"The
role of PR has gone beyond media relations in India, and while
media will remain a critical tool here as it is everywhere in
the world, more and more advisory and brand building work will
be done by PR professionals."
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Mahnaz Curmally, President - South Asia, Ogilvy
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Chairman, Ogilvy PR-India, Mahnaz Curmally
started her career with J Walter Thompson as a copywriter,
moved to Advertising and Sales Promotion Company and on to
account management. She switched to Public Relations in 1990
and helped the fledgling operation of Good Relations India
become a dominant industry force, over a three-year period.
Mahnaz joined Ogilvy in 1993. Rising from General Manager
to Vice President to Executive Director, Mahnaz now holds
the title of President - South Asia, supervising six offices
in India and one in Sri Lanka, with a staff strength of seventy
people. She won the Chairman's 'PR Professional of the Year
Award' in 2000, in recognition of her contribution to the
growth of the Ogilvy PR network.
As a training expert, Mahnaz conducts media and other training
programs in India. She is an external faculty for several
leading communications companies in India and abroad. In Mumbai,
Mahnaz has chaired the Marketing and PR Committee of the Bombay
Chamber of Commerce and Industry for three years. Under this
Committee she has introduced the annual Corporate Communications
Learning workshop for PR and Marketing Professionals. Mahnaz
has also been invited by the CII to address seminars on corporate
branding and image management.
In conversation with Jasmeen Dugal, Mahnaz Curmally, President
- South Asia, Ogilvy, underlines the conflicting interests
between a client and a PR firm, how the company differentiates
itself when pitching for a client, and the potential of the
Indian PR industry.
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| P.S. |
What
is the distinctive selling proposition of 'Ogilvy'? |
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Ogilvy PR is unique in being part of the Ogilvy
Group and therefore sharing in the group's enviable reputation
on thinking, creativity and brand stewardship. At the same
time, our skills in corporate communication, crisis and issue
management, client training programs, government relations
and high end counsel on corporate brand positioning place
us amongst industry leaders in PR.
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| P.S. |
Have
you faced any difficulties being a woman in a senior post? Have
there been times that you have not been taken seriously due
to gender inequalities? |
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None at all. And I have always been taken seriously!!
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| P.S. |
How
is handling PR for a small and mid-sized client different from
handling a large client? |
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The difference comes largely in the scope of
work, while the nature of work can often be the same.
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| P.S. |
How
do you differentiate yourselves when you go out to pitch for
the clients? |
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Through our deep knowledge of the client and
industry; through our solutions and thinking; through our
APAC and global network and the learnings these puts at our
disposal; through the caliber of our senior management in
six Indian cities, each led by a senior level Head of office;
and through the successes of the past which are regularly
showcased.
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| P.S. |
How
do you deal with conflicting interests between a client and
a PR firm? Since both sides know their business well, how do
you bridge the gap between your and their objectives? |
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Examples
would be difficult to provide but as consultants we believe
our role is to learn the client's business, study his/her business
objectives, bring in our expertise to see how PR communication
can support these, provide the best solutions and establish
that we can deliver on our promise.
During the course of this, if there are differences of views
or opinion, it is our responsibility to convince the client
on why what we are recommending is in their best interest..
If we fail in this then we need to re-examine our own approach.
As a firm, we value client opinions highly and believe that
there is no place for any conflict between our clients and
us. Our partnership approach, which is apparent from the very
beginning of a relationship, normally ensures that no conflict
arises.
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| P.S. |
Is
Ethics in PR business followed in true spirit? |
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At Ogilvy
PR it certainly is and I believe all industry leaders would
have a high code of ethics. |
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| P.S. |
What
are the ideal attributes for a good PR professional? |
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Sensitivity,
passion, solutions orientation, a sense of accountability, a
deep understanding of the corporate world and the business environment.
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| P.S. |
In
India, is the role of PR going to remain in media relations
or it will go beyond that? |
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The role
of PR has already gone beyond just media relations in India
and while media will remain a critical tool here as it is everywhere
in the world, more and more advisory and brand building work
will be done by PR professionals |
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| P.S. |
How
do you measure the results of a PR campaign? |
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By measuring
how well communication programs helped a brand meet the business
objectives it set for itself and for us. |
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| P.S. |
Do
initiatives like the PRCAI PR summit help? If yes, how? |
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Yes, they
do, by bringing the industry representatives together to network,
exchange views and provide a platform on which PR as an industry
can set higher standards for itself. |
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| P.S. |
How
does PR compete with other below-the-line marketing activities? |
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We would
prefer to be positioned as partners to all other communications
disciplines and not as opponents!! |
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| Send
your comments to Mahnaz Curmally |
| Archive |
"PR
is a people intensive business and skilled personnel are
key, to this profession. I do not think we are putting
in enough efforts to train and groom youngsters mainly
because of our inherent insecurities." Samir
Kale, Managing Director, CMCG India. |
"Aviation
is a unique sector in that it is about people, services
and technology, all at the same time. Different departments
contribute in building a successful airline system. As
the public face of the company, it is PR's job to highlight
the product through various channels of communication."
Nandini Verma,
Vice President - Corporate Affairs, Jet Airways . |
"MGood
companies recognize the importance of PR and have on-going
programmes to develop strong relationships with their
stakeholders. Only companies with myopic vision use PR
as a one-time 'quick fix' and most often, it fails"Ashwani
Singla ,CEO, Genesis. |
"Media
relations are 'the bread and butter work' of any PR professional.
Everything else is 'Jam and Jelly;' employers and clients
expect and demand good media relations' capabilities from
their PR people. If they are able to deliver more value,
then nobody will stand in their way. Media Relations is
the base upon which a plethora of other activities can
be built."
Nikhil
Dey, Vice President, Corporate Communications,
Fiat India Pvt. Ltd. |
"Media
relations is one of the most important roles handled by
a PR company. The other roles that we've handled successfully
include management communication, crisis management, industry
relations, financial relations and research. The industry
is still young; we will see a growth in agencies with
individual specialization."
Kapil Rampal, CEO - Creative
Crest |
"Global
media relationship plays a major role in building the
credibility, which is given immense importance. Information
sharing, both proactive and reactive is a continuous process."
Paresh Chaudhry, Director
- Corporate Communications
|
"We
intend to market around 2,000 Ambassador Grands through
promotions; this is in line with the concept that the
Ambassador Grand is not mass oriented; it is targeted
at the individual buyer. And we feel this is the best
way of reaching out to him."
Soni Srivastav, GM, Corporate
Communications, C.K. Birla Group
|
"In
the emerging external environment, businesses are increasingly
obliged to manage and sustain communications with several
sensitive constituencies other than media. 80% of our
time is dedicated to media relations - other constituents
that take up our time vary from client to client."
Archana Jain, Director,
PR Pundit
|
"It
is because we see things, not the way they are, but the
way they can be. Not what exists, but what can be created.
A better way of doing things, a better way of life. Creativity,
experimentation and innovation are not just encouraged
at QuikRelations; they are a way of life."
P.K. Khurana President,
Quik Group of Companies
|
"Be
it newsletters, conferences, talks, fairs, events in schools
and colleges, PR agencies are using an integration of
possible mediums. In a country like India with the vast
spectrum of cultural nuances - going beyond media is a
role that PR agencies are managing very well."
Meera Tenguria Founder and
Director Aarohan Communications |
"A good corporate PR person is an integrated personnel
in the company, who is involved in understanding the decisions
taken by the company and the repercussions it could have."
DEEPAK JOLLY Director -
Corporate Communications, Bharti
|
"I see PR playing a key role in helping companies work
on an integrated communications plan through PR, advertising,
BTL marketing and specially their own sales force, to
send out synchronized messages that powerfully impact
image."
Anita Lobo - CEO, Accord
Public Relations |
"PR is all about facts and not whitewashing facts."
Nandita Lakshman, Founder
and CEO, The Practice |
"In India however, PR is viewed solely as 'media relations'.
The main function of a PR company ideally is to create
the right environment for the client's business to flourish.
I believe that a PR company is more of a business partner
to augment opportunities for the company it represents
through effective image management."
Kunal R Sachdev,Director
and CEO - Integral PR Services Pvt. Ltd |
"Forced overlaps in communications don't work, unless
they are a part of well thought out strategy"
Devdarshan Chakraborty,
CEO, Vaishnavi Corporate Communications |
"The PR industry is in stage of evolution, an evolution
of concepts, of ideas, of mindsets, which are fresh. These
would give green pastures for the participants to grow"
Ashok Kapoor, Director,
Integral PR Services Pvt Ltd |
"Ultimately
the role of PR will be to communicate through word of
mouth"
Sunil Agarwal, Managing
Director, 20:20 Media |
"We run with the news. We run for the mindspace, for our
clients"
Supriyo Gupta, Vice President,
Rediffusion-DY&R |
"Image is the only devise that is growth inductive and
recession proof"
Dilip Cherian, Consulting
Partner, Perfect Relations |
"I think in Public Relation industry, the focus should
change from facilitating visibility to facilitating transparency"
Rajiv Desai, President,
IPAN |
"In future, the percentage of media relations in the total
PR exercise will decrease"
Tarun Deo, MD, Text 100
India |
"The fundamental
premise for this is "anything that cannot be measured
cannot be managed". So also is a PR initiative"
Prema
Sagar, Principal & Founder, Genesis PR |
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