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Tag: Siddhartha Mukherjee

  • The reality remains that for the world outside, PR is still not a very friendly and constructive term with a a lot of negativity aligned to it, writes Siddhartha Mukherjee

    Siddhartha Mukherjee: Should PR be renamed?

    By Siddhartha Mukherjee

     

    he world outside our Public Relations and Corporate Communications ondustry is much larger, wider and deeper! Not only that, it is this industry outside that is the bread provider for us professionals. However, for this world outside, the term ‘PR’ is still a strange, funny and frivolous term. Even today, despite all the good brand-building work we have done for clients and the respectability we have tried to bring to this profession, for this external world, with every utterance of this term, it continues to bring words and feelings to the fore such as – wine and dine, fix, spin, hide, twist, jugaad, plug, etc.  Are there any more such words or connect that come to you mind? Try it out!

     

    Despite all the self-gratification initiatives we keep undertaking for ourselves within our PR & Corporate Communications industry, the reality remains that for the world outside, PR is still not a very friendly and constructive term. There is still a lot of negativity aligned to it. This was one of the basic things I had mentioned when I first coined and campaigned for “PR needs PR” (by the way, it’s good to see this tagline getting used and quoted by other individuals and industry forums).

     

    Is the current Industry to be blamed for this reality? Absolutely not! It is purely a matter of our past. It is a matter of legacy that we have inherited… what our erstwhile industry captains, corporate communication chiefs and PR agencies did in the past. In fact, the reality is that despite all the hard and good work done by this current generation of professionals, the Industry at large is still finding it difficult to erase the old, negative association of this word.

     

    The thought or idea of renaming PR came up because so far, we, as an Industry, have not really done anything substantial to recreate the imagery of PR Tool and the Industry for the outside world. The core industry requirement of PR needs PR has been an abysmal failure. Whatever little we have done has been very inward looking and myopic. That is precisely the reason why, for decades now, client investments have been slow, quality talent inflow has been slower.

     

    Is renaming PR a better alternative? Probably, probably not! The only advantage of renaming it is that we can shed off the historic baggage that the term PR has been carrying for decades on its shoulders! For our Industry’s engine to chug along smoothly, its elementary wherewithal has to be addressed and kept intact.

     

    While we are expected to preach image management to our clients, what are we doing to our own Brand’s image?

     

    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.

     

  • The time to form one and create cohesion between service providers and takers, ensure standardisation and nurture organic growth for the Indian PR and Corporate Communications Industry, writes Siddhartha Mukherjee

    Siddhartha Mukherjee: India needs a Central Association of Corporate Communicators!

    By Siddhartha Mukherjee

     

    I would love to hear the reasons why our Indian PR and Corporate Communications Industry still does not have a central, neutral and well-epresented association/body of service takers – Corporate Communicators of India Inc.

     

    Notwithstanding whatever the reasons or excuses which did exist in the past, I feel, now is the right time to form one and create cohesion between service providers and takers, ensure standardisation and nurture organic growth for the Indian PR and Corporate Communications Industry.

     

    Here are some quick thoughts on how this would benefit the PR & CorpComm Industry:

    1. Gives a structure and shape to what the DEMAND is: For around the last three decades, the industry has largely seen the SUPPLY side. During this period, the PR agency firms have offered what they thought would be the right fit and mix of solutions India’s Corporate Communicators would need. However, I am not sure if the service takers would give a confident thumbs-up to all that they have been supplied with! Creating a central and neutral Corporate Communications Association (CCA) would converge and charter all the requirements of India’s Corporate Communications fraternity. Basis this, PR Agency Associations can decide on creating the blue print for their representatives.

     

    2. PR Agencies get to work on the SUPPLY Blue Print: The PR Agency Industry has often faced operational hurdles. However, if DEMAND charter becomes clear, courtesy the central CCA, a lot of operational hurdles should be ironed out:

    a. The types of service offerings a PR Agency firm should try and specialize in

    b. The Quality of Talent Pool the PR Agency needs to nurture

    c. What the yardsticks of a satisfactory service delivery should be

    d. The ethics, do’s and don’ts of service delivery

    e. If not a rate card, but some estimation of costs or fee structure that the Clients should be charged for specific service

    f. A centralised PR Evaluation, Measurement & Audit system

     

    3. Share, Learn, Raise the Benchmark!:  I do know that many Corporate Communicators across the client corridors are actually doing some amazing brand building work – both for their Internal and External stakeholders. It is not just media relations. Not only are their media relations being scientifically crafted, they are creating brands and also providing very scientific sustenance to it week on week, month on month, across markets. However, the learnings, if at all there are, are relegated to a very few. A central CCA type of initiative will enable a wider audience to educate, share and raise Industry’s benchmark.

     

    4. Current pattern of Industry Awards and Acknowledgements will see an Improvement: We have quite a few awards and acknowledgements. I guess more will get created. However, I feel the real authenticity of such Awards and Acknowledgements will come if it gets created and mentored by the Service takers – CCA! Self gratification has not helped the PR Agency Industry much!

     

    5. PR & Corporate Communications Profession will get a nudge in the HR Industry: Do people or the industry outside ours know that PR and Corporate Communications Industry is a very formal, recognised and attractive job sector to work for? Do campuses across India acknowledge this? Do faculties look at Corporate Communicators to interact with? Do Management and Communication Institutes consult our Industry on the type of course curriculum they should inculcate? India’s central Corporate Communication Association can help bring a method, identification and direction for all these questions?

     

    A central Corporate Communication Association (CCA) is a concept. What we call it is secondary. The important point is that it should be done fast. It should be inclusive and should follow the thumb rule of For the Industry, Of the Industry and By the Industry. It will work wonders for us. Many things will get ironed out ones the DEMAND side is taken care of and centralised. However the question is, which corridor of Corporate Communicators acknowledges this and makes the first move!

     

    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.

     

     

  • Siddhartha Mukherjee lists possible tactical and strategic demands that may come from clients in 2016

    Siddhartha Mukherjee: PR Industry’s Key Challenge in 2016: Bridge the Gap between Demand & Supply

    By Siddhartha Mukherjee

     

    It will be interesting if our Public Relations industry were to revisit the basic principles of Economics – Demand & Supply. For years now, the suppliers, the PR Firms/Agencies, have always supplied what they thought will be the quantity and quality of demand by the clients. For the same period, clients, on the other hand, have always believed that their demands were not completely understood and therefore never met. On a different note, rarely has there been an effort towards comprehensive reconciliation by the two sides.

     

    Let us hope that the twain shall meet some day. For the moment, let us focus on the possible demands – some tactical, some strategic – that may come from the clients in 2016. More importantly, are there ways in which suppliers (PR Agencies) can meet those demands.

     

    TACTICAL:

    1. Be punctual; Come for Office Meetings on Time: While I do know of some agencies where they follow very strict punctuality protocols, by and large, however, the general perception prevails that punctuality is a rarity in our Industry. Respecting timelines, honouring start and end time allotted for meetings, etc. form one of the first basic or elementary requirements by clients.

     

    2. Be presentable: Fashion is good. Experimenting with Fashion is interesting. However, that need not border towards shabbiness or indecent attire. Let us not forget that a large part of the Industry Clientele, who occupy important Chairs within Client organizations, have risen the corporate ladder through sheer hard work, dirtying their hands, humility and discipline – work attire being one of them.

     

    3. Be well-prepared – anytime, everytime: The conundrum of PR Agency vs Consultancy may come to halt by this basic tactical move. Orienting and Training the Client Servicing to think and converse as Client partners and not agents or fixers. The ability to ask the right questions and get the right brief often works miracles.

     

    4. Think beyond Press Releases; 1-on-1s and Conferences: It is not necessary that a Client’s right from its Agency or the latter’s duty towards the Client is restricted within the realms of Media Relations. Think of ways in which Clients Brand will get better exposure, scientific engagement and effective conversion by its Target Audience. You may think of solutions from the overall domain of Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC).

     

    5. Database Management should go beyond Media List and Ad rates: Why can’t my Agency maintain database that extends beyond Publication/Journalist details to Household level data, Media Penetration, Brand Saliency, Consumption Behaviour, etc.

     

    STRATEGIC:

    1. Don’t talk EAVs; Tell me something new: My ROIs from Advertising are coming down. My dependency on Earned Media/PR, ideally, should go up. However, the current unit of measurement, EAVs, is not helping me beyond self gratification and making my some of my internal desks happy. I am not getting a sense of how it is impacting my brand or the business at large. Can there be other yardsticks and unit of measurement to achieve this purpose?

     

    2. Correlate PR with the nodes of Communication Cycle: Establish the correlation of PR effort with Brand Exposure, Engagement and Conversion.

     

    3. Infuse Account & Media Planning into PR: Planning is not just about sprinkling Client’s monthly plans with some 1 on 1s, Press Conferences and Media Releases. Sadly, even today, some of the largest PR Agencies continue to speak this language of – “…ok, lets get a cover story in a magazine done!”I have never been able to fathom how does this help the client and why do clients encourage such below average approach? Planning is an elaborate process that includes modules of listening, benchmarking, target setting, audit etc.

     

    4. Can we Fortify or Strengthen the Client-PR Firm relationship: If PR and PR Firms are expected to partner Client growth, there has to be a way towards strengthening and creating long term marriages. While it is a rarity nowadays, however, the PR Agencies will have to position themselves as Long Term partners.

     

    5. PR and IMC’s interplay: As a Client, internally within my Organization, I will never look at PR in isolation. It is one of the triggers or stimuli or touchpoints for my brand and its target audience sets. How can PR work in tandem with other IMC dynamics.

     

    6. Can Research be infused into or support PR: Well, Research in Public Relations is an ocean. It can be applied at every step – Listening, Planning, Benchmarking, Target setting, Outcome…well sky is the limit.

     

    7. How can Measurement & Audit help me justify my PR efforts: Well, a simple yet effective starting point has to be – why do you do PR? One may not believe till they see it! Amazing measurement and audit grids fall in place that can not only reposition Corp Comm on to a pedestal within Client Organization but also bind the Client and its PR Agency into a healthy long term marriage!

     

    8. Is PR Monitoring/Tracking same as PR Research and Audit: There has always been a difference and right fully so. PR Monitoring and Tracking is tactical. News (Aaj ki taaza khabar) is a commodity. Whether it affects your plans, your long term targets, your brand objectives, your media relations dynamics, competition moves, nothing of these can be gauged through this tactical service. For these and others, such as – budget planning, positioning, key messages, prioritisation, etc. – Research and Audit is key! Research & Audit is for CXOs utility.

     

    The challenges of 2016 need specific attention. Best if we start with the tactical ones. They are easy to achieve and in a much shorter time. More so, they are internal in nature. Strategic ones are slow burners and will need a lot of external synergies with various corridors of the Industry.

     

    Demand needs to be collated and documented. On whether Suppliers can meet those demands, well, I know of many isolated cases where some PR Agencies have over delivered beyond a Client’s imagination! It is just a matter of sharing those practices and making it a mass movement!

     

    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.

     

  • The Media & Entertainment sector and the TV Industry specifically is a high maintenance category, writes Siddhartha Mukherjee

    Siddhartha Mukherjee: MARCOMM PR: TV Industry offers Learnings!

    By Siddhartha Mukherjee

     

    The PR and Corporate Communication professionals working for and in the TV Channels – especially for categories such as GEC, Movies, Sports, etc. – are doing fabulous work in the space of MarComm PR. In fact, their work on Programme/ Product PR management can lend learnings for the Non-Broadcast Industry.

     

    On an average, a non-broadcast or non-media and entertainment sector, has 70-80% of its overall PR output contributed through Product PR. This means, the rest 20-30% represents news across various aspect of Corporate Brand dynamics such as Corporate Image, Human Resource, Finance, Government Affairs, CSR etc.

     

    However, in the TV Channel space, the Product or Programme PR contribution is a whopping 90-95% of the overall PR coverage output. Well, as a passing mention, this has two implications – a) Focus on Corporate Brand of the Channel is less. However, with eventual digitization, this negligence on Corporate Brand PR is bound to change soon b) Programme/Product PR is very dynamic and works on a very disciplined mechanism of Pre-During-Post communications push.

     

    What makes TV Programme PR such a wonderful case study for our professionals on what an ideal MARCOMM PR can be? A quick look:

    1. Responsibility does not end with TV Programme Launch PR: The job of TV Programme PR doesnot end with just the launch or media announcement of the Programme. That is one part. The second and real challenge is to do PR to sustain TV viewer’s interest to continue watching the programme, day on day, week on week.

     

    2. Probably the only Industry vertical where PR effort is getting equated with Input, Output (PR Scores) and Outcome (TV Viewership): While the rest of the Industry is yet to start galloping on the concept of equating PR efforts with Outcome objectives such as sales queries, sampling, sales etc., the TV Industry did the crossover to equating PR efforts to sampling and sales (viewership numbers) many years back.

     

    3. Programme PR, typically, is a Print supplement or weekend reading: It is not as easy as it looks. Getting TV content news published in limited available editorial space is a matter of big challenge. To explain the challenge, if you look at any single Hindi General Entertainment Channel (HGEC), it has to maintain the viewer interest of at least 6-8 on-air programmes. Over and above this, they look at 1-2 new programme launches every month. That makes the total of about 8-10 programmes (product) requiring PR push. Even if one were to prioritise from this, roughly, on an average, at least 4 programme brands need PR push. To get this in a limited supplement and/ or weekend space needs a long haul.

     

    4. Rare platforms on TV Channels: TV Channels, nowadays, rarely provide any platform for brand-building or marketing purposes in its true sense. As compared to a small (news space) contribution being given to Non-Broadcasting or Non-Media & Entertainment Industry verticals, the contribution towards TV Program PR is miniscule.

     

    5. Unlike Toothpastes or Cars or Insurance policies, TV Programme sales happens every day: Elaborating on the sustenance part mentioned earlier, new/fresh programmes are meant to be sampled and consumed (viewed) everyday. Every single day, the dynamics of sales push and purchase take place. Unlike other categories where sales happen ones a week or month or more, TV programme PR push for programme sampling ever y single day. Creating scientifically planned and mapped PR news stimuli every day or every week is tough challenge. This requires tremendous discipline and manoeuvring skills.

     

    If we dig deeper, we will find more such salient features. The Media & Entertainment sector, TV Industry specifically, is a high maintenance category. It guzzles up a lot of communications, through the year. Let us not categorise it as a Light, Easy Going & Entertaining industry category. There is in fact, a lot of hard work, discipline and planning. It is one of the very sectors where Marcomm PR has happily taken to being brought under the ROI scanner.

     

    Marcomm PR in TV Industry offers wonderful learnings and case studies for various B2C industry verticals.

     

    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.

     

  • Getting your PR communication initiatives measured regularly and audited by a third party is certainly for the Brave Hearted, by Siddhartha Mukherjee

    Siddhartha Mukherjee: PR Measurement & Audit is for the Bravehearted

    By Siddhartha Mukherjee

     

    When I joined our Industry close to two decades ago, I was made to believe that the PR Agency role is about PR Planning and Execution. PR Measurement, if at all, was by Self or the Agency itself. Also, it started and ended with putting an Advertising Monetary value to it.

     

    While I am not very sure where the PR Agency stands on the Brand ‘Planning’ bit, we have done a great job of the PR ‘Execution’ segment. The core point, however, is on the last segment – Self Measurement or Evaluation. Has the importance of evaluation/ ROI measurement and audit grown? Have some of us misinterpreted and exchanged self-evaluation with self-gratification?

     

    Parallely, on the client side, with the ROI dagger dangling on the heads of CCO, CMO and other CXOs, becoming heavier and sharper, Clients have started questioning the very rationale of examiner being the same as the student and vice versa.

     

    Getting your PR communication initiatives measured regularly and audited by a third party is certainly for the Bravehearted. Why should it be? After all, this exercise requires guts and the ability to hear a spade being called spade. It requires the ability to get evaluated on the basis of this third party data. Not only that, sometimes, even affect your performance bonus payouts. Lastly, it requires the approach of looking at the fee being paid to the Measurement partner as an investment and not a cost.

     

    Having said that, its heartwarming to see a surge in such Clients who have started believing that their (monthly) PR Communications efforts ought to get measured and audited not by someone internal, not by their Agency, but by someone external & neutral – who understand the client’s business, its agency and a brand’s communication dynamics within the overall IMC mix. They have proven that they are the bravehearts!

     

    I fully acknowledge that adopting or initiating PR Measurement and Audit within an organisation’s communication framework requires a lot of patience, change and sacrifice. It is not at all easy! Also, I am aware that a lot of bravehearts are trying their best to initiate or start that process internally…but taking time.

     

    Being a braveheart need not be just about what one has been able to do or implement. It is more of a state of mind. It is more about intent and thought process – what you plan or wish to do.

     

    Basis my interactions with a cross-section of individuals across the industry, there can be a permutation or combination of some traits or thought processes that differentiates one as a brave heart. One, who believes in the exhaustive process of organisation’s PR Communication Management process being partnered by a third party, neutral measurement and audit service provider:

     

    1. Differentiates Brand Saliency from Chasing News Space: The Client believes that PR is not for Advertising value but for creating and strengthening Brand Acceptance and Tolerance.

     

    2. Differentiates & Respects Individual Roles & Functions: The Client believes that roles and expectations cannot be mixed or interchanged. Clients (CEO, CMO & CXOs) should focus on defining the Business & Communication Objectives. PR Agency should strengthen the Communication Objectives and execute the PR ideas. Third Party, Neutral Measurement & Audit service provider should provide the service they are meant to. One should not influence the other beyond the permissible limits.

     

    3. All three Custodians work together, not in Isolation: In continuation to the above, Client believes that all the above three custodians should focus and work on their given roles together, Inclusion in other words…not in isolation or Exclusion. It should be a regular, monthly phenomenon.

     

    4. Differentiates PR Tracking from Measurement & Audit: The Client can identify the huge and obvious difference between PR (Daily) Tracking/Monitoring Vs PR Measurement & Audit.

     

    5. Replaces Advertising Value with Scientific Unit of Measurement: The Client ensures that slowly and eventually, the use of EAVs/AVEs, during the course of discussion with CMOs, HeadsHesjBrand or Business Heads, or with the PR Agencies, ceases to exist.

     

    6. Uses Measurement & Audit as a Client-Agency relationship fortification process: The Client sees the role of PR Measurement & Audit partner as someone who will fortify the Client-PR Agency relationship and not that of Roman Agent.

     

    7. Encourages and Helps Agency to deep dive into Data: Client encourages its PR Agency to use as much data to research and analyze. Not only that, they use it to Plan and Deliver.

     

    8. Uses Measurement to Evaluate Machinery: When PR & Communications function is evaluated on the basis of data provided the neutral PR & Audit service provider.

     

    9. Knows he/she can benefit or lose out on Performance Incentives: Acknowledges service as The Client acknowledges that there could be times, when basis the data, his/her Performance incentives may get positively or negatively impacted.

     

    10. Only way of doing scientific PR for PR: The Client genuinely believes that this is the only way can do PR for his/her team’s efforts with the non-PR customers internally within the Organisation.

     

    Breaking the convention of playing safe, evaluation through a neutral/ third party, letting your department’s appraisal be governed by third party data, changing the rules and expectations from your PR Agency…all these and many more, requires one to be a braveheart. The change is not easy. The good news is that I am seeing more such brave hearts…keeps me going and signals at a faster and sharper Industry growth going forward.

     

    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. 

     

  • …but only when it is Inclusive and Scientific, writes Siddhartha Mukherjee

    Siddhartha Mukherjee: PR is your Brand’s Immunity Pin from Intolerance

    By Siddhartha Mukherjee

     

    Honestly, during the last four decades of my existence as an earthling, nothing has made me ponder over the twin topics of ‘Tolerance’ & ‘Intolerance’ more,  as much as what happened over the last couple of months – terrorism, returning of awards, international perspective about India etc. In fact, thanks to our News Industry’s exhaustive campaign on this subject, it made me think about a topic much closer to our home turf – where we are directly responsible for (our/client’s) brand creation and safeguarding it from any damage from unexpected corners. It is about safe guarding our brands from intolerance.

     

    “What do these all add up to?” – was a discussion I was having with a client. After all the brand communication efforts and investments across Corp Comm and Marcomm, do these really create sound immunity for our brands? India is a market that is known for one of the highest number and types of crisis brands go through – thanks to the political, social, economic dynamics that surround us. Despite all that we do, how can we create tolerance for our brands within its ecosystem?

     

    As brand creators, when we build a plan, how many times do we start (working backwards) with a basic question of: How to make my brand immune from intolerance? How to make sure that we minimise, as much as possible, the various reasons stakeholders (Government, employees, distributors, investors, suppliers, social observers, consumers, etc.) may have for intolerance towards my brand. That, in other words, people show their keenness to buy, they buy and keep on buying my brand – despite various reasons for crisis and resistance.

     

    Does a noodle, automobile or a chocolate brand (or even a political brand for that matter) have the immunity (pin) from intolerance…intolerance from consumers, government, activists etc. Does it have the spring to bounce back amidst the Indian ecosystem infested by crisis creators or catalysts? Wherever the answer is unclear, a diagnosis that will be evident is that the brand in discussion (and its management) never used Public Relations in its true sense.

     

    Public Relations, in its truest sense, by definition, has all the wherewithal to create a robust Immunity Pin for a Brand. It has the potential to immune (crisis proof) every single function and sub-function across the organisation and also partner you towards crisis preparedness. Of course, the precondition being that this function is included and involved in all on-going business planning and operations – HR, Finance, Manufacturing, Suppliers, Government, Social etc.

     

    Below are some reasons:

    1. 1. PR is flexible to address every Stakeholder: That makes it our truest and holistic Brand Reputation custodian
    2. 2. It has a wonderful agility to synergise Business (Corporate & Marketing) objectives with a holistic Communication objective. Here is where, if given the freedom, it will involve ATL initiatives and synergise it with Corporate Communications initiatives.
    3. 3. Known as the storyteller, Public Relations has the ability to create empathy for a brand.
    4. 4. Being an earned media tool, it has the ability to insulate the brand, through the year, even during the absence of ATL.
    5. 5. It strategically synergises Internal and External communications
    6. 6. It has the ability to read and understand the pulse of (changing) public(s) behaviour
    7. 7. It has the ability to partner Business and Departmental heads in creating crisis proof Business and Operation touchpoints for across stakeholders
    8. 8. PR is the only tool that can influence and synergise the responses of Primary (Stakeholders) and Secondary (Media) audiences. This is a very significant aspect that makes it the Communication and Reputation Management tool of the future.
    9. 9. While ATL is largely aimed at taking care of business revenues, PR function ensures that ATL works well on the consumers and the other stakeholders.
    10. 10. During damage control, Public Relations is the only tool that lends credibility, empathy and reconsideration to the client brand and creates a platform for it to bounce back.

     

    Notwithstanding whether the brand represents an FMCG, Automobile, Country, Financial or a Political product, amidst growing intolerance, the only way to secure or immune your brand from intolerance is to deploy Public Relations into the central mainframe of the Organization’s behaviour and function. Our brand planning needs to work backwards, assuming that there will be more of Business Not As Usual (BNAU) months. How does our brand withstand the onslaught from various and unexpected corners?

     

    We can only hope that the future is not about growing intolerance. If otherwise, Public Relations is the actual ally for your brand immunity in the future.

     

    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.

     

     

  • To maintain our image, we must ensure that these award sessions should not end up being perceived as self-gratification platforms for PR agencies, writes Siddhartha Mukherjee

    Siddhartha Mukherjee: PR Awards: Push for Effectiveness over Creativity

    By Siddhartha Mukherjee

     

    It is heartening to see the increase in the number of PR Industry Awards around us. Good development! Acts as a much needed motivation booster doze for PR Agency professionals. However, when you step back and take stock of the Big Picture, am not sure if this is helping the PR Industry and its professionals, the way it ideally should, in the long run.

     

    If you look at most of the entry nominations, one is not always sure if one is to evaluate the creativity or effectiveness aspect. More so, due to lack of authentic, holistic or any data on effectiveness, our judgement gets influenced by the creativity quotient.

     

    To start with, the purpose behind PR Industry Awards can be as follows:

    • Window for the work done by PR Agencies…does act as PR For PR
    • Great recognition time for the Faces behind the Hard Work
    • Last but not the least, acts as a Good perk for Agency professionals

     

    However, for me, a very important element missing in the charter, above, is to show that PR works…it delivers for the brand and the clients. For our industry, the immediate need of the hour is to showcase effectiveness to the clients and external world. To maintain our image, we must ensure that these award sessions should not end up being perceived as self-gratification platforms for PR agencies.

     

    Here is where award initiatives need to quickly move their emphasis from Creativity to Effectiveness.

     

    Below are some quick thoughts on PR Awards going forward:

    1. Create separate awards for PR Creativity vs Effectiveness awards

     

    2. Set clear parameters of Creativeness & Effectiveness

     

    3. Involve PR Consultancies (through its Association), Clients (Indian Society of Advertisers or Association of Corporate Communication Heads could be a good start) and neutral PR Auditors to accredit the systems and processes of evaluation.

     

    4. Especially on the PR Effectiveness awards, best will be if nominations are sent by the Client and its PR Agency jointly rather than nominations being filed only by the Agency.

     

    5. While this will create the much needed client interest and ownership of such events, this will also ensure that there is enough and scientific data to establish Effectiveness. That should ideally be mandatory.

     

    6. Effectiveness should not be about advertising value, number of clips or space occupied in the news/editorial section etc. It should rather be about what the PR effort did to the brand and the client’s business, both during ‘Business As Usual’ or ‘Business Not As Usual’. Each of these should be quantifiable.

     

    Awards are great platforms to create branding and flagship for our Industry. However, the raison de etré of the awards should be constructed in a way so that it elevates and strengthens PR Tool and its professionals organically. It should not just be momentary gratification avenues but provide acknowledgement platforms to clients and brand custodians.

     

    Siddhartha Mukherjee is a senior PR industry professional and Senior Vice President, Eikona – Earned Media Planning, Audit and Advisory. The views expressed here are his own.

     

  • Why 2015 Dassera marks a new beginning for PR industry professionals

    Siddhartha Mukherjee: Humility & Quality wins over ‘Dude’ Culture

    By Siddhartha Mukherjee

     

    “Why do you want to take up a job in PR Industry?’, a common question a lot of us ask while interviewing candidates. Pronto comes a common answer:  “ …because I like meeting people.” For those who find this response completely normal and healthy, I don’t want to comment any further. This particular column is not for them. However, for those who find this to be a wrong signal or symptom, my response will be – Let’s Talk!

     

    Till recent times, interviewing candidates used to be a harrowing experience. The various audio and visual symptoms/ signals candidates from PR Agencies, Corporate Communications etc would display have often made me wonder if our Industry’s so called talent pool will be spelling its doomsday.

     

    While ‘Jugaad/Fixing’, unfortunately though, still continues to be the core ideology behind certain clients hiring PR services, the good news, however, is that a large part of the client set have started gathering around he the need to build brands, nothing short of it. To meet such expectations, PR firms have started attracting “Quality, Well qualified and Humble” talent pool – specifically those who understand brands. Those who do not believe that meeting people or journalists is the mainstay of this business. Those who understand that Public Relations is all about Input, Output and a final Outcome. And that this business requires research and a very systematic measurement/ appraisal system.

     

    Our PR firms are trying their best to take a positive U-turn, as fast as possible. They are doing everything possible to attract and sustain them with rigorous training processes. They are making it clear to their teams that client servicing is no longer meeting, fixing or just a press release exercise. In short, life is not going to be the same!

     

    Dassera 2015 marks our Industry’s beginning of the victory march over the following ten evils or hurdles that was stopping our professionals transform from jugaadus/ fixers to brand-building partners:

     

    1. Agency Professionals have started Reaching Client Meetings on Time: There was a time when the Client Servicing teams of PR Firms were (ill) reputed to never reach on time. Despite pre-decided meeting schedule, clients (corporate communications and its internal customers) have been kept waiting for the (grand) agency team to reach the meeting venue at their own leisure and convenient time. Today, amazing examples of punctuality are being displayed by teams across Agencies.

    2. Agency team is well-prepared for the meeting: For most of the agencies and their team members, the answer to the core question of why the client is doing PR remained a grey area. More so, no one wanted to know the answer. Attendance in meetings was a customary formality. Preparations through research, Asking the right questions, Presenting a scientific plan, etc was a rarity. Today, however, client servicing teams are coming well-prepared. They are asking the right questions, working out a crisp brief, and clearly working out the blocks of Input, Output and Outcome. They know that they have to move the cheese and that they are accountable towards an objective!

    3. Agency team is geared up to meet CXOs: As a continuation from the above, PR firms are getting more reasons and opportunities to meet the CXOs. Earlier, owing to their typical traits of punctuality and (lack of) preparedness, the corporate communications team wasn’t so sure of introducing the agency to his/ her internal CXO customers. Today, that hesitation is slowly fading away.

    4. Agencies are opening up to working with External & Neutral PR Research & Measurement firms: There was a time, when external and neutral PR research and measurement firms were considered as Roman agents by many PR firms. Today, that thought process is drastically fading away. They are opening up to working with such firms not only towards various possibilities of research but also in terms of getting their client work measured and audited.

    5. Clients allocating higher budgets to PR Tool: That paid media (ads and sponsorships) have started delivering declining ROIs is becoming an increasingly known fact. No wonder then, CXOs are being forced to depend equally (if not more) on Earned Media/PR initiatives. Monies are being allocated accordingly. A down-the-line beneficiary of this should be the PR Agency talent pool.

    6. Corp Comm gaining importance over Marcom: Generally speaking, at one point of time, PR industry was known as the product launch machinery. Marcom used to rule the roost. In today’s Reputation Economy, CorpComm and corporate brand is taking centre stage. PR Firms and their talent pool are having to transition accordingly.

    7. Clients are preparing detailed, scientific briefs for PR Agency Teams: Yes, the flipside of all this is that CorpComm teams are getting better and timely briefs from internal CXOs. This, relatively better, brief is bring passed on to their agencies for better ideation and implementation.

    8. Clients hiring and firing of Agencies becoming more stringent: Gone are the days when PR agencies would cakewalk into a new client business with just a credentials presentation. So is the case with clients firing agencies. Recruitment of an agency and firing it is no longer that easy. Stringent metrics are being worked out for entry and exit into a client’s life.

    9. Industry Events and Awards cropping up slowly to acknowledge talent: An average of two-three PR/Corporate Communication award functions are being held each year to highlight work done by Agencies and specific team members.

    10. Course Curriculum & Recruitment process being revamped across Institutes: That a fresher will have spent making news clippings dockets during the first six months (to a year) of his/ her career in a PR agency or CorpComm department is breaking down, though slowly. No wonder, course curriculums, quality of faculty and guest lectures are seeing a drastic change.

     

    The march towards victory has started. The army of PR professionals are proactively carrying the torch of doing PR for PR. Their audio and visual touchpoints of PR professionals are reflecting thought, sophistication, poise and above all, humility.

     

    The industry has realised there was a Ravana with sins. Now, they themselves are out there to destroy it.

     

    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.

  • Wouldn't it be nice to see CXOs being publicly vocal about their use and importance of PR in their business, writes Siddhartha Mukherjee

    Siddhartha Mukherjee: PR needs CXOs to say ‘I DO’, publicly!

    By Siddhartha Mukherjee

     

    On an average, a minimum of 70 percent of a company’s news visibility is basis its spokespersons.  I would like to believe that these spokespersons, typically CXOs, give time for the news piece because they see genuine value in Earned Media initiatives and not for any other reason.

     

    If so, wouldn’t it be nice to see CXOs being publicly vocal about their use and importance of PR in their business. It will be really great if a CEO or a CMO speaks about PR as the future of Brand building and sustenance in their interviews with Financial Papers, TV channels, conversation on Social Media or during their lectures at B-Schools.

     

    If done, it will be one of the best “PR needs PR” initiatives that I have been campaigning for since Day One.

     

    Below, I highlight the top 10 benefits from such Public Disclosures:

    1. Within Client’s office, importance & definition of IMC will get redefined: The fact that brands are built through touchpoints across earned, paid and owned stimuli will get corroborated. PR machinery will be made to get involved starting from the planning stage. It creates positive buoyancy for the PR function within the corridors of the Organization.

     

    2. Will give a much-needed acknowledgement and endorsement to PR Industry: After decades of hard work, they will receive a moral boost from their true consumers.

     

    3. Will result in higher fees and investments from Clients into PR Industry: Certification from CXOs, slowly though, will pave the way for higher fees and investments from Clients into this brand building tool.

     

    4. Procurement departments of Clients will be forced to acknowledge PR Firms and services: This should stop them from treating PR Firms and Agencies as vegetable vendors and the likes thereof.

     

    5. Will be acknowledged as the brand custodian during Ad Hiatus: Inflation doesnot allow clients to maintain advertising/paid visibility through the year. Earned Media/PR comes as a ready and robust brand saving samurai during Ad Hiatus.

     

    6. Business & Media Schools will relook at their Course Curriculum in Media and Brand Building: CXOs speaking about the importance of PR in Corporate and Product Brand Reputation Management at campuses will usher in a change in Business & Media School’s course curriculum.

     

    7. That journalism is the next wave of marketing will be established: Journalists covering Marketing & Brands will consciously include questions on PR initiatives for their stories.

     

    8. Will trigger the creation and survival of integrated Communication Firms: Stand alone agencies offering conventional PR or Media relations will be passé.

     

    9. Stronger brands will get created: Brand building will be well orchestrated. Advertising will push for BUY ME. PR/Earned Media will create the surround sound of WHY ME!

     

    10. From a PR Measurement perspective, it will forever eradicate the cancer of Advertising Equivalent Value (AEVs): It will force brand custodians to think on the track of Input, Output and Outcome. PR will reduce its association with jugaad and focus on science of benchmarking, planning and audits.

     

    The benefits are many! The PR Industry is waiting for CXOs to come out in the open and acknowledge that this industry exists and that they bring value on the CXO’s table.

     

    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.

     

  • Rather than listening to repetition and future versions labeled as 2.0, 3.0, 4.0 et al, industry professionals would much rather be happy discussing the present and how to tackle pressing issues, writes Siddhartha Mukherjee

    Siddhartha Mukherjee: PR Industry Seminars: Beyond Networking…Time for Action Points

    By Siddhartha Mukherjee

     

    With an average of at least two PR Industry events (seminars/conferences/award shows) every year, over the last decade, our industry professionals must have attended a minimum of 20-30 such events by now. However, the interesting part is that, in almost every second one, the topics/ discussion points have not seen any real change. Of course, to maintain newness, ways of discussion did change with the use of active or passive voice, direct or indirect speech, or through the standard conundrum of could, would and should.

     

    Events and seminars, apart from the default benefit of acting as a business networking ground, will give our industry a leap of faith if they start acting as platforms to trigger and formally document action points and charters.

     

    I personally believe that our Indian brand communication industry comprises some of the most brilliant, well-aware, effective and humble thought leaders and professionals. I also believe that they are fully aware of what the future has in store for them. They do not need to be told that… repeatedly, unless there is really something new.

     

    The industry professionals, rather than listening to the repetition and future versions labelled as 2.0, 3.0, 4.0 et al…which, by the way, is a new fad off late – they would much rather be happy discussing the present and how to tackle the pressing issues. They want simple and effective action points:

     

    Industry events or seminars should trigger specific action points such as:

    # First and foremost, how do we go about getting our industry recognised to the external world: Yes, our Industry does exist! The question, however, is that whether we are acknowledged as Singular, Separate and an Official Entity. For industries and professionals outside that of ours, do we exist as some shapeless, by the way, BTL entity or are we known as an Industry to be reckoned with. As an after- thought, is there even a need to re-brand PR? How do we set the vision and mission charter for ourselves? Who does it?

    #PR Industry size, Targets & Confidence Index: Are we ready to set an industry size target for ourselves? Do we know the exact size of our industry today? How do we ensure that the Industry grows at a specific rate? How do we build a Confidence Index for our industry that ensures growth both in terms of width and depth of investments by clients?

    # Measurement Charter: PR measurement can play the central role in PR industry size growth. The basic question is that should PR be allowed to get measured, at all? I still believe that given an option, for majority of the PR Industry, they would not even touch measurement and audit with a barge poll. Whatever systems, if at all, they follow or are being made to follow are cosmetic or simply for self gratification. Till the answer or the intent is not a firm Yes, we can never move on to solutions for subsequent questions such as: How can PR be measured? How can PR Measurement benefit both the Client and the Agency? How can PR measurement help in achieving industry growth targets, sustain Confidence Index, upgrade Talent Quality and so on!

    #Talent Management: The first challenge is that of really evaluating the kind of talent we really want! That by itself will need specific charters on exactly what the PR industry wants to claim as its specialisation areas. Only after one is clear on that, the next blocks come up as: a) Attracting talent – right sources of institutes, right course curriculum, right job entry or selection processes etc. b) Sustaining Talent – the kind of training we want to impart for each professional continuously through their career curve, formal accreditation policies, if any, etc.

    # Client Servicing…but who is the Client really?: Depending on what PR Industry will and should claim as its specialisation, the actual client within an organization can be the corp comm head, marketing head, other CXOs or even the CEO! With their unique KRAs and KPIs, expectations from PR Agency will not only change but be diverse.

    # Industry Acknowledgement Event Charters: Too many number of (scattered) industry events is a sign of industry fragmentation…and that the industry is not cohesive! It is time that our industry gets lesser but bigger and fortified version of Abbies, Emvies, Goafest etc. These are not event management and merry-making exercises but have a thought process behind getting the industry thinking hats together, review what was missed, what are the plans to achieve the targets and create the blue print for the coming years.

    # Educate on Digital…along with Offline: For certain product categories of the Indian economy, Digital PR Communication is God sent. However, the real crux still stays with Offline mediums – Print, TV and Radio. The future is not just about understanding Digital PR. In fact, the key is to understand the amalgamation of cross mediums – Print, TV, Radio and Online. Experts, whether from Western markets, or India, need to tell professionals about not just Online/Digital PR but how to manage them in sync with Offline PR. One of the key traits of the Communication Professional 3.0 is that he/she should be able to understand cross media, build and sustain brands for clients.

     

    Without any effective backing or real encouragement from the outside world, the Indian PR Industry has come a long way. Kudos! It has been a great case study of self growth – albeit through a trial and error method. This growth story shows gives a glimpse of what we as an Industry can actually do if we get formal backing, guidance, clear Industry charters, deliverables and very importantly, scientific growth mechanisms.

     

    Industry seminars/events bring the advantage of getting the industry well-wishers, visionaries and learned experts together. Why not utilise their presence to trigger and document action points? A good starting point towards that can be to build it on a theme that is specific, relatable and not abstract. A theme where industry experts can bring their thought points ready for immediate reference and use. This will go a long way in changing the perception of prprofessionals about attending a PR Industry event. It will no longer be just a refreshment/ relaxation job perk for them but a parallel learning ground as well.

     

     

  • Life becomes smoother…Expectations are managed better…when one equates Public = "Target Audience"

    Siddhartha Mukherjee: Define the ‘P’ of PR

    By Siddhartha Mukherjee

     

    There was a time when the Client Corporate Communication team and its PR Agency army would shudder to plan the delivery of the EAV/AVE target set by their CXOs. With the start and through the year, the duo would run helter-skelter trying to garner as much editorial coverage as possible…doesnot matter the print medium or television channel in which brand’s news exposure was achieved. Further, it certainly did not matter if the news quality actually helped the brand. The one and only objective was to get some editorial space anywhere and everywhere, somehow!

     

    No wonder, more than the Corporate Communications Team, this left the PR Agency team disoriented & disgruntled.

     

    The situation today is not drastically different from then. Gunning for thicker Clippings Folder and the cancer called EAV/AVE, both continue to exist even today within many parts of our industry. However, I do know of some industry corridors that have shelved this archaic, thoughtless approach and resorted to a welcome way of adopting the media planning activity. The starting point of this is very clearly ‘Asking and Understanding’ the ‘Target Audience’ of the Brand’s ‘Public’ before one starts building on the ‘Relations’.

     

    For this evolved lot of our Industry, their starting point from now on is PR = TAR (Target Audience Relations).

    What are the advantages of a well defined, clear definition of “P” in Public Relations?

    1. Client Corporate Communications Team feels “Included”: While there are exceptions, many a times, however, Corporate Communications team carry minimal or zilch details about a Brand and its Communications requirements. The definition, profile or description of its Target Audience being one of the key important missing links. Before commencing on the planning and execution, if the PR Agency asks for such details, it becomes a very constructive initiative for its clients. Corporate Communication Team and its PR Agency army are assured of a high probability of “effective” PR Planning & Execution.

     

    2. Client Corporate Communications team gets positively positioned within Organization- Irrespective of Corporate Communications Team reporting to CMO or the CEO, when Corporate Communications team asks for details of the Brand’s Target Audience, internal customers normally feel happy that their brand’s mandate is with safe hands – a good quality and scientific Communications Team. The measurability of PR Campaign Input, Output and Outcome, very importantly, becomes much more practical and seamless.

     

    3. Quantitative & Qualitative Target setting easier: Client’s expectations from its PR Agency is fixed basis the media plan the Target Audience requires. Secondly, Corporate Communication Team’s KRAs and KPIs for delivering an effective Communication plan become much easier and manageable. Lastly but importantly, the PR Agency doesnot waste unwanted time chasing unwanted editorial space that doesnot matter to the Target Audience of the Brand. Further, in many cases, dependence on stringers becomes selective not always…resulting in substantial savings of operational cost.

     

    4. Fast turnaround cycle: The time taken starting from Researching, Ideation of the Campaign, Implementation & Evaluation gets trimmed. Brand Custodians get faster evaluation opportunities and implement course correction if need be.

     

    5. Will lead to even better PR Campaigns: Our Industry has been acknowledging “Creative” PR Campaigns. No doubt, some of them have been brilliant! Hats off to those teams. However, I feel “Creative” should get fortified with “Effective” as well. This will further push the standards of our Campaigns. Our Industry has some amazing minds…it only needs a nudge to go for the best…those that actually move the cheese! This will only happen when one understands the “P” of Public Relations. A habit of regular Listening & Researching is required to understand the nuances of “P” or the Target Audience.

     

    A key reason behind Advertising Industry earning respect within India Inc. is because it has always worked with specific reference to the Brand’s well defined Public or Target Audience. No wonder, results have been monitored well, measured scientifically and is relatable for the Brand’s key internal Custodians – CXOs.

     

    Public Relations will need to quickly imbibe on this art and convert it into a science. We tend to waste unwanted energy in getting “Thick” Clippings Folder or “Potha” as some say, for our clients! Does that really help the clients…? Scientifically managed News visibility in editorial platforms which matter to the Brand’s Target Audience is what one should gun for.

     

    Understanding “P” in PR is the start of any sensible Communications process. Only by doing so, the perception of some that our PR Industry only deals with abstracts will be shattered to a great extent.

     

  • And how he tried to explore the learnings from biking and use them for Brand Communication Management

    Siddhartha Mukherjee: What Biking taught me about Brand Communication Management

    By Siddhartha Mukherjee

     

    I do not know when and how the virus of Bike Riding infected me. Well, it happened some years ago and it happened for good! I genuinely believe that such developments in your life happen for a purpose.

     

    Bike rides, especially the long ones, have benefitted me in many varied ways – relaxation, regular checks on stamina and sturdiness, ability to adapt, sense of forecasting, get to see the real India, et al. However, off late, given my passion and belief on PR/Earned media as a tool, my mind has been wandering around, trying to explore the learnings from biking and use them for Brand Communication Management. Little did I know that, subconsciously, I would end up learning or realising dynamics which a Business School may not provide very naturally.

     

    Below are some initial thoughts:

    1. Research well about the Route you plan to take:  Doesnot matter how much of information you get, but never embark on a journey without Research. Be aware of the weather, terrain, road conditions, miscreants, food and shelter availability etc. Try and LISTEN to as much as possible. Always be ready with as many “what if” situations as possible. You can do this only when you Research/Listen well.

    :: Learning for Brand, PR & Ad Communication Teams: My respect for Brand Communication Heads enhances when I see them start their planning with Listening or Researching the Terrain. Before you push out your Brand Campaign into a market or prospective Target Group, LISTEN to THE MOOD of the market. Leverage the mood and create Campaign talking points. Use the potential tool of PR and Advertising optimally and right amount of mix.

     

    2. Rely on a Good Mechanic:  The mechanic’s diagnosis of your mean machine can make the difference between life and death. Doesnot matter if he charges more, but if he knows the subject and diagnoses well, all the more pick him as an Insurance. He will advise you well on the condition of your machine – change of spares, sturdiness of the machine, engine oil quality, tightening required, etc. Again, listen to him and reconcile it with your Research on the Road Terrain.

    :: Learning for Brand, PR & Ad Communication Teams: Having a good mechanic is like having a good Communications Agency. If they are really good, they will know your brand and its health. They will help you channelise your communications strategy based on the MOOD listened/researched from each market. For example, it is quite a waste of ROI for a Life Insurance ULIP product to be pushed vigorously in Eastern India. Same way, a Term Plan being aggressively marketed in Western India may not be a fruitful effort.

     

    3. Protective Gears, Necessary Accessories and Spares, etc: A successful road journey is a mix of Gut, Luck, Mental and Physical preparation, will power etc. Sometimes, CRISIS hits you from an unexpected corner.  Using the right protective gears, spares, driving skills, driving rules, etc. can give you long term pleasure of the road journey.

    :: Learning for Brand, PR & Ad Communication Teams: Keep a Crisis manual ready. A manual that envisages and  lists down every possible crisis that can come up across stakeholders and custodians – consumers, customers, employees, vendors, investors, government, society, trade, etc. The Manual should list down the names/departments responsible for handling each type of crisis and how.

     

    4. Before you start, set a Target/Benchmark: Driving or any journey is not fun in the absence of targets or benchmarks. Even if it is a leisure or pleasure ride, set a benchmark or a target in terms of distance you want to cover within a stipulated time, things you want to do at destination one, two, three, etc., the kind of mileage you want to achieve and therefore  the speed momentum you want to maintain, so on and so forth. The kind of feeling you want to go through…Actually, it is all about the Input, Output and the Outcome!

    :: Learning for Brand, PR & Ad Communication Teams:  Post listening, before you blindly commence on Planning, Execution and start chasing your agency, Client and Agency can jointly list down the Ingredients of Communications Tool (Input) that will be used, the media exposure (Output) that they seek and finally the kind of Outcome one wants for the Brand – recall, engagement, conversion etc. Each phase of Input & Output can and should be targeted, benchmarked and monitored towards a desired Outcome. Having said this, happy to see Agencies and Clients are warming up to the idea of Benchmarking and Target-setting.

     

    5. Measure your bike’s ongoing performance: What’s my average speed? What’s the mileage that my bike is giving me? Has the engine heated up…time to let it cool down? How are the tyre conditions? Any symptom of oil leakage? Are indicators and headlight dippers working? Is the wind speed, rains or dry mud causing engine inefficiencies? Well, regular (period can be defined) reviews/measurement is a lifesaver. It is a diktat for early cure.

    :: Learning for Brand, PR & Ad Communication Teams: Because benchmarking/target setting is not a common healthy habit, the urge to measure/review frequently is similarly sagging. Benchmarking and Frequent reviews should go hand-in-hand. It is like the temperature gauge of your Brand’s engine. Whether my inputs are giving desired media exposure output, whether I need to adjust the frequency or messaging, whether all the effort is creating the needed Outcome of recall…all these are good to be tracked regularly. Health checks or Measurement & Audit reports play an important role in this area. Brand custodians and agencies can make fabulous use of this service and adjust/adapt for the road ahead.

     

    6. Importance of Road Signs, Driving Skills and Traffic Rules: Being aware of Road Signs, Indications, Traffic rules and more importantly, to follow them, is a matter of scientific habit and discipline. Giving your stakeholders – traffic police, other commuters on the road, your family dependants waiting for you at home, etc. – a noticeable and constant update on your intentions and plans at crossroads, split roads, U turns, heavy traffic signals etc. minimizes or averts crisis.

    :: Learning for Brand, PR & Ad Communication Teams: A brand journey goes through various twists, turns, cross roads, halts, damages and bruises. Keeping your stakeholders – customers, employees, owners, vendors etc – posted with your intentions of the Brand is a safe and required practice.

     

    7. Making full use of Clutch: Misuse or improper use of Clutch is one of the biggest common reasons for engine inefficiency. Carried away with our excitement to speed up, to impress an onlooker, to catch up on lapsed time, whatever the reason might be, we end up misusing or not utilizing the clutch lever properly. Clutch prepares the engine to adjust (reduce/increase) speed and take (more/less) load. If clutch is not used properly, it will create wear and tear to your engine and your health.

    :: Learning for Brand, PR & Ad Communication Teams: When it comes to the definition of a clutch for the Brand Machinery (team and agency), it can be some of the following:

    i. Regular Measurement and Audit reports to assess if Brand Communications (ATL & BTL) speed is matching up to the Business Speed

    ii. Aligning/Adjusting  the Communications Brief with the Business Brief

    iii. Corporate Communications and Marketing Communications working together

    iv. The CEO giving a standard and clear brief to all CXOs with broken down KRAs for each CXO

     

     

    Well, learnings can go on and on! It’s such a pleasure to imagine the bike as a brand entering different terrains, adjusting and responding to different clutch, gear, brake and throttle combinations. How proper benchmarking, constant measurement/reviews, following communication signals etc. can make the journey so pleasurable.

     

     

    No wonder, it is one of the diseases, I will never have regrets getting infected with!