MxMIndia

Category: PR ETC

  • There is still a long way to go as the market matures and a large focus is put on digital marketing and crisis management like it is done in more evolved markets, Amith Prabhu

    Amith Prabhu: PR in India has indeed come of age

    By Amith Prabhu

     

    Last week I wrote my 150th column. That means for close to three years a weekly column on PR has been written without a break, thanks to the vision of Pradyuman. As I write this, my 151st column in the week of April 18, I’m excited to play a small role in creating India’s first print magazine for Public Relations this week.

     

    It all began in November 2012 during the first edition of Praxis when we created an independent newsletter called Prism. The idea was to transform that initiative into a magazine. It took three years to find the right mix of people to bring it to life. While the venture is not financially viable it had to be done. All good things will find partners in due course. That is the only way to achieve things in life. I’m glad I found rank outsiders to Public Relations in Lovejeet Alexander and Anubhuti Mathur to do the heavy lifting.

     

    Keeping with the spirit of the headline, I was in Patna on Saturday to attend a conclave that was originally supposed to be a PR roundtable. While the event took various shapes and forms it was good to see Public Relations and its little cousin Events getting its pride of place in the address of the Chief Minister. Though the context and connotations were different from the normal, he did say things that made the headlines.

    Well, on a different note, this week will also witness the first time in Gurgaon half a dozen CEOs will share insights on communications and reputation at one event addressing mainly senior communications professionals. The aim of the conclave is to enhance the reputation of the profession by getting business leaders to share insights on various aspects of strategic communications.

    There is still a long way to go as the market matures and a large focus is put on digital marketing and crisis management like it is done in more evolved markets. A lot of Indians based abroad are returning to home to take India specific jobs in public relations. Several other Indians are getting internally transferred to foreign locations within communications departments.

    This article is about four stories, starting with book keeping about the number of columns, followed by the fact that there will soon be a print magazine for PR, then moving onto a PR conference in Patna and finally talking of the leadership conclave. All these nuggets have one thing in common. That PR in India is coming of age.

     

  • Starting next week, this column will continue under a new name on India’s first independent and exclusive reputation management portal, writes Amith Prabhu

    Amith Prabhu: Thank you for the care!

    By Amith Prabhu

     

    While this may possibly be the last column by me on this portal in a long time to come there is a feeling of nostalgia. When Pradyuman first asked me to write this column around three years ago I was at first reluctant not knowing if I could sustain it beyond three weeks. Today, one thing has led to the other and several ideas that were shared here have become ventures.

     

    Starting with Praxis, moving to the Conclaves and ultimately the print magazine that was launched last week. In all these ventures, mxmindia.com has played a silent, supportive role and I am indebted for that. Starting next week, this column will continue under a new name on India’s first independent and exclusive reputation management portal.

     

    Over the last 150 weeks, several of you have shared your feedback in the comments section and with me privately about your perspective on the column I wrote. I am grateful to the regular readers for your encouragement hat sustained this endeavor. Every Friday, I would wrack my brain to find a suitable topic for the subsequent Monday.

     

    I enjoyed December and January when I would bring out half a dozen lists that would get several people excited. My traditional June end column on India’s evasive Cannes PR Lion was another piece I enjoyed writing. Over the 36 months, I have learnt a lot in the process of writing and I’m hopeful you as a reader has benefited too.

     

    My joy knew no bounds when I was able to self-publish the first set of 55 columns into a book called Taking Pride in Public Relations in 2014. A lot of corporate communicators have debated the meaning of the term Public Relations and how it is irrelevant. In the three years, I have been able to debunk several myths and share a point of view without bias.

     

    As this space here may find a new writer and as this column finds a new home under a new name I’m certain that over the next few years more such columns will emerge. Viewpoints of practitioners will be curated across various portals in time to come. And my wish is that more professionals come forward to write and each and every one of them flourishes.

     

    What began as an experiment has found resonance! The columns that have been written in the past will reside here for future reference as a body of work that chronicled the progress of Public Relations in India during the period. I am certain that our paths will cross and I’m grateful to have been chosen to make this weekly column a possibility. The first of its kind in India.