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Tag: Adfactors PR

  • Darashah brings over 23 years of international communications experience to Adfactors PR

    Adfactors PR appoints Roger Darashah as COO

    By A Correspondent

     

    Roger Darashah, an international senior communications professional with stints in Europe, India and Brazil, has joined Adfactors PR as its Chief Operating Officer (COO).

     

    Darashah brings over 23 years of international communications experience to Adfactors PR. Most recently, he worked with Edelman as Executive Vice President – Technology & Global Business Director in Brazil.

     

    As Chief Operating Officer, Darashah’s role will be to ensure consistent and industry-leading levels of service across all client relationships. He will be also responsible for delivery of insight-based campaigns that drive results and support clients’ business objectives. In addition, he will support Adfactors PR’s globalisation initiatives – scale operations internationally as well as bring an international, best-practice approach to all aspects of client service in India.

     

    Said Madan Bahal, co-founder and Managing Director of Adfactors PR:  “We are proud to have someone of Roger’s calibre and perspective joining us. His global experience will strengthen our service offering and as we embark on launching new Practices to fill the void in the Indian market place.”

     

    On his new role, Darashah commented, “I am excited to be here at Adfactors PR. The consultancy has all the right ingredients to attain a leadership position in the Asian public relations industry and beyond. The Indian market’s growth and potential provides an excellent platform from which to scale a global, integrated offering to support clients looking for a truly global approach. And, with its current market leading position and ambitions, it is an opportunity which Adfactors PR is wonderfully positioned to realise.”

     

    Darashah started his career with Weber Shandwick in London in 1993. His other stints include Managing Director of Hotwire Paris, where he established the boutique agency as among the top three tech agencies in France. In 2008, he moved to Spain to join Edelman as Deputy Managing Director (Europe). He also served as Director for Rediffusion/Edelman managing the Tata Group mandate in India during 2012-15.

     

     

  • Political strategist Tushar Panchal on why the NDA communication strat failed leading to the comprehensive win of the Nitish-Laloo combine

    Why Nitish-Laloo won the Battle for Bihar?

     

    By Tushar Panchal

     

    Ab ki baar, haath se gaya Bihar! 

     

    There are many oracles in our industry, who could give you amazing insights into why JDU+ winning and NDA losing the Bihar election with all types of facts, figures and information that common people such as you and me are not aware of. As far as I am concerned, the formula of winning election is as simple as a very seasoned political party founder of Maharashtra once said: “In elections, opposition never wins, ruling party always loses.” There’s a very profound message in this simple statement.

     

    In my opinion, which is largely based on my close interaction with political leaders across the spectrum and interacting with people (or should I say voters) across the length and breadth of our wonderful country, the most important aspect of any communication campaign for election revolves around the humbleness and your ability to connect with the people on ground. All media blitzkrieg, larger than life hoardings, massive rallies are no substitute for a gentle reminder that I am one amongst you and I have always worked for you and will continue to work for you.

     

    As a student of human psychology, I have always been intrigued by society’s willingness to support the underdog, believe in someone, who is closer home, wears clothes just like you do, eat the same meal as you do, wronged by someone who is powerful and mighty. We have always loved David vs. Goliath stories. Amitabh is one of the greatest superstar, Arvind Kejriwal is Delhi Chief Minister and Narendra Modi is our Prime Minister today… all thanks to this very human nature of connecting with someone, who is vulnerable and here Brand Nitish has taken that positioning in the minds of the people of Bihar.

     

    Was there a flaw in the communication strategy which the losing side didn’t read?

     

    Nitish had learned his lessons early on (as soon as he tasted defeat in the General Elections) and realised that the elections cannot be won by just trumpeting the bugle of development, especially when there’s a formidable competition from BJP with their impressive  track record of development in the states, where they were/are in power. Nitish learnt this quick and developed his own concoction, which didn’t just have a heady dose of development, but was spiked with societal insecurities and Bihari pride.

     

    On the other hand, the NDA didn’t have anything special to offer. It couldn’t decide on who the Chief Minister candidate could be, it couldn’t decide whether bringing in Holy Cow in the campaign mix would help or bringing in a cracker of an idea about celebrations in Pakistan would help. Rising prices, poor handling of sensitive issues such as OROP added to the misery of the BJP. Shifting loyalties of campaign managers who worked for BJP during general elections was probably the last straw that broke the camel’s back.

     

    The NDA bosses got the taste of their own medicine – similar messages and familiar actions, which they have used successfully in the past to win elections, came back to haunt them to serve the defeat they anticipated (and even expected) as soon as the campaign started.

     

    Remember what we communicators always say, “First the message, second the messenger and last the medium.”  NDA lost on all three. And we must remember what great Abraham Lincoln has said and I have taken a creative liberty to modify to suit what we have witnessed today: You can fool all the voters some of the time, and some of the voters all the time, but you cannot fool all the voters all the time.

     

    Over to Assam now!

     

    Tushar Panchal, Senior Vice President, Advocacy and Strategic Communications at Adfactors PR, has seen politics and political communications from close quarters, having worked behind the scenes for shaping many successful communication campaigns for political parties, political leaders, heads of state governments and governments. The views here are his own.

     

  • The Holmes Report is the most respected platform of the international public relations industry

    Adfactors PR is ‘Global Financial Consultancy of the Year’

    By A Correspondent

     

    Adfactors PR was recognised as the ‘Global Financial Consultancy of the Year for 2015’at The Holmes Report Global Public Relations Summit.The Holmes Report is the most respected platform of the international public relations industry and a leading source of news, trends and events for PR professionals.

     

    Adfactors PR won the coveted title against competition from a set of finalists, which included several leading financial PR firms from the US, Europe and Australia. This is the first time that an Indian PR consultancy has been selected for the top global honours.

     

    Separately, the firm’s PR campaign ‘Banking Giant SBI Wins Over Indian Millennials’ (client: State Bank of India) was ranked among the top 40 global public relations campaigns conducted during the period under review.

     

    The Holmes Report website says that these 40 campaigns were selected by a global jury out of more than 5,000 entries submitted from over 60 countries around the world. These campaigns were described as “the elite of the elite” by The Holmes Report – representing best practices in categories ranging from social media to social responsibility, and from public affairs to employee communications.

     

    Madan Bahal, co-founder and Managing Director of Adfactors PR, said, “The recognitions are a testimony to the trust of our clients and the outstanding work by our teams. It is a milestone event that will inspire us to get better and enhance our relevance in a fast-changing world.”

     

     

  • The responsibilities involve enhancing the Godrej Group’s corporate reputation and PR across its business entities

    Godrej Group moves PR mandate to Adfactors

    By A Correspondent

     

    The USD 4.5 billion Godrej Group has awarded its public relations mandate to Adfactors PR through a multi-consultancy pitch process.

     

    The responsibilities involve enhancing the Godrej Group’s corporate reputation and PR across  its business entities namely, Godrej Industries Limited, Godrej Consumer Products Limited, Godrej Properties Limited, Godrej Nature’s Basket, Godrej Appliances, Godrej Agrovet, Godrej Locking Solutions and Systems, Godrej Security Solutions, Godrej Interio and all the B2B SBU’s under Godrej and Boyce.

     

    Tanya Dubash, Chief Brand Officer, Godrej Group, said, “This is an important milestone in our communications journey. In line with our 2020 vision, we have laid down a significant foundation for growth across our businesses. I firmly believe PR and communications have a critical role to play in shaping an appropriate stakeholder perception that is conducive for us to achieve our business objectives. Adfactors PR’s ability to service large conglomerates, research orientation and diverse capabilities within the PR field was noteworthy and I look forward to some brilliant work together, going forward.”

     

    Sujit Patil, Vice President and Head Corporate Communications, Godrej Industries Limited and Associate Companies said, “Adfactors PR was selected through a robust multi-level, multi-consultancy pitch involving seven large firms. The selection panel drawn from across the Godrej businesses appreciated the firm’s understanding of our Group’s corporate reputation and PR needs. On the operations front, we were particularly impressed with the innovative servicing team structure recommended by Adfactors PR that includes specialists in account planning, research, analytics, as well as a national media relations coordinator. I feel this will ensure that our PR is more strategic and impactful.”

     

    Madan Bahal, Co-founder and Managing Director of Adfactors PR, said, “It is our privilege to work with a highly respected Indian conglomerate such as Godrej. Through its diverse offerings, the Group touches the lives of 600 million Indians every day and thereby presents unique communication opportunities. We are confident that we will deliver on the trust placed in us.”

     

    About Godrej Group

    Established in 1897, the Godrej Group has its roots in India’s Swadeshi movement. Our founder, Ardeshir Godrej, lawyer-turned-serial entrepreneur failed with a few businesses, before he struck gold with the locks business that you know today.  One of India’s most trusted brands, with revenues close to USD 4.5 billion, Godrej enjoys the patronage of over 600 million Indians across our consumer goods, real estate, appliances, agri and many other businesses. You think of Godrej as such an integral part of India that you may be surprised to know that over 25 per cent of our business is done overseas.

     

    We promise Godrejites a culture of tough love; take serious bets on them and differentiate basis performance. We also understand that our team members play multi-faceted roles and so, we strongly encourage them to explore their whole selves. Our canvas is growing. In fact, our Vision for 2020 is to be 10 times the size we were in 2010. We truly believe that while our amazing past distinguishes us, we are only as good as what we do next.

     

    About Adfactors

    Adfactors PR is India’s largest public relations firm. With a staff of over 500 professionals in four Asian countries, the firm serves more than 280 retained clients, including some of the largest corporations and financial institutions – both Indian and multinational.

     

    The firm has several market-leading practices such as corporate reputation, capital market communications, and issues and crisis. With 18 offices, Adfactors PR has the largest network of owned offices in India.

     

    It is a member of PROI Worldwide, the largest global partnership of independent public relations firms.

     

    For further information, please contact:

    Sujit Patil / Deepti Shetty

    Godrej Industries Limited and Associate Companies                                                    

    Mob: +91- 9930654976 / +91-9819836003

    Email: sujit.patil@godrejinds.com / Deepti.shetty@godrejinds.com

     

    Aditya Chatterjee

    Adfactors PR

    Mob: +91-9167008700

    Email: aditya.chatterjee@adfactorspr.com

     

  • These wins have enabled Adfactors PR to register a 20 per cent growth year-on-year and evolve into a multi-specialty firm

    Adfactors PR closes FY 2013 with a string of strategic wins

    By A Correspondent

     

    Adfactors PR closed the FY 2013 with a string of strategic wins from diverse sectors such as Telecom & IT, Energy, Infrastructure, Healthcare, Travel & Hospitality, Automobiles, Consulting and Financial Services. The firm won over 15 strategic accounts, including Vodafone India, iGate, Cairn India, Essar Oil, Gujarat Gas, Goa Tourism, Rail Europe, GIFT City, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Yamaha Motors, Lamborghini India, PricewaterhouseCoopers India, Citibank, Bank of America Merrill Lynch, S&P Dow Jones Indices and UAE Exchange.

     

    Adfactors PR also supported some of the largest transactions in the capital markets last financial year including the initial public offerings of Bharti Infratel, CARE and PC Jeweller, the open offer of GlaxoSmithKline, and the rights offer of Network 18 Media. It also managed several other strategic projects in Public Affairs and Crisis 24×7 practices.

     

    Madan Bahal

    On the new account acquisitions, Madan Bahal, Managing Director, Adfactors PR, said, “Last year was a significant milestone in diversifying our practice and sectoral portfolio. From a largely corporate and financial communications firm, Adfactors PR evolved into a multi-specialty firm. We now have market leading practices in six key sectors.”

     

    These wins have enabled Adfactors PR to register a 20 per cent growth year-on-year. Mr Bahal added, “This is a reflection of the growing confidence of large Indian and multi-national corporations in the firm’s ability to conceptualize and execute PR campaigns that deliver a strategic advantage in the marketplace.”

     

    In the year 2013-14, the firm plans to strengthen new practice areas like Consumer, Public Affairs and Corporate Social Responsibility. Mr Bahal noted, “We need to remain relevant and lead the curve in serving the emerging needs of businesses in these complex times.”

     

    For the record, Adfactors PR serves over 260 retained clients with staff strength of 320 consultants. The firm has its own presence in over 40 centres which include all state capitals, stock market centres and other residual markets.