MxMIndia

Category: SIDDHARTHA MUKHERJEE

  • Did PR win and score a "Jiyo" exclamation after last week’s mega-launch of 4G services by a telecom giant, asks Siddhartha Mukherjee

    Siddhartha Mukherjee: Not sure if PR achieved a “Jiyo!”

    By Siddhartha Mukherjee

     

    The latest mega-launch of 4G services by one of the telecom giants (under the umbrella of Digital India initiative by our Honourable Prime Minister) has left me with mixed feelings. From a brand perspective, it was an achievement of amazing Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC). Pretty much with right touchpoints, interesting message delivery, frequency, etc., all seemed quite well-managed. From a communication and business objective perspective, I am sure the TOM and Disposition scores hit the roof and impressive sales figures have started flowing in! However, what made me rethink was the role PR played within this IMC execution and more importantly, how it was made to play this role. Did PR really score a victory? Was it worth exclaiming a Jiyo for PR? Did PR maintain its personality of an independent, holistic & reliable brand building tool?

     

    a. Corp Brand Vs Product Brand: Overall, with every product communication or marcomm, it is always healthy to emphasise on the presence or importance of Corporate Brand. I didn’t see a very healthy presence (media plan) of corporate brand presence. Often under-estimated, the credibility we create for corporate brand goes much longer in facilitating business targets of the product brand. Corporate Brand Reputation Management which is not just about sprinkling some Integrated Marketing Communications (largely by ad bombardment), is a heavy and high yielding subject! I am saying this because I would love to see more of Indian brands further climb the ladder of reputation scores in India and globally.

     

    b, Interplay of AD & PR: Am not sure if PR (specifically talking about the Media Relations part of it) played an independent role or was it in some way getting influenced through or intertwined with the advertising route. Given the volume of editorial space that concentrated only on this brand launch by certain publication houses (entire page in certain cases) and news channels after an emphatic push through (full-page or front jacket) ads does not require very sophisticated “I can see-through” abilities by the consumer! I do not think this point can be brushed under the carpet as a “Consumer ko kya pata” or “How does it matter to the consumer” argument anymore. Increasingly, consumers are becoming sharper with a radar that is constantly skimming through Truth Vs Reality!

     

    c. Social media contradiction: Don’t know why but various touchpoints on social media were contradicting the communication push made by this brand on conventional medium – Print and TV. Positive conversations were fainter than those that raised doubts or critiqued this mega launch. This raised two questions: 1. Wasn’t social media management not included in the PR Planning exercise, and  2. Given that advertising influence has no role to play in social media, critiquing and negative stories seemed to have taken a front seat whereas visibility of positive or factual stories and conversations seemed to have been given a backseat.

     

    Did PR win? Not sure. Did it score a “Jiyo” exclamation? Not sure. I would love to get more educated on this, especially in the second and third point above. I hope we don’t have to start unlearning the principles of Brand Communication, especially the section that taught us that there are differences among Paid, Earned And Owned Media…

     

  • Except the feel-good growth rate that it claimed, the rest of the PR industry report stood out like echoes from the past, writes Siddhartha Mukherjee

    Siddhartha Mukherjee: Media Relations ≠ Public Relations, is a subset!

    By Siddhartha Mukherjee

     

    The latest report on India’s Public Relations industry did not leave me with any reaction. Except the feel-good growth rate that it claimed, rest stood out like echoes from the past…yawn!

     

    However, what caught my attention and amused me was the chart that claimed that “Public” Relations was the largest grosser of revenues for the Indian “Public” Relations Industry. Second, this was amongst other services, some overlapping, like Digital, Public Affairs, Financial Communication, Crisis Management, Content Creations, CSR etc.

     

    To me, this kind of sums up our fixation with and our diehard habit of equating Public Relations with Media Relations anytime and every time. No wonder, this still remains to be the core bread earning source of our Indian PR Industry. Even if it be PR for PR’s sake, while the PR industry captains keep quoting their intentions to touch the moon and the star, we still seem to be sleep walking on the path of Media Relations…and only that.

     

    Public Relations is a huge ocean of different streams of strategic and tactical specialisations with required skill sets. Media Relations is one part thereof. I hope this incident was a typo error and not a term that was used consciously.

     

    If it was a typo, let us give the design team of that report a pat on their backs for an overall good job done and move on! However, if we consciously claim to equate Media Relations with Public Relations, am sure such charts and numbers will keep cropping up in future reports as well.

     

  • Stringers cannot be used as a makeshift and tactical third party who can be used on a contractual basis, writes Siddhartha Mukherjee

    Siddhartha Mukherjee: Fortify PR Agency-Stringer relationship framework

    By Siddhartha Mukherjee

     

    With economics and brand communications shifting to smaller cities and towns, agencies are now all the more dependent on grassroot machinery that many refer to as stringers. Almost every industry vertical is moving its focus towards building brand saliency in these markets. Hence, choice and performance evaluation of stringers will need a fresh look.

     

    Stringers have been the backbone of the PR Agency industry. Especially for B2C category, client satisfaction is subject to make or break depending on how robust the stringer delivery mechanism is.

     

    Let’s take a look at the current versus preferred dynamics:

    a. KRAs of Stingers

    Current: KRA revolves around services like Event (Press Conference) management, managing editorial coverage through press release dissemination and/or organizing interviews across publications, compilation of news coverage and reporting it back to the agency/ client office, etc. More so, in many cases, stringers work for multi-agencies. Hence, there could be a dearth of exclusivity, ownership and efforts taken towards understanding of the client’s project, value adding back to agency or the client brand.

    Desired: Moving away from shared stringer services to exclusive arrangements will not be expensive in the long run. Their ownership towards overall project management will increase and therefore efficiency. Client satisfaction and loyalty will get fortified. They can operate more like a permanent but outsourced dedicated PR Agency.

     

    b. KPIs of Stringers

    Current: Basic retainer and/or variable component basis count of clips generated by the stringer is what gets accrued for this local outsourced service provider.  While the retainer bit seems to be a clean area, occasional shades of grey start emerging when it comes to the variable component. We have seen both Forced as well as Unconscious misreporting of clip count and compilations getting sent to the PR Agency or the client directly. On reconciliation, not only have we not found the news clip on the actual newspaper broadsheet, but we have also come across cases where news clips are getting reported for dates when the publication was not even printed due to national holiday or some other reason!

    Desired:  First and foremost, the agency will need to review and lay down clear SOPs which will guide day-on-day operations of the stringer. Currently, there are none. In fact, in many cases, the agency itself avoids SOPs to be able to partner the stringer on misrepresentation. Secondly, the agency should get the coverage grid reconciled or certified through a third party measurement and audit agency. Third, KPIs should get measured not through the count of clips but through a matrix of quantity and quality. Contrary to many agencies’ belief, the reality is that both the stringer and the agency will stand to gain.

     

    While the stringers are the backbone to the efficient working of the Industry, their KRAs and KPIs are also a reflection of how our own thinking and vision for the industry really is. Stringers cannot be used as a  makeshift and tactical third party who can be used on a contractual basis. This gives birth to plenty of scope for unprofessionalism and dark corners. It is time we leverage our existing stringer base to synergize them with the future objectives of the industry.

     

  • Having multiple agencies for PR and communications may show poorly on the client, writes Siddhartha Mukherjee

    Siddhartha Mukherjee: Multiple Agencies! Why?

    By Siddhartha Mukherjee

     

    One Client, Multiple Agencies! Apart from agencies benefitting, I really do not see how a client stands to gain in the long run by spreading bits of the integrated communication mandate across multiples. Neutrally speaking, it may show poorly on the client.

     

    During the last couple of weeks, corporate egos have given all of us – news readers and agencies – enough to consume and maximise on! Even otherwise, corporates have not only changed their agencies and but have also added more service providers rather than focusing on just one!

     

    What beats me is that why would the client need to do so?:

    1. Defies Commitment towards Holistic Corporate Brand Reputation: While it has become a (corporate) style statement nowadays to talk on reputation, however, KPIs such as using the services of multiple agencies so wonderfully contradicts this and defies all the claims by the corporate client. The basic or elementary principle on which reputation is planked on is cohesion or call it unison. So how on earth would the brand’s internal communication custodians manage saliency and cohesion across so many agencies. It smacks lack of understanding and seriousness, most importantly.

     

    2. Pull-Push of Individual Corridors: Often, preferences rule the selection and the presence of multiples. Look at the corridors involved – central Corporate Communications Head, corporate communications of individual businesses (in case of multiple business Organization), Brand Heads, Marketing Heads, CEO, etc. Given that each desk has a measure of influence, the corporate brand gets impacted negatively in the long run because of personal agenda. Ideally, the CEO and Central or Group Communications should have the final say in the appointment of a central agency. This will ensure that every single desk and function works in unison towards a Common Minimum Programme for the brand and therefore the expectations from the central Agency.

     

    3. Agencies’ Inability to Pitch Holistically and Project Convincingly:  Sadly, new business pitches by agencies needs a thorough health check-up. Rarely  have I come across corporates genuinely praising their experience of an agency Pitch. Does not matter if it is an Indian or multinational agency – finally the net average hovers around the same range. Various dynamics have baffled corporates, many of those have even pushed them to border close to irritation: a) Presentation Content far away from what the Prospective Client wants to know b) Presenter paints it poorly c) Only talk of Credentials d) Only talk of Media Relations prowess and how it can influence control on journalists e) Not projecting as a standalone one-shop that will take care of various nuances of Corporate Brand Reputation f) Not backing the talk with facts, figures, numbers etc.

     

    This has led to various corridors within a client organisation not realising the value of a single or central agency. Too many agencies will eventually spoil the corporate broth!

     

    On the agencies’ front, a shake-up is imminent. This in turn will reduce the corporates options to choose from many agencies so that they can break and spread their mandate across. However, the serious bit is for the corporates to think! Time to introspect the way they are going about building brands within the Make In India economy. CEO, CMO, Brand Heads and Communications Heads are going their individual ways and appointing agencies to satisfy their myopic needs. Sad! In this way, a sound Corporate Brand Reputation will never be achieved.

     

    However, one must keep in mind that learnings come under the disguise of crisis…but, by then, hope it is not too late!

     

  • From a marketing and brand building domain point of view, this is a very crucial primary level data of a stakeholder, writes Siddhartha Mukherjee

    Siddhartha Mukherjee: Media Perception Study is a Potential Goldmine…

    By Siddhartha Mukherjee

     

    Media Perception Study, conducted by our Industry for Clients, is a small but great indicator of how far away our Industry is from the genuine desire for neutral data, research and that too, a scientific one!

     

    Media or Journalist perception studies are conducted once or twice a year by the Agency for Clients. This dipstick survey is conducted to capture the imagery/perception of their Client brand amongst the Journalist fraternity. From a marketing and brand building domain point of view, this is a very crucial Primary level data of a stakeholder.

     

    This can reap win-win benefits for both the Client Brand and the Journalist, provided it is done well and neutrally. The reality, however, is quite stark!

     

    1. More often than not, the very purpose of implementing such studies is lost in translation. Agencies do it as a formality, more to customize a rosy picture for the clients

    2. There is no Ownership and Accountability neither by the Agency nor the Client.

    3. The sampling of journalists itself is a total give away of the intent of this study

    4. The questionnaire smacks of any understanding of research, objective of the study and all this, more than the agency, shows very poorly on the Client-CorpComm desk

    5. The outputs of the study are barely reviewed or analyzed as a crucial secondary data

    The question is that why this state of affairs? Well, the answer goes back to the same, boring, repetitive yet real cause of our Industry. We are still operating in a silo and without realization that this Media Dipstick data is actually a potential goldmine. It can be game and image changer for the Industry!

     

    Talk to Corporates/Clients about this initiative and almost every single one ridicules it! They have lost faith and do not see any value coming out of outputs from the PR Industry so far.

     

    What can be done:

    1. Internal (CEO/Marketing Heads) should make this mandatory for the CorpComm desk as they will understand and value this data set.

    2. Central Research desk within Client Organizations should get involved and work towards the sampling and questionnaire design with the Head of Communications. This will also allow the eventual fusion of some part of this data with the Secondary research.

    3. A neutral, third party, not in any way associated with the PR Agency & the Client, should be appointed for execution of this survey. (The PR Agency should formalize third party service provider’s introduction amongst respondent journalists)

    4. Data should be collated and submitted to the Client. Tabulation of and inference from the data too should happen under Client’s supervision.

    5. The inference should be fed as takeaways for Communications Planning, Media Relations skill evaluation and PR Agency KRAs/KPIs.

     

    Media Perception Study, as a concept, has been a wonderfully scientific thought towards brand reputation building and stakeholder management. It dates back to ever since our Industry started. However, with time, the vision and mission behind this initiative has got destroyed, or likely, been destroyed.

     

    Our industry can establish its keenness or eagerness to change for the better by demonstrating an overhaul of this study into a potential Goldmine.

     

  • Good Knight's two communication campaigns are strong testimonies to what New Age PR can be, writes Siddhartha Mukherjee

    Siddhartha Mukherjee: Rare but True – PR Led Marcomm

    By Siddhartha Mukherjee

     

    Not sure if Indian or even Global PR Award Juries have come across such case studies. Conventionally, in Marcomm PR, typical approaches we see are advertising campaign starts and then PR follows or advertising and PR communication walk hand in hand.

    Very few Marcomm plans have demonstrated that a brand launchor even sustenance for that matter, can actually start with PR. Not only that, it then even sets a base for the Advertising campaign to subsequently follow through and fortify the brand’s recall &disposition scores.

    One such interesting case study is that of Godrej’s Good Knight brand. Not only that, it has also shown decent totality comprising research (and listening), scientifically arriving at the big idea, setting a measurable plan, creating buzz across print, TV and online mediums and finally measuring the business impact of the entire initiative. It’s great to note that the campaign kickstarted with a PR blitz followed by an effective ad campaign. Research-based PR was the key for this success.

    Good Knight’s two separate communication campaigns – Subah Bolo Good Knight and BaharBolo Good Knight (for launch of GK Fabric Roll-On)are strong testimonies to what New Age PR can be but also that it can plank the subsequent advertising push.

     

    Here are some key pointers why award juries in India and globally should take note of this campaign:

    1. Letting PR open the IMC innings: Godrej’s marketing management, in this case, must have developed impressive faith on this tool called Public Relations for letting its PR Machinery lead the IMC mantle. Not an easy task for the PR Machinery to achieve this feat.

    2. Healthy use of Listening: PR, in general, is not synonymous with the use of research, especially listening. In this case, however, understanding the data and extracting the communication peg that will not only be used for PR launch but also subsequent Advertising blitzkrieg is not a very common feature one gets to see within our Industry. Case in point is the “Bahar Bolo Good Knight” campaign where based on insights the campaign was sustained for a longer time with many more contextual campaigns (e.g. “#Childrensplayday, #Gifttheoutdoors) launched basis the listening and insighting process.

    3. Before execution, setting clear measurable PR Communication Objectives: Seldom does one get to see that the PR Machinery is clearly laying down what it wishes or targets to achieve. In this case, the Godrej team clearly defined the blocks of Input (Ideation & Planning), Output (Quantity & Quality of News Exposure expected to be achieved) and finally, Outcome (the value – not advertising value, mind you) it intends to bring to the brand and business).

    4. Executing a PR Plan spanning Print, TV, Online/Digital: In true sense, it was an IMC initiative. The launch and sustenance of the brand spanned across both conventional and the digital platform. More interestingly, Digital PR played a wonderful media partner for brand sustenance as well.

    5. Clearly measuring what was targeted Vs what was achieved: After the campaign was over, the Godrej team very diligently worked towards a report card compilation exercise across – Input, Output and Outcome. An examination of what they had set to target vs what they had actually achieved is itself a very meritorious task. This very effort shows intent, transparency and very importantly, defines the winning streak in a case study presentation.

    6. Finally, handing over the relay baton to advertising machinery: With brand campaigns getting launched and sustained through PR, it was now time for the Godrej’s paid initiative to take over the baton and continue with the relay race. Few weeks after the PR buzz, Advertising initiatives were launched using the messaging and the brand recall base PR had already established.

     

    It is time that award juries up the bar of entries and judgment parameters. Godrej’s case study is an indicator that if one wants, one can raise the bar. I am aware that such rarities are across other sectors too. TV Broadcast, as an example. It is time that more such New Age PR case studies come out of the closet.

    My years of appeal to the Industry that “PR needs PR” gets only bolder with such case studies as talk points. PR Award programmes can go a long way in establishing PR within the minds of the CXOs. For this, the role of PR has to be looked at in totality and not the conventional count of clips, advertising value and the moronic,self gratifying yard sticks used by the case study presenters these days.

     

    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.

     

  • Till few years back, one would never imagine that TV Broadcast, of all the other sectors in flux, would be one of the torchbearers of a 'Thought Leadership' initiative, writesSiddhartha Mukherjee

    Siddhartha Mukherjee: TV broadcasters must start taking Thought Leadership seriously!

    By Siddhartha Mukherjee

     

    It is good to see that TV Channel houses have started to rise above the rat race of TRPs.

     

    It is wise of them to have realized that beyond the toil of keeping the Advertisers happy and Viewers informed about their upcoming programme offerings, there is a huge world called Organisational Management. More so, in today’s Reputation Economy, Management is all about creating and maintaining a Halo Effect or Thought Leadership that will seamlessly transcend the TV Channel’s brand values across every single Organisational stakeholder – Viewers, Advertisers, Distributors, Content providers, Government, Society at large, et al. Very importantly, in this, PR Machinery has a bigger role to play!

     

    For decades now, Corporate Thought Leadership has typically been the forte of industry verticals outside the Media and Entertainment (M&E) sector. The M&E sector was caught up in the effort to put some method to this sector’s unstructured madness. After years of erratic expansion and lack of formal blue prints, now, finally, indications have started pointing towards consolidation within the TV Broadcast Industry. Creating Thought Leadership is one such strong indicator!

     

    It is not that TV Channel houses have not attempted creation or change of Thought Leadership earlier. They have!However, my personal view is that they have been myopic and the communication effortswere half hearted.

     

    Interestingly, given that this time, one of the biggest broadcast networks has roped in the “perfectionist” celebrity, we are only hoping that this time, it works well.

     

    The question however is, what are the key things that the TV Broadcast houses can consider:

    1. Thought Leadership is a Corporate Brand Reputation Project:

    Yes, this is a serious business. Creating or resigning Brand Reputation is about erasing old brand promises and imprinting new ones. It is not easy. Stakeholder management specialists have to be roped in and made to work towards a specific set of Communication and Business Objectives.

     

    2. Thought Leadership doesnot work under time limits…effort should be perpetual:

    For the halo to stay in the minds of the stakeholders, it has to be a perpetual effort. Doesnot matter which month of the year or what business scenario we are in! Which means that for Business Planning within boardrooms, this is one key reference point. A kneejerk spurt of Ads, TV Promotional and PR campaign may definitely create gratification within the TV Channel Management but it sure calls for lack of actual term results and assured wastage of money.

     

    3. Is not about innovative Taglines but about creating Touchpoints:

    Huge efforts and monies are spent on coming up with one catchy Tagline that tries to explain the brand’s new thought! However, if it fails to capture the minds of all stakeholders right from the time he or she wakes up till the time the person goes to sleep, the taglines remains to be an ornament in the locker! The Communication machinery should be able to translate the meaning of the Tagline into media exposures (news, promotions, videos and ads) and actual experiences.

     

    4. Not just about CXOs:

    One of the biggest mistakes Thought Leadership and Corporate Reputation efforts make is that they limit the planning and execution to the CXOs. That should definitely be avoided. On the contrary, involving the internal ecosystem, the employees, the biggest and readily available viral tool for a brand should be made to be involved in the Thought Leadership creation and sustenance process.

     

    5. Corporate Communication and Public Relations Jugalbandi:

    To manage such a large matrix of External and Internal Stakeholders, it should not be about carpet bombing the market with One pager ads, Promos and Viral Videos. It is about phase wise, block by block but cohesive management of perceptions across stakeholders. The Corporate Communications team through Public Relations approach is best placed to manage this! Incase the Paid(Advertising or Promotional) tools are to be brought in, the Corporate Communications team should be empowered to take a call on that.

    The TV Broadcast industry’s seriousness towards Thought Leadership actually indicates what Corporate Brand Reputation should actually mean to Organisational Management in any industry vertical or sector. Till few years back, one would never imagine that TV Broadcast, of all the other sectors in flux, would be one of the torchbearers of this initiative. It is a sign of Corporatisationand Consolidation. More so, it is a sign that Corporate Communications and PR Industry associated with this Industry will think beyond MarComm!

     

  • The Goafest brand communication case study is a great assertion to ad professionals that PR is not a supplementary but complementary brand building tool, writes Siddhartha Mukherjee

    Siddhartha Mukherjee: At Goafest, PR shows the way to the ad folk

    By Siddhartha Mukherjee

     

    My first contribution to this column began with an article titled ‘Advertising owes a lot to Public Relations’. Ever since, while many reiterations of this fact have come and gone, the latest example is that of Goafest.

    One of the main TO DOs almost every industry event needs to manage are the 2 ‘Es’ – Egos and Expectations – of various stakeholders. Further, while every event has its own logical reason for not being able to score full marks on the above, Public Relations inevitably comes to the rescue – before, during and post the event.

    Goafest, the biggest carnival of the Indian advertising industry, yet again, has banked on Public Relations to manage footfalls into the event.

    Though in spurts: Key Messages, Frequency, News Formats, Multipliers etc. have been visible about Goafest PR during the last few weeks. A welcome addition would be the visual element. Footfalls into events can be managed to a great extent by visuals. Visuals can go a long way towards managing the two Es.

    The Goafest brand communication case study should be great assertion to the advertising professionals that Public Relations is not a supplementary but complementary Brand Building Tool! As for the PR industry professionals, it is a moment to be proud of!

    The question is that why is the Indian PR Industry not doing PR on this? Industry’s quintessential requirement and my years old desire of “PR needs PR” can yet again get addressed through this wonderful talk point.

    The PR Industry body/ies should not let the hardwork put forth by a team working on Goafest PR go in vain.

    Some quick ways in which the hard work going into Goafest PR should be leveraged are:

    1. The PR Industry body should talk about it

    2. The Education Institutes should get to know about this

    3. TAC (The Advertising Club) & AAAI can issue a letter of appreciation which further can be leveraged through PR

    4. The Goafest website should have a dedicated section on a collage of news spread being garnered for the event. All that I could notice was a collection of mailer ads in the “Media” section.

    5. A simple survey can be implemented where delegates are asked if they got to know about Goafest or decided to come attend the event basis mailers/ads or through news can be a good re-iteration of what really works.

    While the PR Industry ends up salvaging India’s advertising carnival almost every year a few tweaks can make even the advertising industry captains realise that PR, more than just advertising, can make an event a winner.

     

  • For decades now, not just in India but the world over, CorpComm functions have continued to be treated as a cost centre, writes Siddhartha Mukherjee

    Siddhartha Mukherjee: CorpComm can be a Revenue Centre!

    By Siddhartha Mukherjee

     

    Do we have case studies where the CorpComm functions of organisations are not being treated as cost but revenue centres? Most probably, none!

    For decades now, not just in India but the world over, CorpComm functions have continued to be treated as a cost centre. No wonder, they come as one of the favorites when it comes to cost-cutting or cost control management.  Interestingly, marcomm manages to stay away from the pruning activity!(Have we wondered why?)

    Historically, and even now, not much has progressed on this front. Attempts to justify CorpComm’spresence and value in the organisationhas been through the age old archaic modes of advertising value, thickness of news clippings folder, gratifying the bosses (CXOs) by getting them featured in newspapers and TV channels continue to be age-old arsenals used for justifying the existence of the CorpCommfunction.

    Here are some thoughts that can improve the state of affairs and bring CorpComm closer to being a revenue function:

     

    1. Clearly defining the role of CorpComm/PR within an Organisation:

    Especially at the time of interviewing, the CorpComm candidate should be clearly briefed that his or her role within the organisation is not that of satisfying egos but to help in the smooth running of the business.

    Very simply put, a CorpComm role should be incharge of creating and maintaing recall (thought leadership), engagement and conversion for each stakeholder of the organisation he or she is working in.

     

    2. Performance should be appraised by not just one but across CXOs:

    Instead of CorpComm reporting to the CMO, the function should be reporting to the CEO. Further, performance should be appraised by CMO, HR Head, CFO, Head of CSR & Sustainability, etc., and finally by the CEO after taking everyone’s feedback (weightage) into account.

     

    3. Should be made part of Business Planning and Execution:

    For CorpComm to function and perform, getting to understand the day-to-day or periodic understandings of the changing ground dynamics across marketing, human resource, finance, manufacturing, sustainability, etc, is key. Only then will the CorpComm chair be able to sense the strong points that can be leveraged vs the weak points that may be prospective crisistirggers.

    Being copied in regular MIS reports and internal dashboards can make a world of difference in making CorpComm work towards specific business objectives.

     

    4. Should be given access to all Primary and Secondary Data Sets and Research:

    Data is a very basic but one of the most crucial weapons to justify self or business growth.For CorpComm, data can be bigger than GOD! CorpComm, in a way, is the central console for all stakeholder management. Hence, the chair should be made part of the research desk. Usage of data and cross pollination of various data sets can ensure than CorpComm talks the internal customer’s language!

     

    5. Budget allocation & Performance incentive can be linked with Brand and Sales numbers:

    A new way of incentivising the CorpComm function can be to link the Budget Allocation to brand recall and disposition scores. Further, link performance incentives to sales query fugures. Agreed, this may sound outlandish at the moment but this is the only way to get CorpComm and Public Relations function aligned back into Corporate MIS.

    A start is needed and that too right away! If case studies can break the ice or change the archaic thinking process, that will make things easier. Or else, some samaritan will have to stand tall and lead the way!

     

  • The true test of the Public Relations industry is in its ability and duty to sustain PR communications during a non-launch period, writes Siddhartha Mukherjee

    Siddhartha Mukherjee: Brand Sustenance, not Launch, is the REAL test of PR!

    By Siddhartha Mukherjee

     

    Share of Voice and Launch campaigns are synonymous. While arrangements to execute a brand launch can be quite tiring, it is an elixir for happiness amongst all PR Agency and CorpComm professionals. The reason is they know that Launch PR will pull up their Share of Voice and Ranking for the specific evaluation month.

    However, for me, the true test of the Public Relations industry is in its ability and duty to sustain PR communications during a non-launch period. That is the time when the PR industry’s intellectual capital is put under real test! That is the time when PR industry and CorpComm machinery get an opportunity to prove its mettle and build thought leadership and brand reputation!

    Here are some specific thoughts on this:

    1. CorpComm is long-term, not Marcomm:

    In today’s age of Reputation Economy, Corporate Communication function’s core and most important responsibility is to build thought leadership. More so, this needs to be a continuous, 365 days-a-year process. While product brand launch or Marcommis an important ongoing activity, however, it should not be confused with being the most important KRA of a PR Agency. No wonder, take any industry vertical, sadly, about 85% (sometimes more) of an organisation’s PR coverage comes purely through Marcomm push. Not an encouraging statistic at all.

    2. Maintaining interest about the Company, not product, is Intellectually more stimulating:

    I have always believed that PR (specifically Media Relations) is one of the best learning grounds of Sales. Sales professionals from other industry sectors can draw a lot of learnings from what our PR executives go through and how they successfully sell a news/story idea to a journalist! However, why not extend this skill set to other pillars of an organisation as well? For example, there is enough to talk and create news exposure on aspects such as Human Resource, Financial Strength, CSR and Sustainability, Vendor Management, IT & Innovation, so and so forth. Of course, this calls for higher intellect of PR professionals both from the agency and the CorpComm desks.

    3. CorpComm (Client) will need to specify its expectations from PR Agency:

    While CorpComm functions within client organisations are going all out to make PR agencies feel like a part of the extended family, this desk should also be absolutely clear that PR agency’s core mandate is to focus on CorpComm and not only Marcomm. Hence, non-launch phase is more important than the expectations from a launch initiative.

    4. PR Agency evaluation should be realistic:

    Share of Voice and related ranking scores is key. However, it will make sense if the PR performance is evaluated separately – one during only brand launches and one for the non-launch or sustenance phase. This will be a great test of the PR agency’s intellectual skill set and its claim of being a Partner, Consultancy, et al.

    5. Sustenance is a Great Opportunity to convince CXOs of the merits of PR:

    What value does PR actually bring on the table? This question has plagued our industry for decades now. Sustenance PR, during the Non-Launch phase, is a true test of what this great tool can actually do to a corporate brand. CXOs – especially the CEO, HR Heads, CFO, CSO, etc., will see value in this effort!

    To be fair, there are corporates, though few in number, who genuinely believe in building and sustaining a brand during a non-launch phase. Infact, it is because of this that they have gained accolades and come close to the top management. They have got their PR agencies habituated to think out-of-the-box and sustain corporate and product brands. Launches should be passing but not penultimate milestones of their professional lives.

     

  • To be able to effectively manage real brand perceptions in the marketplace, some drastic ground changes need to be done, writes Siddhartha Mukherjee

    Siddhartha Mukherjee: Are we stuck at 10%?

    By Siddhartha Mukherjee

     

    Happy to have come across an interesting and more realisticconstruct related to Public Relations. It says that the perception management of a corporate brand is dependent 90% on what it does or how it conducts itself and only 10% percent on what it says or communicates. While this comes as a whiff of fresh air, something that I and many others in the industry concur, I worry, however, if PR & corporate communications professionals even have the wherewithal to tackle the 90%.

     

    A quick glance across the PR agency and corporate communications industry will reveal the following findings:

    1. CEOs, CXOs, in short, the top management of organisations perceive CorpComm desk as a cost centre.
    2. In 7 out of 10 (if not more) CorpCommprofessionals’ cases, CXO’s design of KRAs and KPIs is to simply manage the media (journalists).
    3. More often than not, across many organisations, Jjournalists are sought after to manage the CorpComm Chair.
    4. CorpComm’s basic expertise is “networking”.
    5. CorpComm’s KPIs are measured through Advertising Equivalent Value.
    6. More often than not, CorpComm reports to the CMO and not the CEO.
    7. CorpComm’s involvement in boardroom discussions – actual business planning, functioning and execution of services (experience) across stakeholders – is far from reality.
    8. For the team members in the PR agency which is hired to manage the client’s external “perception” – an uphill task, their ignorant (still manage to find it cute)logic of working in PR industry is a hilarious “I like meeting people!”
    9. Ability to create a large turnout of journalists at press conference, thickness of the news clippings folder and the ability to kill negative news are largely the ammunitions used to showcase value add and ask for fee hikes.
    10. Just after having settled down with the understanding the Print and TV news dynamics, they are now hit with a new wave of digital media…and still figuring out how to manage it.

     

    How on earth will the Indian PR and corporate communications professionals actually be ready to manage real brand perceptions in the market place? To be able to go beyond 10%, and manage the 90% comprising experience management, some drastic ground changes need to be done!

    1. CXO’s KRAs and KPIs should be linked to a weighted equation of reputation scores and business health scores across sales and marketing, human resource, finance and so on
    2. The construct of CorpComm recruitments needs to change. Expected skill sets, design of KRAs and KPIs need to change. In other words, not more than 10% of KRAs and KPIs should focus on journalist and news coverage management.
    3. Their participation in business planning and execution should be default and regular
    4. SOPs of business – across HR, Finance, Product Development, Marketing, Sales & Post Sales, Sustainability, and more – should be designed in partnership with the CorpComm desk
    5. Lastly, CorpComm needs to be considered as a Savings generation (if not Revenues generation) function.

     

    While the principle of 90:10 conduct:communication approach is a great one, for it to take shape, ground level changes need to be implemented first.

     

  • Very rarely have I heard of responses which border around related words like passion to build brands, reputation, perception, thought leadership, drive business, research, data, insights, and so on writes Siddhartha Mukherjee

    Siddhartha Mukherjee: Why work in PR?

    By Siddhartha Mukherjee

     

    There was a time when for some, getting into PR career came as a last option. However, now, with there being literally no end to career ideas, when people still land up in PR profession, one would expect that the move was well thought through!

     

    But sadly, when you ask business or communication school students or professionals who are, say, two-three years old into this profession,a basic question – why did you get into PR? – some amazingly bizarre, naïve and yet-so-confident responses come by. Here is a quick collation of some scattered responses I have come across:

    1. I like meeting people: This is one of the common responses I have come across. The fact that they have joined this profession because of their “aspiration” to meet people, comes across as a wake-up call. The best part is that such candidates are being recruited/absorbed by recruiters (read: agencies and corpcomm departments). If such is the candidate’s career aspiration, god save him/her, god save the employer and may the universe save the client. If I were to try and reconnect, is this the reason why both the employer and employee only talk about how many journalists do they know?

    2. It is Glamorous: Well, starting your career sifting through newspapers and magazines, making clippings dossier, chasing journalists to get them to write on their clients, convincing them not write negatively on their clients or to turn up for a press conference, burning the midnight oil to create and manage an event, etc. is far, far from Glamorous! Not only that, this scenario does not change much well into the latter years!

    3. I Get to meet and be with Bigwigs: An advantage no doubt, but such momentary pleasures come in short flashes. Whether they be corporate, sports or movie celebrities, it comes at a price of physically andmentally strenuous work and comes after a particular level of seniority.

    4. I like working in ‘Media’: Media is often associated with glamour. Being on TV or Newspaper is equal to media which in turn is equal to news and a lot of other aspects. They have no clue of the segments or corridors within media and the type of skill sets each demand!

    5. I get to travel (at the Client’s cost): Yes, this too came as a category of response, though in small proportions. While I can understand the desire to explore geographies persisted across generations, more so in today’s, but this being the driver to opt for PR leaves me spell bound.

     

    Very rarely have I heard of responses which border around related words like passion to build brands, reputation, perception, thought leadership, drive business, research, data, insights, and so on. While this segment of well-informed, focused candidates varies market to market, industry by industry, but one can say for sure that such proportions are in minority! Till the time such candidates contribute a majority of our workforce, our industry’s boast of being able to add value will continue to be a sham! Education Institutes, Recruiters, Clients and more importantly, the Industry bodies/lobbies, where are we heading to?

     

    For now, I would love to hear more funny or strange responses you have come across to the question – why did you join PR?