Quest for creativity and connection, are we doing enough in emotional economy: Thursdays with Tushar
By Tushar Panchal on Jul 17, 2008 in Indian PR industry
After investing many years in the field of communication and dealing with brand owners and managers for ages I have seen the gradual change happening in the field of marketing communications. Be it a PR or advertising or any other medium of communication, every domain has seen the shift happening from product driven communication to consumer driven communication.
Let’s see, what we have seen in the past and what we are witnessing now. If we have look at ads in the past, they were full of product attributes and tangible benefits (some of them are even today following the same beaten path) – about size, shape, price, and shouted sabse sasta, yeh to jhaag wala hain and so on…
Come to 21st century and we are bombarded with extremely talented mothers, super kids, rich dads and a grand pa who go for jogging every day! All of them trying to sell some or the other service or product to you with emotions. Kyonki kabhi pyaar ke beech duriya na aaye…
Welcome to the ‘emotional economy’. This is nothing new and many of the management experts have spoken about it so many times. Many books have been written on the subject. The benefit of developing and demonstrating a personality of a brand has become a key element of strategy in every marketer’s workbook. Many of the successful brands have created a personality with which consumers are connecting themselves emotionally.
Now the billion dollar question is not whether Singh will remain king with support from another Singh who claims to be King as of now, but whether we as PR professionals have been able to embrace the same shift in our strategy or not.
Does PR as we know it and practice is today allow us to establish the emotional connect with the consumers the way advertising does. Do we have the same creative liberty to express ourselves? The answer is both, No & Yes!
No, because in traditional media relations model of PR where you are dependent upon the journalist (well some people would disagree to this statement, but it’s a politically correct perception) to share your story, he or she may speak the way he or she wants. There is no message control. There may be several other ‘NO’ as well, which I want my readers to suggest as part of their comments.
Yes, because the PR offers many more avenues than traditional media relations model. You have the opportunity to directly reach out to your consumers (prosumers, participants, partners, co-creators – many such jargons for people like you and me who spend hard earned money to buy many unwanted things throughout our lives). Social Technologies are really social in nature, which allows us to reach out to the real people in the virtual world and connect with them emotionally. I am sure there would be many more ‘YES’ to this which would come from you.
Until we meet next Thursday, take care and God Bless!
Image Courtesy: AMA Japan (http://www.amajapan.co.jp/e/)
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On Jul 21, 2008, Elvis Fernandes said:
Hey Tushar
Comparing Advertising vis-a-vis PR to deliver “Emotional Connect” is like comparing Apples to Oranges — Completely different vehicles to addressing the TG — While one is a paid & prescribed art form — the other is yet in its fledgling stages (Vetrans & PR gurus feel free to disagree — Its your preorgative). So it’s unfair to compare the two — The message for the former is tailor-made, designed and meant to come out exactly as perceived by those conceiving the idea on the story board — while the latter — has several so called “Owners” that can alter or midirect the emotional connect messaging — even if it is done with utmost honesty by the PR Professional. Anaylse the “Owners”that can change the course of the message — the journalist who does the interaction — Let say he has got the emotional connect messaging – pat to its minutest detail (I am not discounting the fact that he may not get it right and as a messenger or owner to the emotional connect message — he can inadvertently alter, misdirect, misrepresent or completely confuse ) the emotional message meant to go out but lets give him the benefit of the doubt and lets assume he has got it right — The emotinal messaging can yet go for a toss — With the sub -editor –’The Next Owner” in the scheme of things that can also alter, redirect, misrepresent, the messaging but lets give him too the benefit of the doubt and Let assume the subeditor too got the emotional connect messaging pat on the button — However what about the headline — this could be misleading and there goes your emotianal connect for a toss. So the premises for comparing the two is not fair — unlike paid copy in advertising there are too many individuals that go through the messaging. While the former is a paid art form the messaging for the latter can come out with various connotations – not necessarily what was intended to be said —
So compare oranges with oranges — not apples. Cheers!