetable vendors and the likes thereof.

     

    5. Will be acknowledged as the brand custodian during Ad Hiatus: Inflation doesnot allow clients to maintain advertising/paid visibility through the year. Earned Media/PR comes as a ready and robust brand saving samurai during Ad Hiatus.

     

    6. Business & Media Schools will relook at their Course Curriculum in Media and Brand Building: CXOs speaking about the importance of PR in Corporate and Product Brand Reputation Management at campuses will usher in a change in Business & Media School’s course curriculum.

     

    7. That journalism is the next wave of marketing will be established: Journalists covering Marketing & Brands will consciously include questions on PR initiatives for their stories.

     

    8. Will trigger the creation and survival of integrated Communication Firms: Stand alone agencies offering conventional PR or Media relations will be passé.

     

    9. Stronger brands will get created: Brand building will be well orchestrated. Advertising will push for BUY ME. PR/Earned Media will create the surround sound of WHY ME!

     

    10. From a PR Measurement perspective, it will forever eradicate the cancer of Advertising Equivalent Value (AEVs): It will force brand custodians to think on the track of Input, Output and Outcome. PR will reduce its association with jugaad and focus on science of benchmarking, planning and audits.

     

    The benefits are many! The PR Industry is waiting for CXOs to come out in the open and acknowledge that this industry exists and that they bring value on the CXO’s table.

     

    Siddhartha Mukherjee is a senior PR industry professional and currently Senior Vice President, Eikona – Earned Media Planning, Audit and Advisory. The views expressed here are his own.

     

  • I hope each of us will be embrace it with passion and make it our individual war cry and code, writes Amith Prabhu on a manifesto for communications professionals

    Amith Prabhu: The Pirate’s Manifesto

    By Amith Prabhu

     

    Thanks to Tushar Panchal, a fellow traveler in the profession I discovered this fascinating manifesto on an interesting website last weekend. I thought it was worth dedicating an entire column to this cause. And letting the wider world know of this endeavor.

     

    The manifesto starts with a war cry – “It is time to declare a war. A war on the empty message”. I reproduce from www.pirate.pr.co below:

    This is a call to arms for all communication professionals against messaging sans-substance. Against the lame PR we are requested to perform. To oppose spin-doctoring and to loathe spamming. We be no lazy ones that send masses of meaningless buzz words. We stand against the fake bullshit that corporations ask us to swallow hook, line and sinker.

     

    We be heading back to the core. Back to communicating with a purpose and messaging with meaning. Back to hustling honestly to be heard through the noise. We will listen to customers, have a conversation. To be ourselves, to let our passions drive our communication and to take no hostages. Yet have the spine to admit when we be wrong. We care about our craft and will defend it to the death. That’s what our pirate hearts beat for: the truth behind the message. We be going back to real communication, to PR driven by a purpose.

     

    It then goes on to share eight steps to a meaningful message which it creatively calls the Code of Conduct for Pirates. A) Have a Purpose B) Make a Plan C) Focus on Resonance D) catch the Current E) Be Real F) Cover all Bases G) Start a Conversation and H) Collaborate

     

    I found this one of the coolest thing for PR professionals in a long time. I hope each of us will be embrace it with passion and make it our individual war cry and code. The world of PR would be a better place.