"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. "
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Archana Jain, Director, PR Pundit
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Archana Jain has experience in corporate communications,
having assisted and advised companies on the introduction
of new products, ventures, thought leadership and brand communications,
downsizing, mergers and restructuring, and communicating issues
with sensitive constituencies during crises. Her experience
spans diverse industry sectors including apparel, automobile,
alcoholic beverages, broadcast, consumer goods, financial
services, industrial goods, information technology, insurance,
oil & gas, pharmaceutical, power & transmission, travel
& leisure, and white goods.
Archana founded PR Pundit in 1998 though she has been practicing
public relations since 1990. She was previously with Genesis
PR, where she was the founder partner since 1992. In this
issue of PR Speak, Archana Jain talks about a 'boutique PR'
approach, Open Workshops for PR Practitioners and management
by objectives.
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| P.S. |
What
is the unique selling proposition of 'PR Pundit'? |
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A 'boutique PR' approach brings to clients,
senior resources to provide both strategic counseling as well
as a wealth of implementation experience. PR Pundit's core
value lies in its creative approach to public relations and
a sincere commitment to exceed client expectations.
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| P.S. |
How
is handling corporate communications or PR for a SME client
different from handling a large client? |
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The SME Client is definitely more challenging
as not only do we have to work within a smaller budget but
also as far as the media is concerned, they all want their
mediums to be associated with successful, big companies. The
SME client work is satisfying for the reason that nothing
comes without effort.
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| P.S. |
Do
initiatives like the PRCAI PR summit help? If yes, how? |
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Dialogue and exchange of ideas in all professions
is necessary. PR is one of the rapidly growing professions
and needs forums like PRCAI and others to advance its interest.
Since very little is documented on our industry in terms
of case histories, we (PR Pundit) undertake Open Workshops
for PR Practitioners, where we organize bi-annual interactive
meetings to discuss issues that impact corporate reputation
with relevance to the business environment of the day. These
meetings are held alternatively between New Delhi and Mumbai
each year for the practitioners to learn more about the strategic
and tactical PR issues managed by companies. Our next meeting
is planned for September 10 in Mumbai and addresses the subject
communicating for change and building brand identities.
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| P.S. |
How
do you differentiate yourselves when you go out to pitch for
clients? |
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Our creative and strategic recommendations
set us apart, while benchmarking expectations in a measurable
format, driven through proprietary structures and processes.
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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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There is never a conflict between the interest of the client
and the PR Company - as the PR Company's primary business
is to nurture and protect client reputation. Should there
be a situation where the client wants the PR provider to take
an unethical stand on an issue, it would be in the best interest
of the client that the PR Company alert the client on the
gravity of the impact of such behavior on the client's reputation.
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| P.S. |
What are the ideal attributes for a good PR professional?
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An understanding
of the client's business objectives is imperative in order to
identify and exploit the PR potential in the effort to achieve
the desired image thereby lending support to client's business
goals. |
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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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On the
contrary, my experiences have always lent me to believe that
women have a distinct advantage across professions. |
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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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In the
emerging external environment, businesses are increasingly obliged
to manage and sustain communications with several sensitive
constituencies other than merely media. 80% of our time at present
is dedicated to media relations - other constituents that take
up our time vary from client to client. For some clients we
devise and undertake programs for customers, and for some for
its sales force.
PR Pundit has assisted businesses prepare for problems, considering
them in advance of any crisis thereby having a clear view of
what to do when it happens. We undertake a comprehensive issue
and crisis audit - examining all potential issues, risks, sensitive
areas and interest groups; advise on crisis and rumor management
strategies and corporate response stance; develop appropriate
crisis procedures and a crisis manual. |
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| P.S. |
How do you measure the results of a PR
campaign?
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MBO (management
by objectives) - all plans are prepared in a measurable format
so as to enable clients to evaluate performance against the
target goals. It is most important that those who evaluate the
results of the PR program are a part of the planning exercise
itself. |
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Tell
us about the campaigns you are currently handling. Is there
anything in the pipeline? |
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Our client
relationships span across varied sectors from financial services
where we work with Royal Sundaram and Standard Chartered, to
InfoTech clients like Bentley Systems and HCL Comnet. We are
busy managing PR programs for Blow Plast Limited, Financial
Technologies, McDonald's India, Radio Mirchi, SAB Miller, Swarovski,
and Tupperware India among others. |
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| P.S. |
How
does PR compete with other below-the-line marketing activities? |
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By complimenting
them, but certainly at much smaller budgets |
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| Send
your comments to Archana Jain |
| 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
|
"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 |
"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."
Mahnaz Curmally, President
- South Asia, Ogilvy
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"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
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"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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