MxMIndia

Category: PR

  • The Tata Group has mandate its PR and comms mandate to Adfactors PR wef Feb 1. The account size is estimated to be around Rs 30 crore

    Tata says welcome to Adfactors

     

    There are PR agencies and PR agencies and PR agencies. And then there’s Adfactors. Started in 1987 as a boutique agency by Rajesh Chaturvedi and Madan Bahal, it’s today the country’s largest public relations agency. With an employee strength of over 500 people, its turnover is in the region of Rs 180-200 crore. And that number will leapfrog by another Rs 30 crore-odd as the Tata group has signed the agency for as its India PR partner starting February 1.

     

    It’s been discussed ever since Tata Sons got them onboard to handle the all-important job of putting things in order post the Cyrus Mistry episode.The contract lasted a year, and that’s when the industry was abuzz with rumours of the emergence of a deeper relationship.

     

    Soon after the Radia tapes controversy, the Tatas assigned the job of its PR to Diwan Arun Nanda of Rediffusion who in turn assigned the job to Edelman, regarded as the world’s largest independent PR agency.

     

    While the going was good for Rediff-Edelman, there were frequent rumours that the relationship may snap, or that some constituents of the group were free to contract other agencies. A significant indicator of this was when Starbucks moved to Golinopinion and has stayed on with the IPG agency.

     

    The mandate covers strategic counsel and planning, media relations, issues and crisis management, investor relations, advocacy, and integrated campaign development for some of the Tata group’s largest companies including Tata Consultancy Services, Tata Steel, Tata Chemicals, Indian Hotels, Tata Power, Tata Global Beverages and Titan, as well as Tata Sons and Tata Trusts, across India. Note there are some group companies which are currently not part of the roster, in particular Tata Motors. Adfactors has an existing, longstanding relationship with Mahindra & Mahindra and Ashok Leyland and taking on Tata Motors would’ve been a conflict say observers.

     

    In fact it’s this clearminded focus on saying a ‘No’ when there is need to that possibly gets Adfactors to stand out amongst many others. For instance, it’s a clear no-no to handle clients in the business of alcohol, tobacco and non-vegetarian foods. So, for instance, the group doesn’t handle Godrej Tyson Foods.

     

    Said Pradipta Bagchi, former journalist and Group Communications Officer, Tata Group in a statement: “We are pleased to partner with Adfactors PR, India’s largest PR agency, to drive the Tata communications strategy and make the brand engaging and relevant to all our stakeholders,”.

     

    Added Madan Bahal, Co-Founder and Managing Director of Adfactors PR: “The opportunity to work for an iconic institution like the Tata Group that is India’s best known and most trusted brand represents an exciting opportunity for the Adfactors family. The Tata Group is at an inflection point in terms of reinforcing its leadership and growth. We look forward to adding value to its efforts in engaging with a rapidly transforming nation.”

     

    Adfactors will service the Tata mandate out of its 16 offices across the country, supported by a network of 24 support offices covering all state capitals and principal markets. A team of top-level managers with over 20 to 25 years experience headed by former journalist and banking professional Dr Pradeep Raje. Raje had also led the Tata mandate.

     

    In order that Adfactors hops on to the account running, it is learnt that a former senior hand at Vaishnavi Communications, Niira Radia’s PR firm, may be brought on board so that there is greater familiarity with the account.

     

     

  • As part of its Loyakk mandate, Clea PR will define the communication strategy for the ICO

    Clea bags PR mandate for Blockchain ICO 2018

    By A Correspondent

     

    Loyakk Inc, a provider of a blockchain-enabled business platform, has appointed Clea PR for its proposed Initial Coin Offering (ICO) and boost its digital marketings efforts and of course conduct media relations. Said Sadiq Quasim, Director at Loyakk: “After a global search, we are impressed with the expertise and knowledge that Clea Public Relations led by its management team of Vinod G Nair and Toral Sanghavi have garnered on blockchain technology and ICOs. Clea’s mandate for PR covers the entire Asia Pacific and European markets”.

     

    Adde Vinod G. Nair, Managing Director, Clea Public Relations: “With the blockchain technology moving from hype to reality, Public Relations will pay a critical role in tutoring various publics in understanding of ‘what is an ICO’; ‘difference between bitcoin and other crypto currencies’; ‘ICO coin’; ‘blockchain wallet’, and other such commonly used terms. Apart from generating basic awareness, Clea’s strategy aims at multiplying the ‘blockchain explained’ consumer quantum”, says.

     

     

  • While the overriding takeaway of the recent ‘Roast’ is entertainment, such events can act as great orientations for professionals across communication industries, writes Siddhartha Mukherjee

    Siddhartha Mukherjee: The Roast – An Honest Try towards PR for PR!

    By Siddhartha Mukherjee

     

    A few days back, we witnessed a humble but genuine attempt by a bunch of Industry professionals to create a platform for the Advertising and PR Industry professionals to“Roast” each other. While it could have been moderated and molded much better, I must say, the captains representing our industry did a far better job than the advertising counterparts. For me, more than anything else, this is a small but great example of what PR for PR should and can be.

    Curated by The Commune, apparently this was a first inthe media and marketing industry. Cheers to that!

    What created a strong disposition towards this event for me was that this event, at least, dared to tout PR against an External Industry like Advertising…even Digital for that matter! Typically, for years now, we have witnessed mundane PR/Corporate Communications seminars which have over-glorified our achievements & achievers buttered with Self Gratification.

    Such Open and Industry Agnostic format of events should be held more often! Even established Industry events like Emvies, Goafest, etc. should include or create one! If a brand needs Integrated Brand Communications Solutions, let such “Roasted” events be an eyeopener and act as educative platforms for one and all.

    Talking about the PR and Corporate Communications Industry, we infact have plenty of talkpoints to showcase the good brandbuilding we do despite the ground realities. Plenty to put us on a pedestal. More so, plenty which can outrun those from other industries!

     

    Below are some quick observations:

    1. Small event but great leveler: While the overriding takeaway is entertainment, these events can act as great orientations for professionals across communication industries – public relations, advertising, events, etc. Which means that this can act as great levelers! This should help the Uptight and Upright attitude tone down.

    2. Should be done more often across event platforms: More the merrier. Like Laughter Clubs, our industry-specific events should be held regularly. Does not matter if it is standalone or part of a larger event – Goafest, Praxis, Emvies, Cannes, etc.

    3. Such events can leverage digital platforms: Such events need not to be staged and accessed offline. Digital platform is a great enabler.

    4. Marketers can take the lead: At the end of the day, it is the marketers who use ATL and BTL tools. Advertising, Events, PR, Digital, Social, et al are tools and there are service providers for these. Marketers can use the initiative of a Roast to break the ice, make one service industry understand the dynamic of the other, and of course, entertainthere service providers, once in a while!

  • Kumar is also an executive director of Concept PR

    Concept PR’s B N Kumar to head PRCI as Chairman

    By A Correspondent

     

    Public Relations Council of India (PRCI) has elected senior media professional B N Kumar as Chairman of its governing council.

     

    Announcing the decision during the 12th Global Communication Conclave organized by PRCI at Pune recently, its chief mentor and chairman emeritus M B Jayaram said, BNK, as Kumar is known, has been elevated from the post of president – national executive as a recognition of his tireless work in taking the organization to new heights.

     

    Under BNK’s leadership, PRCI held several successful global conclaves, brought out highly professional house journals and conducted international award winning social communication campaigns, Jayaram said. Kumar is also an executive director of Concept PR.

     

    S Narendra, a former Government of India spokesperson, succeeds BNK as the president of the national executive. Prashant Pathrabe, additional DG of Press Information Bureau, has been elected as the new secretary general.

     

     

  • The mandate entails building and reinforcing the brand’s online and print presence through strategic planning and out-of-the-box solutions

    Nolte India appoints Script PR as its PR partner

     

     

    Bengaluru-based Script PR has announced that it has been appointed as the official PR partner for Nolte India. The mandate entails building and reinforcing the brand’s online and print presence through strategic planning and out-of-the-box solutions.

     

    Commenting on the announcement, Alok Duggal Director of Nolte said: “We are glad to have Script PR on board. They bring years of experience, expertise and with their ever-enthusiastic team, we feel ready to reach newer heights”

     

    Added Anindita Deb, Founder, Script PR: “We are excited to partner with a bespoke brand like Nolte that go back decades. This is an interesting phase for us and we look forward to creating many successful campaigns with Nolte.”

     

     

  • While Apurv will head the IPO PR vertical, Charu has been appointed to lead the Lifestyle & Entertainment practice

    Concept PR strengthens leadership team with new hires

    By A Correspondent

     

    Apurv Gupta
    Charu Benegal

    Concept PR has announced the appointment of two senior communication professionals –financial journalist Apurv Gupta and lifestyle PR specialist Charu Benegal.

     

    While Gupta will head the IPO PR vertical, Benegal has been appointed to lead the Lifestyle & Entertainment practice.Prior to joining Concept PR, Benegal worked as India Practice Chair (IPC), Brand and Consumer Practice for WPP’s Genesis Burson Marsteller.

     

    Welcoming the duo on board, Ashish Jalan, CEO & Director, Concept PR said: “Both Charu and Apurvbring with them rich experiences in their verticals. We are confident that our client servicing capabilities will now acquire a new dimension.  With a string of successes in client acquisitions, the timing of these two veterans joining us could not have been better.”

     

     

  • Government and legislative changes, cyber crime and a lack of available talent are the top three threats to plans

    The Worldcom PR Group highlights role of talent, in latest report

    By A Correspondent

     

    Business leaders should expect to face a battle for talent in 2018, according to a new Report issued by The Worldcom Public Relations Group. The report indicates that 43 per cent more organisations are planning to give most attention to employees in 2018 – the only audience to see an increase in attention since 2017. This heightened focus on employees seems to be driven by what CEOs and CMOs see as the top three threats to achieving their organisation’s plans. The first is government and legislative changes; the second is the lack of available talent and, the third is cyber crime.

     

    The Report, entitled the Worldcom Confidence Index (CI) explores the issues global CEOs and CMOs believe will most influence business success in 2018. The leap in attention for employees may also be a response to very low confidence levels when it comes to the ability to attract and retain the best talent.

     

    Despite these low confidence scores, and only marginally above average confidence for the ability to increase productivity by energizing and engaging employees, business leaders remain surprisingly optimistic about their ability to satisfy customers, rating it as their top source of optimism for 2018.

     

    Employees have a crucial role to play in ensuring compliance with regulations and with essential cyber protection practices. As a result, the report’s findings are a clear signal that leaders see employees as a vital ingredient for success. In fact, attracting the best talent ranked highest as the criteria that will have the most influence on success in 2018 – just ahead of the strength of the global economy. It was three times higher than disruptive competition, which declined to almost half its 2017 level.

     

    Reflecting on the Worldcom Confidence Index Global report, Aman Gupta, Managing Partner of S.P.A.G. Asia, said: “I second the findings of the report. It has become the imminent need to lay more focus on empowering employees, along with honing their talent and transforming them into excellent brand advocates. That is the way forward to take organizations several notches higher wherein the benefits stretch beyond pure profit.”

     

     

  • The fifth edition of Kyoorius Creative Awards and the fouth edition of Zee Melt have on boarded Moe’s Art

    Moe’s Art is PR partner for Zee Melt

    By A Correspondent

     

    The fifth edition of Kyoorius Creative Awards and the fouth edition of Zee Melt have on boarded Moe’s Art as its ‘PR Communications Partner’.

     

    Commenting on the association, Rajesh Kejriwal, Founder and CEO, Kyoorius, said: “We at Kyoorius have successfully established long-standing properties that provide excellent value to the members of the media and entertainment industry. With Kyoorius Creative Awards and Zee Melt, we were seeking a perfect communications partner to assist us in our endeavour of reaching out to the right audience. Moe’s Art depicted a thorough understanding of our needs, requirements and our vision at large; we are happy to have them onboard.”

     

    Speaking about the association, Vishaal Shah, Co-Founder, Moe’s Art added: “Kyoorius is a reputed brand within the industry and it consistently reinvents itself to deliver more to its TG/audience. It is certainly exciting to be partnering for such prestigious platforms and bring in that innovation as the properties expand their reach.”

     

     

  • What we do to ensure a better future for the industry, is a question we need to ask ourselves, writes Charu Raizada

    Charu Raizada: The Delusion faced by PR

    By Charu Raizada

     

    The good news is that PR is no longer considered the poor cousin of advertising and has carved a distinctive place for itself over the years. Regarded and appreciated by marketers, the industry continues to prove its worth through successful campaigns. Today, it is recognised as an industry which is clocking a double digit growth and is projected to reach Rs 2000 crore by 2020 as per Public Relations Consultants Association of India (PRCAI). Ironically, mired in controversies, PR professionals continue to be subjects of jibes from journalists and sometimes even clients. I remember in the early days of my career (much before the days of social media), one scathing comment from a senior journalist (god rest her soul) left a scar for life and shook my confidence in the profession. Till today I continue to draw strength from that comment and use the negativity to fuel positivity to the profession.

     

    There is no denying that the PR industry continues to face TRUE challenges – Talent, Respect, Understanding and Engagement. So what do we do to ensurea better future for the industry, is a question we need to ask ourselves.

     

    Talent:

    This has been the industry’s perennial bane of contention. While the defence may argue that the problem of talent is common across industries, there is no denying the fact that globally (not just in India) attracting and retaining talent is the biggest challenge facing the PR industry.

     

    So where are we going wrong? To answer this question, we need to go to the root of the problem. Ever wondered why watching ‘DahiHandi’ is so fascinating? The success of DahiHandi is in the team effort. In this exercise, the most crucial stage is the one in which people in the lowermost tier, who sit while the pyramid is being set up, have to stand up. Only when they stand, balancing the entire pyramid on their shoulders does Krishna get the butter. In their growth lies Krishna’s success. In the growth of the junior most person in the team, lies a PR firm’s success.

     

    Often we find, as leaders we tend to get carried away by our personal goals. The onus lies on us to make the time to train our junior colleagues and cultivate a sustainable pipeline of talent. It’s important to have clarity on the common goal and encourage an environment of openness.

     

    Secondly, no more can we restrict ourselves to sourcing talent from within the industry. As PR firms continue to transition into offering integrated communications, there is a growing need for multiple skill sets related to visualisation, data analytics and digital.

     

    Respect:

    I empathise with the youngsters in the PR industry as managing the pressures and demands of the managers and clients can be overwhelming. Public shaming by journalists acts as fuel to the fire. There is more to PR than what meets the eye. The PR industry is full of some real sharp minds – brains behind the success of many brands and companies. We are not an industry of con men or fixers but thinkers, guided by intellect and strategic decisions. Like all professions, yes, there are loopholes and we tend to make mistakes. But is it fair to write off the whole industry?

     

    As PR professionals, everything that we do is focused towards people’s views and attitudes. So what can we do to earn respect from journalists, clients and even peers? Let us begin by sharing knowledge and resources to avoid being the butt of insensitivity. Go back to school and adapt the elementary i.e. Read, question and learn for better awareness, a necessary safeguard against being caught in a tricky situation in front of a journalist or a client. Lastly, strive to complete each assignment or task on time.

     

    Understanding:

    A shout out to all the brand guardians and marketing heads – PR is not about juggad for some space in a media outlet. We are consultants. Reach out to us if you believe in our abilities to aid your business objectives. PR has evolved to include social, digital, influencer outreach. So it is surprising when companies sometimes hire different firms for each function or entrust us with only media relations. The foundation of communications weakens when compartmentalised like this, leading to a compromise on the effectiveness of the function. Help us help you better with an integrated approach. PR professionals have always been responsible for building the message house and igniting meaningful conversations amongst stakeholders. The tools we use – traditional or new age, is a decision we wish to be trusted with based on our experience and knowledge.

     

    Engagement:

    Finally, it is imperative that we all engage with each other for a fulfilling partnership. Brands, learn to trust your PR firm. If you have entrusted them with a task, rest assured they will take the best path in the interest of your business. Confide in them. Selective information could lead to a crisis or may prove to be damaging to the reputation. We ain’t sharing your secrets with competition.

     

    The historical love hate relationship between journalists and PR professionals too could take a distinct turn with engagement. We hope to strengthen our relationship with relevant and interesting information, sans the clichés and errors, but for that we need to work with you as partners.

     

    Interestingly, the talent challenge too can be ironed out to a large extent with engagement for a motivated and a productive team.

     

    Truce!

     

    With nearly two decades in the PR business, Charu Raizada is currently on a ‘jobbatical’, sharpening skills to meet new challenges. She can be reached via Twitter at @charuraizada. The views here are personal

     

     

  • #Save Parsik Hill campaign bags PR Agency Achievement of the Year Award  – 2018

    Concept PR bags Gold at PR World Awards

    By A Correspondent

     

    Concept PR has bagged a Gold under the PR Agency Achievement of the Year category at the 7th Annual PR World Awards for its social communication campaign #Save Parsik Hill, executed on behalf of Public Relations Council of India (PRCI).

     

    The ‘Save Parsik Hill’ campaign focused on the need to stop check plundering of the hills under the guise of quarrying and protects the bio-diversity of the area. The hills have been the major source of stones for the construction industry in Mumbai Metropolitan Region for over four decades and they have ravaged by blasting and exploiting much beyond the officially allotted areas.

     

    “The PR World Award is recognition of a novel Social Communication Campaign initiated by Concept PR to focus on issues of community interest,” said Ashish Jalan, CEO and director of Concept PR. “It also stands testimony to the consultancy’s professional commitment, dedication and team work. We are happy to have executed the Parsik Hill campaign on behalf of not-for-profit PRCI,” he said.

     

    Added B N Kumar, Executive Director – Concept PR: “We launched a well-orchestrated social communication campaign on the Environment Day in association with the Mumbai Press Club last year… The basic idea was to bring into sharp focus the environmental damage being done by unchecked quarrying. The campaign involved Twitter, Facebook posts and an online petition to the Chief Minister to stop further quarrying of the Hills.”

     

     

  • Over 40 of these companies are listed on the main boards of BSE and NSE and 160 of them are being traded on BSE SME and NSE Emerge Exchanges

    Raka Reputation completes 200 IPOs

    By A Correspondent

     

    Mumbai-based advertising and PR agency, Raka Reputation Management Services, has completed managing communications for 200 Initial Public Offerings (IPOs) with the opening of IPO of Supershakti Metaliks Limited. Over 40 of these companies are listed on the main boards of BSE and NSE and 160 of them are being traded on BSE SME and NSE Emerge Exchanges.

     

    Said Sushil Bahal, Managing Director, Raka Reputation: “It has been quite an enjoyable journey working for IPOs from over 25 business verticals and the confidence of 35 large and small investment bankers. Each mandate has been unique due to the challenges it presented. Through innovative inputs and focus, we have been able to deliver on each one of them successfully. It has been a track record of zero error and 100 per cent success so far.”

     

     

  • The international hospitality major launches a luxury hotel in India after almost a decade

    Four Seasons Bengaluru appoints Criesse Communications as its PR agency

    By A Correspondent

     

    Criesse Communications has been appointed as the agency of record and PR counsel for the launch of Four Seasons Hotel Bengaluru

     

    Said Dennis Taraporewala, Managing Director, Criesse Communications: “Criesse Communications is privileged to be associated with the launch of a renowned brand like Four Seasons. We look forward to working together and introducing this wonderful property to Indian audiences through robust and sustainable communication based on an innovative and strategic campaign.”