MxMIndia

Category: PR

  • Genesis Burson-Marsteller, South Asia's leading integrated communications consultancy, announced it has signed on Visa, global leader in technology payments solutions

    Genesis Burson-Marsteller retains Visa

    By A Correspondent

     

    Genesis Burson-Marsteller, South Asia’s leading integrated communications consultancy, announced it has signed on Visa, global leader in technology payments solutions. Genesis Burson-Marsteller, as part of a one-year retainer, will support Visa in further communicating the benefits of electronic payments, and the company’s latest developments in safe and efficient payment innovations. Further, Genesis Burson-Marsteller will support Visa’s commitment to financial inclusion for all of India.

     

    “Visa is moving at a fast pace in delivering access, safety and ease to financial transactions for businesses, governments as well as individual consumers around the globe,” stated Prema Sagar, Principal and Founder of Genesis Burson-Marsteller. “As Visa further develops what is already the most advanced payment processing network in the in the world, we are delighted to be working with them to highlight these advancements through strategic and targeted communications.”

     

    Genesis Burson-Marsteller will lend counsel and tactical support to Visa’s ongoing communications efforts using targeted media outreach in the technology and consumer space, as well as conduct stakeholder education and engagement. The programme will be targeted at showcasing Visa’s leadership in the sector.

     

  • Has the role of the public relations firm diminished and can media do without it? MxMIndia asked industry captains for their take

    MxM Monday: Has the role of PR diminished?

     

    By Ananya Saha

    It’s a trend that’s not going unnoticed. Increasingly, companies prefer to be socially more active than depend on good PR. Journalists prefer to reach out directly to the spokesperson, bypassing the PR altogether. And given that every company, well almost, has a corporate communication department, the PR agency role appears to have  diminished. But has it really? Has the PR role limited itself to preparing documents and slot meetings? Or is it that the PR role has now evolved and moved beyond just that of a ‘postman’, thanks to the way media itself is changing? The issue that we are discussing on MxM Mondays today is:  has the role of PR diminished?

    We spoke to a cross-section of industrypersons for their (in alphabetical order of their last names) and added our own:

     

    Hemant Kenkre

    Hemant Kenkre, VP, LinOpinion

    PR has evolved tremendously social media. Both the sectors are increasingly cross-pollinating, which has grown beyond the traditional media relationship. The brand uses both the mediums: PR and media, to amplify the message. Media is the biggest tool that PR uses since the messaging has to go out. And hence, PR and media share a symbiotic relationship. PR needs to work with the media, and media need to work with PR to get across to the information they need.

     

    The most well-known brands rely solely on PR to get their message across. PR played the biggest role if you look at the brands that have been built over time. PR is not only the biggest tool, it is the most critical tool too.

     

    Prema Sagar

    Prema Sagar, Principal and Founder, Genesis Burson-Marsteller

    Society, Government, Corporations, Consultants, Media – all, need and depend on each other. So therefore, in this case too, Media, Corporations and other Stakeholders have to necessarily work together.

     

    Companies have small teams to manage external communications as a function. They need national reach – including new markets that go beyond metros. The mediascape is complex with different languages, sensitivities and expectations. Therefore the Public Relations industry is thriving.

     

    Genesis Burson-Marsteller and some other firms are known for developing the Message and the Campaign Plans that they create for the client. This is critical to building the Reputation of a client. The experience of working with several organisations, gives the public relations professionals the width and depth to develop a strategy that has insights and expertise. Public Relations firms today have domain expertise and multiple services that go beyond public relations – public affairs, advocacy, corporate responsibility, financial communication, digital and content creation – while others are a pure play media relations.

     

    Journalists reach out to us and a great relationship develops while managing communications during issues and crisis for our clients. In fact, most often, one develops a great working relationship between the journalist and ourselves during such a time.

     

    We have no issues about relevant journalists and CXOs from client organisations engaging directly. For us, the larger role of discussing and developing Thought Leadership platforms with publications, co-creating story ideas and participating in significant events – is the value we bring to clients. Innumerable journalists reach out to us for interviews, story ideas and industry issue-led discussions with clients. This is our role.

     

    If your question was the reverse – ‘Can PR function without Media?’ – No! Even though online and social media is taking over. So we have to stay focused on providing value to our clients and the media.

     

    Deeptie Sethi

    Deeptie Sethi, Head of Corporate Communications at Ford India

    No. Media cannot function without well informed PR. To build brands more and more companies are relaying increasingly on public relations and the function is critical to contribute and be part of the success of the business. The PR industry has significantly evolved and people who are serious about the business of PR understand the value this can bring to a brand. PR companies are no longer considered a ‘post-office’ service to disseminate company information. They have to be engaged deeply with the brand and its philosophy to define how, when and where to communicate with consumers with the power of relationships, understanding of media platform that are measurable. In today’s evolved environment, PR has a more conclusive role to perform.

     

    At Ford India, the Communications plans are integrated with the marketing plans to create a holistic approach to deliver a more compelling and consistent story telling. We truly understand the power of one plan and a good example of that is Ford Figo’s exemplary launch in India. Much before the car was launched, our PR strategies kicked in to create brand awareness and essentially single-handedly drove the buzz for close to two years in the pre launch phase and marketing complemented when the product was available for retail – our booking were in tune of 10,000 units in the first month of launch itself.

     

    When it comes to social media, it’s a platform for engagement and listening – and more importantly to get feedback real time! The conversations are already happening and it’s up to a company if they want to participate in them or not. Both social and PR mediums have their own identities and have a role to play in shaping communication strategies. One has to define what each of them will achieve for the company and tread carefully to keep the distinction.

     

     

    Jaideep Shergill

    Jaideep Shergill, CEO, Hanmer MSL

    The media and public relations (PR) enjoy a strange relationship – deeply symbiotic, yet edgy. Depending on which side you stand, you would think that PR is an invaluable source of information and access or that it’s little more than a mouthpiece for brands.

     

    The digital age is changing the way consumers interact with the media and brands. Round-the-clock news, the internet and social media have created an aware and empowered consumer. This has, in turn, changed the relationship between the media and PR professionals.

     

    When you analyse the relationship, it’s important to remember that media relations is only a subset, not PR as a whole. Hence, while connecting with the media is important, establishing a solid relationship with the consumer is vital. In so many cases, traditional media do not figure in a PR plan at all.

     

    PR is about understanding and shaping your stakeholders’ perception of the brand. These stakeholders include consumers, employees, vendors, government and the community, not just the media.

     

    In the past, a well-thought-out media relations campaign was considered the best way to achieve the PR objective. However, the internet has changed the rules. We can now reach out across borders to spark the connections a brand needs, bypassing traditional media altogether. Now, when we think of media, we include social media influencers, bloggers, YouTube, podcasters, etc.

     

    All this means that PR is getting less dependent on the media, but it also means that the media doesn’t always need PR to get information or for access to the relevant people for their stories.

     

    However, it would be a mistake to think that the relationship is dying or is being scaled down. PR firms are managing the information flow from businesses to the outside world, which in turn is being tapped by the media. Also, strong big-picture PR campaigns are often the first level of engagement for the media. Websites, blogs, electronic newsletters, etc, are becoming important media touchpoints, and they’re being managed by PR professionals. All this is vital to the media looking for news, resources and data.

     

    So, can the media do without PR? In my opinion, no!

     

     

    Pradyuman Maheshwari

    Pradyuman Maheshwari, Editor-in-Chief, MxMIndia

    Can PR function without the media? And can the media function without PR? The answer to this question could’ve been in the negative, but for the various things technology has facilitated in the last decade, and especially in the last 18-odd months.

     

    By PR, my reference is to an organized public relations activity in an organization or outside of it, via a specialized consulting firm. There are several individuals and organizations continuing to reach out to the media without a designated PR manager or agency. Some of these have been doing fantastically well, but my sense is that it’s the scale of operations which eventually decides whether there is a need of a specialized resource, or if it can be managed without one.

     

    Mind you ,there are enough on people on both sides of the fence who would rather not do with each other. For, the fact is that there is enough disdain for the PR-persons from journalists and vice versa. So while the relationship ought to be that of an ally, it’s often of an adversary. Sad.

     

    I must confess that there are enough rotten apples out there. Journalists who just don’t take calls or play too hard to get.  And PR honchos and executives who don’t really do their homework well (on the journalist or the client/industry s/he is dealing with) or, like journalists, are just not available when they are needed the most. Adding to these issues are assorted forms of corruption, dishonesty and inefficiency.

     

    Thankfully, technology has been an equalizer. PR newswires aren’t as ‘hot’ in India as they are elsewhere in the world, but it’s possible to bypass a PR official to get information. And, yes, journalists are not necessarily the only people who are sought after PR professionals. Bloggers, regular tweeters and even regular Facebookers are aggressively sought after by corporates, celebrities and PR agencies.

     

    In fact, there are many organizations – especially in the technology and lifestyle space – who reach out to bloggers (and now even ‘tweeters’) ahead of traditional media in the PR exercise. So while the process has gotten more complex in the sense there are more people to reach out to in multiple media, the mainstream print, electronic and digital media entities aren’t the only vehicles available for publicity. In fact I have often heard murmurs of discontent amongst some journalists on how the social media and blogs were being given preferential treatment by tech biggies for sneak peeks to products and access to top management.

     

    However, even though there is simmering between the two sides of the fence, I don’t see either side doing without the other.  Not in the near future in India at least. The human interface of a specialist will not fade away in a hurry.

     

  • It's passion for the profession and a desire to grow it that will see two PR conferences happen in the next quarter

    For PR, with love… in Jaipur & Pondicherry

     

    By Johnson Napier

     

    For all the publicity and attention that follows a product launch or an event or any image-enhancing exercise, experts would tell you that behind all the glam and glory is the hard work and toil put in by a team whose only aim is a good result.

     

    But those that run the show also know that it is not just about satisfying the client or ensuring profitable ROI. In fact there is a larger agenda that confronts agencies like being prepared to face unforeseen challenges or being ready with a vision to convert unrealistic dreams into reality… more importantly, it is about the team being ready to be able to put up with everything and anything that gets thrown across at them. Public Relations (PR) agencies realize the need to fulfill this aspect of the business and that’s why the enhanced emphasis on providing adequate training and exposure on a constant basis.

     

    This November, the “training”, “exposure” and “upcoming trends” facets concerning the PR and Communications space may well be fulfilled what with a plethora of initiatives being planned.

     

    First up is the all-encompassing PRestival 2012 that’s being planned on a grand scale at Jaipur. Being put together by the team at PR website Image Management, the festival emphasizes the need for a common platform to bring Asia’s communications community together for a constructive and productive purpose. Touted to be the biggest such initiative in Asia, the event will witness PR and communications professionals from across 12 countries in South and South East Asia, including India, China, Singapore, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Philippines etc troop down to be a part of the conclave. What makes it appealing is that the event has partnered with a number of key industry bodies, including the Asia Business Communication Association (ABCA) – one of China’s biggest PR associations, the Public Relations Consultants Associations of India (PRCAI), the Association of Business Consultants of India (ABCI), the Public Relations Global Network (PRGN) and the Public Relations Organisation International (PROI).

     

    Following PRestival 2012 would be PRAXIS 2012 that’s being put together by The PRomise Foundation for Public Relations. Being promoted as ‘India’s first weekend summit for Public Relations and Corporate Communications professionals’, the event will be held at Le Pondy in Pondicherry on November 23 and 24. The summit aims to bring together students, professionals: young & mid-level and veterans of the PR business under one roof to discuss various aspects that impact the profession. (Disclosure: MxMIndia is a media partner of PRAXIS 2012)

     

    Elaborating on the need for hosting PRestival 2012 at Jaipur, Kunal Pal of Image Management & Project Manager of PRestival 2012 said: “In my many interactions with PR industry leaders, something that has repeatedly come up is the need for an industry event which can balance learning and fun. Backed by this encouragement, PRestival was conceptualized and the idea is to celebrate the PR/Communications industry while bringing together professionals and students from across Asia in a collaborative, festive environment. Like most conferences, PRestival will showcase industry leaders in interactive panel discussions and speeches, but the core emphasis remains promoting learning, networking, and fun for all our delegates – from CEOs to students.”

     

    A somewhat similar effort is being put in by founders of PRAXIS 2012. Amith Prabhu, a public relations professional and part of a group of young Indian professionals who  have created The PRomise Foundation elaborated agreeing that “there is definite need to have a forum where individual practitioners working in PR firms or corporate communications departments can become members and come together to exchange ideas and share experiences. The Indian PR community has grown rapidly and with almost every Top 10 global PR consultancy having an India presence the need for events that bring professionals together is a much needed one. A start needs to be made and we have made a small start.”

     

    Amith Prabhu

    On the differentiation being taken in terms of PRAXIS being a weekend event, Amith Prabhu had the following rationale to share: “I worked in India for eight years and have never seen a single weekend event where PR professionals come together as a community to celebrate the profession, break bread together and learn from each other. There have been attempts by some organisations to offer such events but not in the form of an offsite where busy people can leave their work behind for a day or two, which is what we are offering. We need at least 2-3 such events annually as the PR consultancy business is growing.”

     

    And it’s not just the organizers who are excited about partaking in these events. The industry too is excited to be throwing its weight behind such initiatives. Highlighting the role that such events play in pushing forward the cause of the industry, Nikhil Dey, President – Public Relations, Genesis Burson-Marsteller said: “We can all benefit from forums that integrate thoughts and ideas from all ages and experience levels. While there may have been a void in past years, that is changing as we speak with the launch of two fantastic events dedicated to bringing students and youth together with industry experts for an exchange of ideas, knowledge and experiences. Both promise to be extraordinary events that can serve as a launch for the continued exchange of ideas and best practices between the leaders of today and tomorrow.”

     

    Sharif Rangnekar

    Sharif Rangnekar, CEO and Director of Integral PR & President of PRCAI said: “There are far more platforms, conferences, workshops happening focused on our industry than ever before. The last quarter of this year will in fact see a PR Festival in Jaipur and a youth-focused event in Pondicherry being staged. In both cases, the PRCAI is extending as much support as it can as an industry body and is working closely with the organizers in the area of content.”

     

    Nitin Mantri, CEO of Avian Media shared that it was important for PR professionals to engage with and participate in forums held by industry bodies. “I strongly feel PRCAI is one such body that can become a unifying force for the industry if everyone contributes to it. In fact, the PRCAI was formed as an initiative by a group of individuals and is currently the leading industry association. However, any initiative by individuals is also welcome and should be encouraged by all.”

     

    Nikhil Dey

    Addressing shortcomings

    While hobnobbing and exchanging ideas and mantras would be the order of the day, these events would also focus on getting the youth acclimatized and set to face the challenges of tomorrow. This would be achieved by way of lending out training exercises and modules for all, especially the youth, to emulate. Emphasizing on the need for more training programmes, Mr Mantri said that “there was a need for training modules to be undertaken by professional bodies on a periodic basis that will enhance and upgrade the skills of available talent and make them more consistent in quality.” Adding further, Mantri opined that some of the institutes were still focused on providing theory-based curriculum. “While fundamentals are important, the emphasis on real time and on-ground learning should be equal or greater. This will help us hone better PR professionals and get them more excited about their careers,” he reasoned.

     

    Adding his POV, Mr Dey highlighted how talent at both at the entry level and middle management was bright, young and energetic, and how they were able to multi-task and take on additional responsibilities with pride. “But they still need proper knowledge and experience to grow and improve, and this is why regular training is so important,” he added. Lending the formula practised at his own agency, Mr Dey shared, “At Genesis Burson-Marsteller, we have always fostered a robust learning and development (L&D) environment and recognize that today’s youth are tomorrow’s leaders. We created an L&D programme over ten years ago designed to address performance gaps and improvement opportunities at different levels. Also, one of our most successful programmes, aimed at entry-level team members, is called the Associate Learning Programme (ALP). After an intensive selection process, the chosen associates are put into a one-year programme which combines all three forms of learning: classroom sessions on professional and behavioral skills; coaching by the mentor while on-the-job; and self-development through reading, sharing and counseling. Associates graduate from this programme as well-rounded professionals who are ready to deliver in a knowledge-based environment.”

     

    Sharing his thoughts, Mr Rangnekar said that while training and a re-alignment of courses held by various institutions with market requirements, is a necessity, “PR does call for individuals to have that spirit and instinct to enjoy people not just to get along with but also their behaviour, characteristics, consumption patterns and the variety of emotions that everyone goes through.”

     

    For Mr Prabhu, the three key areas essential for training the youth of today include a) Writing and storytelling skills which comes from practice b) Social media skills that come from embracing the medium fully c) And the last one is a combination of discipline and honesty which boils down to ethics which one needs to imbibe at an individual level. However, according to him, organizations need to instill that culture at all levels with ethics focused training and through leading by example.

     

    Kunal Pal expressed, “As the role of a PR practitioner evolves, it is essential that the industry place a greater emphasis on training and supporting talent. Gone are the days when all it took to be a successful PR person were strong verbal and written communication skills. Today’s professionals need a wide range of skills and that is why, in part, talent scouting has become a much more evolved process in the industry and even universities are relooking at the kind of talent they produce. While we are making progress in this regard, there is still some way to go.”

     

    So while the industry seems gung-ho about playing an integral part and supporting such conclaves, what it also needs is for all to show unity in the cause. Rather than have an individualistic or divided approach it would be great if the entire fraternity worked together in achieving a common goal: that of uplifting its own survival for the future. Going by the response that these two conclaves have managed to elicit so far it’s not hard to imagine why the above would not be a reality.

     

  • The Custom Media division of Mediascope Publicitas has assumed a new brand identity on its 15th birthday, Publicitas Publishing

    Mediascope’s custom pub div is now Publicitas Publishing

    Marzban Patel

    By A Correspondent

     

    The Mediascope Publicitas – Custom Media division, operating in the Indian and Asian market, is celebrating its fifteenth year of establishment with a new brand identity – Publicitas Publishing. The new brand name reflects the close ties with Switzerland-based parent company PubliGroupe and its Publicitas sales operations worldwide. Publicitas Publishing reports directly to the Chief Executive Officer of Publicitas India & Asia, Marzban Patel. Emphasis Media, the custom media company of Publicitas Singapore will also operate under the new brand name of Publicitas Publishing.

     

    Marzban Patel, CEO Publicitas India & Asia said: “15 years is an excellent achievement for the Custom Media division of Mediascope Publicitas and marks the start of an exciting new phase for both our India and Singapore teams. The introduction of a new sub-brand under the Publicitas’ umbrella coincides with the group’s objectives, which is to differentiate and expand service offerings to its esteemed clients. The new brand identity will build upon the strengths and success of our Asia & India operations.”

     

    Indu Joshi, COO of Publicitas Publishing India (former Custom Media, Mediascope Publicitas), said: “With our editorial, design and marketing expertise in the Indian luxury print segment & the digital experience of our Singapore team, our growth strategy will evolve in the direction of a multi-platform publishing environment, offering deeper audience engagement solutions for clients across Asia.”

     

  • MSLGroup India, Publicis Groupe's flagship strategic communications and engagement company, has announced an expanded India growth strategy to meet the needs of clients and negotiate the complex communication dynamics in one of the world's fastest growing economies

    MSLGroup India expands growth strategy, unveils new flagship office in Mumbai

    By A Correspondent

     

    MSLGroup India, Publicis Groupe’s flagship strategic communications and engagement company, has announced an expanded India growth strategy to meet the needs of clients and negotiate the complex communication dynamics in one of the world’s fastest growing economies. MSLGroup India is the nation’s largest PR and social media network, made up of three leading national agencies – Hanmer MSL, 20:20 MSL and 2020Social – as well as a speciality content and creative unit, MSLGroup Creative+.

     

    To build upon MSLGroup India’s business, the firm has announced a series of expanded initiatives in line with its updated three-year (2013-2015) growth plan. The highlights:

    Enhanced Positioning for the Agency, Industry-leading Focus on Talent Development, Strategic Consultancy Approach, Social Hive, Content and Creative Services Across India, Integration with Publicis Groupe, and Infrastructure and Technology Enhancements.

     

    The group’s new flagship Mumbai office, located in the new Urmi Estate building in Lower Parel, will seat the existing 225 staff in Mumbai and provide room for expansion. The new office features a modern, international working environment, lounges and flexible spaces for creative discussions, videoconferencing capabilities, floor-to-ceiling natural light on all sides, and other amenities to create a fun and productive environment. Hanmer MSL and 20:20 MSL Mumbai teams will relocate to this space.

     

  • MSL Group, Publicis Groupe’s flagship strategic communications and engagement company, has announced the rebranding of Hanmer MSL to MSL India

    Bye Bye Hanmer, it’s now MSL India

    By A Correspondent

     

    MSL Group, Publicis Groupe’s flagship strategic communications and engagement company, has announced the rebranding of Hanmer MSL to MSL India. This move comes nearly five years after joining MSL Group.

     

    MSL Group now includes two national agencies – MSL India and 20:20 MSL – as well as two specialty offerings, 20:20 Social and MSL Group Creative+.  After aligning with MSL Group in October 2007, Hanmer MSL’s change to the MSL India brand this marks another important step towards solidifying an offer that includes a mix of local insights, relationships and expertise as well as strategic communications practices tailored to the India market.

     

    Commenting on the announcement, Glenn Osaki, President, MSL Group Asia, and Chair, MSL Group India Management Board, said, “India has always been one of the highest priority markets, and we are proud to invest in and cultivate our team’s passion and commitment to providing top-of-the-line creative solutions to clients, and being the most trusted advisors in the nation. The new MSL India brand will emphasize our dedication to innovate and engage conversations and communities across the India market.”

     

    Another highlight of this new growth was MSL India’s move to upgrade its infrastructure and technology, announced last week, with the recent opening of a new MSLGROUP India flagship office in Mumbai’s Lower Parel district. This new world-class environment is now home to the 250 joint staff of MSL India, 20:20 MSL and MSL Group Creative+ in one consolidated location. Notable features include state-of-the-art conferencing technology and a storytelling motif entwined with India’s rich culture and MSL Group’s dynamic character.

     

  • Acquired five years ago, Hanmer & Partners is today MSL India, a fully owned Publicis Groupe company and part of leading international public relations major, the MSL Group. Jaideep Shergill, CEO, MSL India spoke to MxMIndia on the new identity

    Jaldi 5 with Jaideep Shergill: Good PR is good storytelling

    Jaideep Shergill

    01. One presumes that other than part of the acquisition plan of Hanmer PR by Publicis Groupe, the switchover to MSL India also indicates that the various MSL policies are now being adopted and totally internalised by the team here. What are the specific MSL Group values that people who deal with you (clients, press etc) can look forward to?

    To be honest, the internalisation has been going on for the last five years. We joined MSL in 2007 and it has been five years since that happened. I do not think that anything is new for people at Hanmer as people here are working as part of MSL for five years. We are already a part of the vision and the brand already.

     

    I do not think anything is going to change as far as our vision and values are concerned. It is not going to change, rather get more aligned, sharp and focused.

     

    What is/are the key differentiator(s) between the agency as it was five years back and now?

    Lots of things have changed over the last five years. When Hanmer joined MSL, the two agencies had a lot of common things. We are focussed on our people, our clients. We have a very transparent structure and open culture. And I think those things are still going to remain.

     

    What has changed is that we have grown from an independent small agency to a global brand today. Today we are working across borders. We have best practices from all over the world. The infrastructure is better. We moved to a new location in a brand new building, which houses all the MSL group agencies. We have focused a lot in the last 3-4 years on digital.

     

    02. Other than the identity, it is interesting that you have moved to an upgraded office. And we thought we were in a stressful slowdown. Evidently you are doing very, very well?

    The company is doing well in any case. But I would say that moving into a new location is not necessarily because of performance but more about the plan that we have spelt out for ourselves.

     

    03. How has this year been for MSL India (including those months as Hanmer MSL India)? In an interview with us last year, you had said: “If there is a slowdown this time we will be better prepared because we have a gameplan”. Are things going as planned?

    Things are going as planned. In the announcement we made last week, we articulated our gameplan for the next three years, and what we want to accomplish over the next three years. Of course we understand that there will or can be difficult times ahead in the market.

     

    We are going to focus more on digital and much more on strategic communication.

     

    In an interview to us last year, you had said ‘Two years to be No 1’ (http://www.mxmindia.com/2011/12/we-are-happy-being-no-1-as-msl-group/). One year has nearly passed since you said this. Are we on course?

    I would say that MSL group is number 1 in several respects. Hanmer or MSL India may not be number one but definitely, among the top two-three. The group, which is the entire umbrella entity, has Hanmer MSL focused towards reaching the number one position.

     

    04. Perceptions these days are created not just by the traditional media, but also by social media… over Facebook, Twitter and thousands of bloggers. Your agency was among the first to start a full-fledged social media division. In the months to come, do you see social media PR integrating with traditional PR?

    In our case, it has already integrated. We have over 50 people in our team dedicated to doing social media full-time. At some level, everybody is engaged in digital PR. We have a global hub, which we call social hive. Within our PR team in India, hundreds of people have been trained to deliver on social media.

     

    05. Tell us more about the ‘storytelling motif’ that your communiqué talks of…

    We believe that our job is of storytelling. That is what today’s PR does. Today it is about communicating more creatively and effectively. We believe in our vision of being advisors to our clients and a source of creativity when there is so much competition. It is not those days that there is only newspaper and television, you have internet, magazines, FM coming into play and conversation happening every time. We have to be in play and be good storyteller. We have to call ourselves creative storytellers because that is the job that we do every day.

     

    (Interviewed by Ananya Saha)

     

  • In the run-up to the first phase of Digitization, we spoke to Anuj Gandhi, Group CEO, IndiaCast about the ground realities and beyond

    Jaldi 5 with Anuj Gandhi, Group CEO, IndiaCast

    1. We have a little less than a month to go for digitization in the four metros. If the government estimates are to be believed, by now over 70 per cent of four metros have been digitized. Is that the case?

    The data does not take into consideration that homes have 2-3 TV sets now. That is the only gap I see, which will have to be plugged probably in the first month. Other than this, we think that the numbers are in line with what the situation is on the ground.

     

    2. With digitization, audiences will be able to choose channels. Would IndiaCast channels lose out?

    It depends on what packages the channels are on. Of all the packages that have been declared, I am pretty pleased that our channels are very well-placed. I do not think that is a worry at all. Packages have been announced. we have done deals with most operators in the market and we know where the channels are being carried.

     

    Have you signed the deal with all the operators?

    We have signed deals that cover 70-75% of the market. Our intention is to sign with each and every operator.

     

    3. There is a worry that there will be some piracy in the form of pilferage of signals after November 1.

    In any transformation or reset in the industry, there is always going to be chaos or piracy. We will have to deal with it. Of course, I am not saying that there will not be. But I do not think it will be on large scale and we will have to deal with it when it comes.

     

    4. What more would you like the other stakeholders to do to ensure 100% digitization?

    The critical work that needs to be done, has to be carried out by ground personnel. The last mile operators and MSOs have to ensure that there are enough boxes available on the ground, and that the right communication is going to the final customer.

     

    5. Will digitization cause paradigm shifts in how media brands create value in the future?

    Absolutely. Most of the big media brands have been under-monetized with the subscription revenues for a very long time. And once we start getting our fair value of subscription, I am sure better part of the money will go into making better content and putting more money in the channels.

     

    As told to Ananya Saha

     

  • MICA and SIMC Pune students Aishwarya Padmanabhan and Deboshree Bhattacharjee respectively bag the first PRomise Foundations scholarship

    MICA & SIMC students bag PRomise Foundation scholarship

    By A Correspondent

     

    Mudra Institute of Communication Ahmedabd student Aishwarya Padmanabhan and Symbiosis Institute of Media and Communication Pune’s Deboshree Bhattacharjee have been declared winner and and runner-up of the inaugural PRomise Foundation scholarship. The Scholarship is one of the two flagship programmes of the PRomise Foundation for Public Relations, a non-profit set-up with a goal of doing PR for Public Relations, and was announced in July soon after the Foundation was launched (*See Disclosure).

     

    It was open to students pursuing their postgraduation in Indian institutes where Public Relations is a subject of study. The objectives of the scholarship was to promote the art of writing among students of Communications and Public Relations, to create an opportunity to discuss an issue centered around reputation management, to showcase budding thought leaders to the world of business communications and to support students with a handsome scholarship. Based on three parameters, a student could win upto Rs 50,000. The three phases were application, essay submission and authentication. The essays submitted were on the theme – “Public Relations needn’t always be a short-term fix for businesses; it can be a critical strategic communications tool too”.

     

    The jury that evaluated the essays included four senior professionals from academia, media, consulting and corporate communications. N. Madhavan – senior journalist and associate editor of Hindustan Times, Melissa Arullapan – Corporate Communication Director at Quintiles, Sukanti Ghosh – Managing Director at APCO Worldwide and Keval Kumar – academician and authority on mass communication.  The winning candidates will receive cash prize of Rs 20,000 and Rs 15,000 respectively.

     

    The PRomise Foundation is a unique initiative founded by volunteers who work in corporate communications across various organisations and professionals from various PR firms. It was founded in June 2012 and is organizing India’s first weekend summit – PRAXIS for PR and Corporate Communications professionals in Pondicherry in November. The event called PRAXIS plans to bring over 150 professionals and students of PR together for two days of learning and sharing.

     

    Disclosure: MxMIndia is media partner of PRAXIS 2012.

     

  • MxMIndia interviewed Tarun Rai, CEO, Worldwide Media, as Good Food, the BBC magazine published by WWM, completes a year

    Jaldi 5 with Tarun Rai: Beaten a new path with Good Food

    Good Food, the popular BBC magazine published in India by The Times of India group’s Worldwide Media, completed a year of publishing last week. And a very successful one at that, having achieved the mindshare of the discerning Indian when it comes to food-related content. MxMIndia interviewed Tarun Rai, CEO, Worldwide Media, a day after it celebrated the Good Food Day at Mumbai’s ITC Grand Central hotel.

     

    01. When you spoke to us on the eve of the launch of ‘Good Food’ last year, you had said: “We are going into uncharted territory and we are beating a new path. There are dangers but as I said, somebody has to do it and we believe that the potential is huge”.  Now, a year later, as you celebrated your second ‘Good Food Day’, how do you look back?

    It is good to be the first. While there are no precedents at least there is no baggage. The territory was unchartered but we believed the potential to be huge. We believed the timing was right too. The food sector in India was buzzing. People were experimenting with different cuisines both in their homes and while eating out. And we had a powerful magazine brand in BBC Good Food. And the last twelve months has borne that out. The response to the magazine has been fantastic from readers, the industry as well as advertisers. It, therefore, gave us immense pleasure to celebrate Good Food Day on October 21.

     

    02. Was it tough walking a new path in a slowdown year?

    We went about our plans and investment behind the launch. We were not going to pull back because of any perceived slowdown. We even invested in our 2000 square feet kitchen and studio to test all the 100-odd recipes in the magazine, three times. Triple testing of recipes is the promise that we make and we needed our own kitchen to test the recipes and to create new, original ones. At the end of twelve months we are ahead of our revenue targets.

     

    03. Does it help having a surfeit of television food shows and food channels? Would you say they have fuelled the demand (and need) for an international-level food magazine like yours?

    The shows on TV are another indicator of the new interest in food. Yes, they do help in creating the excitement around food.

     

    04. Will you be looking at extending the ‘Good Food’ franchise to other areas like television shows and even food stores as well? (There’s a ‘Good Food’ food channel in the UK.)

    The Good Food brand has a lot of potential beyond magazines. We are looking at various possibilities of extending the brand. We hope to launch a big property sometime early next year.

     

    05. Now that a year is past us, what are the things that we can look forward to in the next year?

    We are going to keep investing behind the brand in our second year. We will continue to work with the industry and our clients to promote our common agenda to encourage people to try out new cuisines. The Good Food kitchen will become the hub of a lot of activity be it Master Classes with chefs or other food events. The Good Food application and site, which is hugely popular in UK, will also be launched in the year. We have beaten a new path and it has turned out to be a very exciting one.

     

  • Sconaid McGeachin has been appointed regional president and CEO of Hill+Knowlton Strategies India, Middle East, Africa and Turkey

    Sconaid McGeachin steps up at Hill+Knowlton

    By A Correspondent

     

    Hill+Knowlton Strategies has announced that Sconaid McGeachin, Chief Operating Officer of H+K Middle East and Turkey, will become Regional President and Chief Executive Officer for the firm’s India, Middle East, Africa and Turkey operations. Ms McGeachin will continue to be based in Dubai and report directly to Jack Martin, global chairman and CEO of H+K Strategies.

     

    Ms McGeachin formally assumes the role of Regional President and CEO following the sad passing of Dave Robinson, former Regional President and CEO of H+K for Australia, Middle East, Africa, South and Central Asia, in late September. While she will take on Mr Robinson’s roles in India, Middle East, Africa and Turkey, Sue Cook will continue to lead Australia as Managing Director.

     

    As COO of H+K Middle East and Turkey for the last four years, Ms McGeachin oversaw the operations across Turkey and the eight H+K offices in the Middle East network. In addition to her corporate leadership responsibilities, she also served as a senior client leader on multiple accounts, including dnata, Intel, Dubai World Trade Centre, Etihad Rail, GAFI and Mubadala Aerospace.

     

    “Sconaid is one of our most trusted and respected colleagues within the H+K global network and I am extremely confident in her abilities to lead this far-reaching region,” said Mr Martin. “She worked closely with Dave for many years and has extensive experience managing integrated corporate communications campaigns including devising cross border corporate reputation programs. Sconaid provides unrivaled senior counsel on internal communications and change management, and on issues and crisis management, which positions her to continue our growth in India, Middle East, Africa and Turkey.”

     

    Ms McGeachin has spent more than 20 years working in international communications, beginning her career by implementing specialist marketing communications in the defense sector for Avon Rubber plc. She then worked for a regional UK PR consultancy before joining Mmd. During her 18 years there, she headed up the IT practice in London before moving to set up an office in Russia. Ms McGeachin became general manager in Poland and then regional director for Mmd’s South East Europe operations overseeing all of South East Europe before Mmd’s sale to the Huntsworth Group plc.

     

    “It is a tremendous privilege to have been appointed Dave’s successor,” said Ms McGeachin, who is currently Chair of the Middle East PR Association (MEPRA). “Having collaborated so closely with Dave over the last few years, I will endeavour to continue his vision to mentor and develop our teams, increase professionalism and successfully grow our operations in these developing markets.”

     

  • As Genesis Burson-Marsteller completes two decades, principal and founder Prema Sagar looks back, and ahead

    Genesis B-M: Step ahead @ 20

     

    By Ananya Saha

     

    Genesis Burson-Marsteller started operations  in 1992. Led by Prema Sagar, the PR agency is a member of WPP global network. As it completes two decades, we speak to Ms Sagar, Principal and Founder, Genesis Burson-Marsteller, about the past and the future. And of course the present.

     

    How has the journey been for Genesis B-M in the past 20 years? Please share the milestones that defined this journey.

    The journey of Genesis B-M has even surprised me! It started in a basement with no vision, mission or strategy! It began with a passion, challenge and an opportunity to create something new and different. It started out with one employee, one office boy and one client. Today, we have grown to over 270 employees in six markets across India. Our journey as a firm mirrored the growth of public relations inIndia- growing year after year, working with global clients and expanding our service lines to meet the evolving needs of our clients. There have been many milestones reflecting this growth, including the opening of new offices, and launching new business lines like Public Affairs and Corporate Responsibility. The digital era we are now living in has also changed the way we communicate, both with our clients as well as the media, and will certainly impact our journey in the years ahead.

     

    Which account wins have been the turning points for the agency?

    All of our client wins are important and celebrated. Our very first client, Park Hotels, set Genesis PR in motion. We are very proud of the fact that Park is still our client after 20 years and we value this relationship tremendously even though there are many larger clients in the roster. Priya Paul, Chairperson, Apeejay Surrendra Park Hotel gave me the first break and I was paid while I learnt the ropes! She is a great professional and I admire her courage in more ways than one. We are proud of a number of clients with whom we have long term relationships, some we have served for over ten years.

     

    A call one day from Tarun Das, Director General, CII asked if we would be interested to manage the public relations for the Indo-British Partnership Initiative (IBPI) where the two governments, their ministers and corporate CEOs were to meet on the Royal Yacht to sign partnerships and joint ventures – a great boost to the economy. The event was a great success, our entire team of 5 people including me were in Mumbai to execute this great event. As a result of this, Genesis got to be known! I always felt that I should have paid Priya Paul and Tarun Das for our early learnings – but we needed the money desperately so I never mentioned it.

     

    The turning point of our journey was when we reached 30 retainer clients such as Indian Aluminum Company (INDAL), Ranbaxy, DCM Ltd, SRF, Eicher, India Habitat Centre (IHC), Confederation of Indian Industries (CII), Lakme Fashion Week and so many others in its early years as a result of a great team that delivered outstanding campaigns year on year. I look at the long list of organisations with whom we have worked since 1992 and it is such a diverse mix of industries and services. The nature of the work has been equally diverse – crisis preparedness, thought leadership, product launches, advocacy and much more. We are proud of our roster of clients and we believe that our clients are our endorsements.

     

    Experiences such as launching the first luxury car in India, the first international liqour company, managing a hostile bid, fire at a manufacturing unit on New Year’s eve, petrol/diesel issue, pesticide issue, environmental issues and many others that taught us a great deal.

     

    Genesis B-M today has the domain expertise and services that go beyond just public relations – public affairs, advocacy, corporate responsibility, digital and content creation. Each of these developments was a turning point for us and has helped us become leaders in the industry. We work at keeping a fresh perspective, always asking ourselves new questions. How can we build further capabilities? How can we improve based on what we are doing today and what will it bring us in the years ahead? Always thirsty to Change the Game…and you will see more of that in the coming year!

     

    If you were to re-live the past 20 years, would there be anything that you would like to change/alter in the agency?

    Looking back, there are a number of things that served as learning experiences. Learning is constant and comes from good decisions as well as bad ones.

     

    Have the challenges that PR industry faces today, changed from what it were 20 years ago?

    Our challenges have evolved with the growth of the industry. More clients today understand the value of strategic communications and public relations in general, than was the case 20 years ago. Certainly there is more competition now than there was then. A competitive environment only improves the quality of work and therefore the bar on the level of quality raises the standard of the industry.

     

    We are fortunate to have and continue to attract great talent. The quality and experience of the leadership at Genesis B-M is recognised not only by our international colleagues but also our competitors. As a result of this the company has had steady growth. The programmes at the GBM Learning Centre, established almost 12 years ago, has built capabilities and is a big differentiator. Having said that, the branding of a GBMer for the rest of the industry to attract them is our challenge!

     

    Finding great talent is the biggest challenge facing all service sectors across the globe. How we invest in it – is the solution. We are proud to see many of our talented alumni in top jobs in Asia Pacific and now going West-wards. We can look at the glass as half empty or half full. We look at it as an opportunity to provide the foundation of a strong industry in India.

     

    The biggest challenge we face are recognition of suitable fees for quality work and experienced communicators who are advisers to the CEO rather than being a function. While it is evolving now it needs to move upwards sooner rather than later in a challenging environment. CEOs today need to invest in Thought Leadership that brings together the elements of social development, policy environment for the larger good of all while building a business.

     

    After the B-M partnership, how has the agency grown/changed?

    The B-M partnership has delivered great opportunities, not only for client development but also as for talent development. The exposure to global opportunities brings about a whole new world of learning for team members at all levels. We have run successful projects for international clients in recent years, which has opened new doors of opportunity for us. As for our talent, being part of such a respected and successful global network gives them a chance to work with our offices around the world, providing great exposure to best practices and new ideas.

     

    What will be the next target for Genesis B-M?

    I am proud of the fact that we have always been a step ahead of what the market demands. Our ability to service clients with fully integrated programmes that work across practices and geographies has set us apart from our competitors in the industry. The continued development of practice specialties will always remain a focus for Genesis B-M, today and in the years to come.

     

    Five years down the line, how do you see the agency growing?

    I think it’s important that our growth continues to reflect the changing needs and growing demands of the industry. For example, we are seeing a shift in target markets, with client’s focusing not only on the key metros likeDelhi, Mumbai andBangalore; but also Tier II and Tier III markets as well, including the rural areas. This presents both an opportunity and a challenge for us. Communicating across India’s diverse landscape poses numerous challenges, but is increasingly essential to any successful communications plan. Having the reach to these outside markets will contribute significantly to our ability to service more clients, and in turn, contribute to our continued growth as well.