MxMIndia

Tag: Public Relation

  • Amith Prabhu looks at how the three principal political players from the Public Relations point of view and what they did right or wrong and how they did it.

    Amith Prabhu: In the end Public Relations won!

    By Amith Prabhu

     

    This was an election like no other. It was slated to be a watershed and many had accepted a Narendra Modi wave and many hadn’t. I have to admit that I had not. As a Modi baiter I hoped he wouldn’t win and at least not win with the kind of landslide he has.

     

    Leaving politics aside I will focus on what I feel is the biggest winner in this elections which is my favourite subject: Public Relations. This election was fought by those who used Public Relations and those who did not. The result is that those who used it won.

     

    Let’s use at the three principal players and see what they did right or wrong and how they did it. We will start with the new kid on the block: the Aam Aadmi Party. They were an upstart no one had heard of 18 months ago. They messed up their stab at power in Delhi in 49 days but decided to go all out and gain national stature in the Lok Sabha elections. They put most of their eggs in one basket and this is the basket called Varanasi. They played with limited resources but capitalized well on social media mobilizing money and volunteers which has shown them results in the most unlikely of places – Punjab. What they did wrong and went against them, purely in PR terms was to not manage the exit in Delhi well, both in terms of communications and in terms of managing perceptions. But for a startup, three-four seats is a good one. Even BJP did not get more than two seats in 1984 on their debut.

     

    Let’s move to the Congress which got it all wrong and did not read the writing on the wall even as late as 25 weeks ago after the drubbing they received in the Assemble Polls. The fact that most of the union ministers have lost and in some cases come third or fourth should be an eye opener. They should have projected a collective leadership to counter the one man show from the opposition. They should have copied tools and tactics from other campaigns blatantly. They should have worked harder on repairing the tarnished reputation. For people like Ajay Maken, Priya Dutt or Sandeep Diskhit to lose shows that there was a rot deep within that needed to be fixed. The three names I mentioned were the ones who were driving traditional media and social media efforts. And if they themselves could not save their own seats as incumbents, what could one expect from the others.

     

    Let’s save the best for last – the BJP. Except for polarising which is a politically motivated move they did everything else right from the word go. They projected Narendra Modi has a no-nonsense, hardworking mass leader who means business. They assembled a formidable team of professionals to drive a presidential style campaign. They made the right amount of noises because they were in it to win it and nothing else. I am still not a fan of Modi and may never be one for a long time only because I have seen him from close quarters when I worked at APCO and he has streaks of ruthlessness, but when it comes to his marketing acumen and PR savviness one has to give it to him. He used every trick in the book and every tool at his disposal to make everything seem effortless.

     

    Now, all eyes will be on how he delivers on his promises. All I want is that India’s reputation in the eyes of fellow Indians and the entire world is not tarnished by acts of state sponsored or backed violence in the name of class and religion. The rest will follow. It was a well fought election but now turns out it was mostly one sided. I will write a separate blog on the non-PR aspects over the weekend on my personal website because this event is historic. For now, here’s wishing Prime Minister Narendra Modi (yes – I said it, never thought a day like that will come) the very best and hoping India remains strong and intact. He won an historic election but Public Relations won as well.

     

  • Extracts from Public Relations in India: Inside the Industry's Mind and the 2013 Outlook, published by MSLGroup India.

    What to watch out for in PR in 2013: MSLGroup report

    Extracts reprinted with permission from Public Relations in India: Inside the Industry’s Mind and the 2013 Outlook, Published by MSLGroup India.

     

    The public relations (PR) industry in India is on the cusp of a profound change. As it finds itself speeding past the Information Age and into the Conversation Age, its scope is expanding well beyond media relations. Its strategic value is finally being acknowledged. As businesses realise that one-way marketing communications have limited value and that engaging stakeholders through new tools like storytelling and thought leadership is the key now, PR is finally coming of age. Therefore, it is important to understand the industry’s state of mind, what it considers to be the biggest hurdles to its evolution, the greatest opportunities and how it sees itself. It is important to give the industry a voice.

    It is precisely this that our report aims to do. In an industry where such studies are rare, MSLGROUP India conducted an India-wide survey – and, importantly, across the executive hierarchy – to ensure that PR practitioners have their say. From growth prospects to the way new business is being generated to the hottest new trends, the study covers it all. The results, as you will see, are heartening as well as revealing.

     

    What to watch out for 2013

    It’s been a difficult year. The economic slowdown, amplified by policy paralysis in the government and a volatile political situation, hit the PR industry hard. Communications budgets were slashed and many corporations preferred to work on ‘project’ basis rather than on retainers. Given the tough business environment, those that persisted with retainers demanded more bang for the buck.

     

    While the PR industry managed to keep its head well above the water, 2012 was a tough year.

     

    Will 2013 be better? Given the government’s renewed vigour for economic reform and India’s inherent economic restraints, the outlook remains optimistic despite the uncertainty created by political turmoil.

     

    Digital communications – dominated by social media – constitute the biggest opportunity for 2013 and we’ve dedicated a separate chapter to it later in this report.

     

    While the survey earlier in the report identified major trends, there are others that MSLGROUP India has identified.

     

    Among those that you can’t miss is the evolution of content as a branding and communications tool. Industry experts believe that nothing sells better than a good story. However, they caution, it’s not just about telling a story but about engaging your consumer. The key, they say, is to make your story his/her own story. Storytelling is also important as the realisation grows that it’s not enough to have profit as your sole objective.

     

    Businesses need a greater purpose. The community expects that if you’re making millions, you need to make millions happy as well. Consumers today relate to brands that show heart. Social responsibility has moved from mere support for projects to working towards social sustainability.

     

    Brand journalism

    For PR professionals, 2012 marked a widening of the scope of work and a deepening of the partnership with business leaders, decision makers and subject experts to benefit from the new wave of communications.

     

    In 2013, more organisations will recognise the need to marry marketing with reputation management. Engagement has always been a key component of the PR business, but in the Conversation Age of today communicators are moving from monologue to dialogue.

     

    The cornerstone of this engagement is content. Not just creating it, but also managing it. Content that informs and encourages conversations is relevant to the target audience. It is shareable and it strengthens customer loyalty. Corporations as well as PR firms are now employing teams to specifically produce high-quality content.

     

    Shashank Sinha, general manager and head (marketing of direct sales), Eureka Forbes, said: “Communication is the fine art of ‘storytelling’. Telling a good story first involves understanding the person listening to it – their interests, worries and their lives. Listening is the first step to good storytelling. Unfortunately, most of us seem to have no time to listen. This is the key for the PR industry.”

     

    It is the digital revolution that has changed the way companies are communicating. Consumers today ‘experience’ products and services online before buying them. From researching a product’s specifications to looking for reviews, consumers rely on the online space.

     

    It gives them a sense of empowerment as they now have a forum to share their experiences and at the same time become influencers for a brand. PR firms are producing a variety of content, from social media campaigns to white papers and online games, to shape this consumer experience.

     

    Earned media is now making way for owned media, enabling companies to take control of their brand story rather than relying on traditional media. CNBC TV18’s Ghosh said: “A PR agency mirrors the personality of the brand it represents and is a responsible brand custodian. The need for the agency to exhibit immense agility and alertness in today’s dynamic times is critical. As disseminators of information and trends, PR needs to always be several steps ahead and demonstrate thought leadership and innovative solutions that will help differentiate their clients’ marketing efforts in a crowded space.”

     

    Consumer marketing and corporate reputation building will no longer be mutually exclusive as consumers have greater access to information about the companies behind the products they buy.

     

    Globally, we have already seen several brands, such as Volkswagen, McDonald’s, Coca-Cola and Pepsi – as well as non-corporate ‘brands’ such as NASA – using engaging content tailored to their purposes to reach out to stakeholders.

    In India, this is nascent, though automobile-to-software conglomerate Mahindra & Mahindra and the Tata Group have taken an early lead in this.

     

    Businesses with a purpose

    Carol Cone, global practice chair of Edelman Purpose, told the Holmes Report that ‘purpose’, which she defines as “an organisation’s values in action, manifest through a variety of actions ranging from materials sourcing, supply chain partners, CSR reporting, ethics and governance”, will be increasingly important in 2012, with companies focused on how purpose can be “strategically integrated and operationalised” throughout their organisations. This is expected to take on a much larger scale in 2013.

     

    MSLGROUP’s PurPle is one such initiative. The group believes that the meaning of being a good corporate citizen has changed from Green (environment) to Blue (sustainability) to PurPle (purpose + people). Tomorrow’s successful PurPle brands will be the ones that work collaboratively with communities, governments, customers and organisations to co-create solutions to the world’s toughest problems. Moving from corporate social responsibility (CSR) to collaborative social innovation will drive more rapid and meaningful change in society and in business, because with collaboration and co-creation comes shared value and a mutually beneficial shared purpose.

     

    The intersection of three shifts in the business environment has made it imperative for organisations to bring purpose and people together:

    •  Trust deficit: People have access to more information than ever before and there is a lack of organisational trust. In fact, trust in all organisations, including corporations and governments, is at an all-time low. Most organisations realise that corporate reputation and consumer activation are interlinked as consumers become critical of communications campaigns that are not rooted in authentic, long-term commitment.
    • People power: People have new sources of power and many believe that only they can come up with innovative solutions to our most pressing problems, not governments or corporations. Building and communicating purpose-led business strategies must put people and co-creation at the centre.
    • Quest for meaning: People are searching for meaningful connections with communities and organisations around a shared purpose and expect organisations to enable such connections. Organisations need to inspire, organise and energise all stakeholders to collaboratively work towards their shared purpose.

     

    In the Information Age, a product doesn’t always speak for itself. The greater a company’s transparency, the more connected its customers feel. It is this connection that makes consumers believe in a brand.

     

    Liz Kaplow, president of New York’s Kaplow Communications, said in the Holmes Report: “The modern consumer wants to know the brand behind the product and the company behind the brand – and they have the resources to find out. This means that companies now have to ask themselves ‘who are we and what do we stand for?’ Naturally, this has made authentic CSR an integral part of a company’s forward planning and initiatives.

     

    “Authentic CSR means it is integrated into the company’s corporate DNA, so that it is evident in everything the company does. This includes marketing and social media, CEO thought leadership, employee relations, and more. Authentic CSR is not about whitewashing a company’s image. It’s about supporting humanity, being passionate about a cause, and connecting emotionally with consumers who at the end of the day want to know that companies care about the world and the people in it.”

     

    Healthcare

    Healthcare is expanding swiftly in terms of revenue and employment in India. According to ‘Healthcare in India – Emerging Market Report 2007’, authored by PriceWaterhouse Coopers, “during the 1990s, Indian healthcare grew at a compounded annual rate of 16%. Today, the value of the sector is more than $34 billion. This translates to $34 per capita, or roughly 6% of GDP. By 2012, India’s healthcare sector is projected to grow to nearly $40 billion. The private sector accounts for more than 80% of total healthcare spending in India.”

     

    Globally, life expectancy is on the rise and with growing awareness about healthier lifestyles, healthcare products are striking gold. It helps that healthcare is a priority for the government

     

    For PR companies, there lies a great opportunity to partner with healthcare firms – as well as allied verticals, such as diagnostics and pharmaceuticals – to bring about a lifestyle change in customers.

     

    Pascal Beucler, senior vice-president and chief strategy officer, MSLGROUP, wrote: “Firms in the healthcare sector at large need to not only rediscover their social purpose, but to also put it at the core of their businesses, and to consider it when engaging with all stakeholders.”

     

    MSLGROUP recently conducted the survey ‘You Share, We Care!’ that outlined the views of 70 managers across Europe. The importance of digital communications came out strongly in the survey. Managers were aware of its impact on their industry, and believed that companies needed to become storytellers – creating contexts to explain to people what they do, and to highlight the company’s social values. These managers want to become protagonists in the debate about health. The findings showed:

     

    • Nearly two-thirds of the managers interviewed thought that social media offered an opportunity.
    • Most managers believed that the web will dominate healthcare conversations in the future.
    • Patients are key stakeholders in the healthcare ecosystem, thanks to the digital revolution.
    • In this vein, 61 managers out of 70 thought that digital communication offers a great opportunity to help improve medical treatment/therapeutic adherence. Twitter, in particular, can play a role in the dialogue between doctors and patients as it represents a tool for faster connections.
    • Most managers also viewed blogs as important in healthcare communications, potentially impacting how influential doctors and key opinion leaders are on the web.

     

    A corporate communication head (name withheld on request) observed: “Specific to healthcare, there will be more pressure because of changes in the regulations that govern the sector.

     

    Communication will be scrutinised even more and it will be a greater challenge to drive the PR agenda using traditional media.  Building credibility will be tougher than ever.”

     

    If high-level appointments are any indicator, the healthcare opportunity is clearly evident at a global level too. Recently, Shellie Winkler was named as MSLGROUP’s North America practice director for health and corporate practices, while Amanda Sefton was named global healthcare practice director at Ketchum. Meanwhile, US-based Finn Partners launched Finn Partners Health, a dedicated national practice led by Miriam Weber Miller, a 20-year veteran of healthcare marketing and communications.

     

    It won’t be long before high-level appointments are made in India too to lead the healthcare practice.

     

  • So, while PR is about press relations, it is also about influencing the influencer. It's about creating credibility and about credible ways of influencing people to act

    The power of Public Relations: Ajay Kakar

    By Ajay Kakar

     

    As a marketer, we have many communication tools to capitalise on for the advantage of our brands and our business. To me, these ‘weapons’ (advertising, direct marketing, public relations et al) are very akin to a Swiss army knife; you can use any or all of these weapons, depending on the task at hand.

     

    But in my many years at the agency end, with stints in direct marketing, advertising and public relations, and now as a client, I have found “PR” to be the least understood, appreciated and under-leveraged communication weapon – by both the marketing and (believe it or not) agency fraternities in India. And most surprisingly, the PR fraternity too.

     

    As a long standing convert and staunch believer in this discipline, let me share with you my 20-year-old association with the PR discipline and the reasons why I believe that it is arguably the most powerful communications arrow in a marketer’s quiver. Also the reasons why I believe that the discipline has yet not got its full dues.

     

    So here’s the story of my tryst with public relations, or, if I may so say, the story of public relations in India, over the last two decades.

     

    PR, in fact, changed my life!

     

    PR is actually the exotic siren who first tempted me to leave my career in accounting and audit, to venture into the (for me) unfamiliar and untrodden path of communications.

     

    In 1991, I came across an interview in the Business India, with a person called Steve Lyons (I still remember the name!), who was then the head of a company called ‘Ogilvy PR’ in Singapore.  Believe it or not, until then I had never even thought of the advertising world, or even heard of “Ogilvy”.

     

    The article impressed me so much that I immediately searched out the agency’s address and cold-called the then-MD of Ogilvy and Mather, India, Mr. Mani Aiyer, hoping for a break in his PR unit.

     

    Hearing my motivation for joining PR, he tried to temper my new found passion, but having gauged me as a person who was not going to be swayed easily, he had me meet the head of Ogilvy PR in India. And that meeting shattered all my dreams and illusions.

     

    In 1991, PR, in India was nothing more than “Press Relations” – getting media coverage…lots of it…at any cost.

     

    Dejected, I decided not to pursue this temptress. And when I went back to Mr. Aiyer to thank him for his time, he actually offered me a job in advertising. Needless to say, he made a passionate pitch that swept me off my feet. And on May 2, 2001, I became an employee of Ogilvy & Mather (though not Ogilvy Public Relations).

     

    But fate was not going to let me off the hook, so easily.

     

    In 2003 I was invited to take on an additional mandate at Ogilvy, as the country head of Ogilvy Public Relations, in India. Before the end of 2004, I was the president of the industry body, Public Relations Consultants Association of India. And in 2005 I had switched over to the other side, the client side, where I became an active user of PR.

     

    And today, as 2011 comes to an end and 2012 draws near…

     

    Two decades have passed, but ‘PR’ remains mere press relations – in the minds of the practitioners – be they the PR professionals, or their user base.  Of course there may be a few exceptions. But these are far and apart. “PR = press relations” is all that we care to believe. Unless….

    In moments of need, even atheists are tempted to remember God. …. “Forgive me father, for I have sinned”. And when brands have ‘sinned’ or find themselves in a tight spot, they have reached out for public relations and found this discipline to be a saviour.

     

    As an example, just remember the days when colas were synonymous with pesticide and you will know what I am referring to.

     

    But back to any ordinary day….

    At Ogilvy, I recollect instances when I presented a Rs5 crore estimate to a client for an advertising campaign (do remember that in the mid-90s this was a princely sum) and got an instant sign off. And then when I wore my PR hat and asked for a Rs5,000 pm hike in fee from the same client (do remember that even in the mid-90s, this was a meagre sum), the client would wear a thinking hat, but refuse to lift his pen to sign on the dotted line…and finally it used to boil down to… “But you guys make so much from us on advertising. So why do you need to be paid, for PR!”

     

    These instances would leave indelible marks of pain on my professional pride. But looking back at all such instances, I realised that I had to ‘forgive them, for they knew not what they did’. Because they knew not what PR is and what role PR can play in their lives and the lives of their brands.

     

    So it was the number of clips that we were measured by. Else, the column centimetres of editorial coverage. Or the rupee value of the editorial coverage. Or the coverage we got (or did not) for the client’s son’s sports day. Media coverage. Media coverage. Media coverage.

     

    This was and still is a malaise that ails the PR industry inIndia. And some parts of the world.

     

    What is PR? What are the key deliverables one should expect? How should the impact of PR be measured? How would you like to substantiate your proposed fee or fee hike?

    Ask 5 practitioners this question and in all probability you will get atleast 6 (different) responses. So as a client, how do I value or respect a ‘good thing’ when I don’t even know what it is! Or how to measure it!

     

    This has been a burning need for the industry to rally around and define and ‘standardise’ expectations, industry-wide definitions and measures. But two decades later, the questions remain the same. And there is yet no answer. No understanding. No empathy.

     

    So while the PR industry keeps asking “why are we paid peanuts”, the user industry keeps answering “because we (think we) are getting monkeys”. This never ending coffee-toffee debate needs a closure. Soon. And I do appeal to the industry to claim their rightful place under the sun. At the earliest. By first addressing the basics. The questions that we cannot wish away. And then, of course, delivering on them.

     

    Until then, it is to our collective disadvantage that PR is considered a mere commodity. And we are seen as under cutting each other to win mandates. These mandates are soon lost, when the client is not in a position to evaluate or measure our success. Or the lack of it.

     

    The client base of the public relations industry is increasing by the day (there will never ever be a shortage of clients). But the number of satisfied clients? The number of clients making use of, and benefiting from PR in all its glory? Who is counting!  And therefore it hurts the believers, when India wins a PR Lion at Cannes. Because it has been won by an ad agency! Not a PR agency.

     

    So is there mere gloom and doom in the PR industry? Not at all!

     

    There are various case studies where PR has hit the bull’s eye and demonstrated it’s true potential and power. Let’s visit some of these and take inspiration from them.

     

    Today’s exceptions, tomorrow’s rule…

    It would be right to cite a few examples here that could redefine the way PR is perceived.

    We all know of John Travolta as an actor, singer, dancer but do you know that he is also a licensed pilot? So when Qantas, the airline from ‘down under’Australia, wanted to reach out to as a relevant airline for European markets, they actually got John Travolta to fly their planes to these destinations. The kind of coverage that this exercise got in local as well as world media was mind-boggling. So Qantas used this “a facet of John that you did not know”, to express “a facet of Qantas that you did not know”.

     

    Cadbury’s was hit by a crisis – the worm infestation case – that nearly threatened the very existence of the brand in India, as mothers questioned their generations of trust in Cadbury’s chocolates. At Ogilvy PR I had the opportunity to partner this iconic brand and their leadership team on the exercise that is now a case study for Cadbury’s, worlwide.

    Customers. Channel. Influencers. Regulators. Government. Employees…all these key stakeholders had to be reached out to, repeatedly and regularly. And the media was only one of the bridges to reach out to them. It was “public” relations at play. And not mere ‘press’ relations.

    Today Cadburys keeps scaling greater highs. It not only won back the trust of a nation. But also its loyal customer base and their sales graph. And this incident appears to be a distant dream. But in those days, every day appeared to be like a never ending nightmare.

    As an agency and team, we had the opportunity to get into the hearts and minds of the senior management team on an ‘online real time’ basis. Every day. For weeks.

     

    Gillette is another company that has realised and capitalised on the power of PR, year after year. You will remember their W.A.L.S (Women Against Lazy Stubble) campaign. And now the Shavesutra campaign.  Their movement has resulted in 12.2 million Indians casting their vote for a clean shave. It also led to rise in sales and popularity of the product and also bagged numerous awards…their sales going up by 500 per cent, market share up by 400 per cent, an entry in the Guinness book of records…and over $ 2.5 million worth of free media coverage.

     

    The Body Shop is another classic example of a brand that has enjoyed the favours of PR. No advertising. And still, it’s a global brand with very strong bondings with its consumers, as an eco friendly company.

     

    Or, the mother of all “PR” campaigns… Mahatma Gandhi’s freedom struggle. He influenced an entire nation to realise the power of self rule… and got ‘results’ in the form of India’s Independence.

     

    So, while PR is about press relations, it is also about influencing the influencer. It’s about creating credibility and about credible ways of influencing people to act. It is not only about journalists but about customers, employees, shareholders, channel partners and other key stakeholder’s perceptions management. It is a weapon that can do wonders in not only the brand’s good times, but more so in the bad times too. It can give business solutions and tangible results.

     

    So if you ask me, PR is about ‘Public’ and not ‘Press’ relations. It is about ideas that influence and engage my ‘public’ and something that has a multiplier effect. The credible way. And my belief is that if you capture the right essence of PR, you will not need to chase the media. The media will come chasing you.

     

    From a client’s perspective, if my PR agency helps me achieve my KRAs in a simpler, cheaper and faster way, then why will I not chase you? If as clients, we earn a fixed and variable salary, then why shouldn’t my PR agency also be assessed and remunerated that way? And that the variable component should be based on tangible results.  My belief is that this is one industry where the potential of an agency’s variable earnings outstripping the fixed component is very high.

     

    If PR can demonstrate how it can help me increase my profits, customer base and revenues, in short help me achieve  my KRAs, then forget peanuts, I weigh them in “gold”.

     

    Towards this destination, two points to ponder:

    • We need talent that can deliver on this potential. Talent that can claim to be a “strategic counsel”. Talent that only handles the number of clients it can give the requisite attention to.  Today, when it comes to advertising, we can even put faces to the next generation of the industry.
    • There is so much (though still inadequate) talent. But when it comes to the PR industry? I am sure that we have many unsung heroes – be they agencies, professionals or success stories. Can the PR industry do its own PR, so that we all have role models that inspire us and we aspire to emulate?

     

    Ajay Kakar is CMO – Financial Services, Aditya Birla Group