Every once in a  while, there comes the case of a company that is unable to throughput communication in stark contrast to its otherwise brilliant performance indices. I have sought to understand this malady now and again but a chance conversation yesterday with a known genius in the Indian Financial Services space triggered this post. If you are the guardian angel of the Aspirational; the evangelist with passion, fire and a head full of mindgames, the PR kind, then read on…

Perception lags performance, due to many reasons. The causes manifest themselves in three primary reasons. For a Public Relations, Communications or Brand consultant, it is important to understand the terrain before they pick up on a project that seeks to break logjams in the media and perception circuits for a customer.

Breaking gridlocks and logjams for late entrants to the perception game requires special skills, the tricks  and tactics have been there forever, question is have you ever thought about it, enough to elevate it to strategy?

Changing share of voice in the media and lecture circuit from a inane buzz to the screaming roar of a Ferrari or shepherding your customer (internal or external depends which side of the table you are sat) from the mind-numbing terrors and traps in the media, triggering a turbo boost for your spokesperson in terms of messaging uptake and effectiveness, is what this post is about.

Firstly, an inability or fear of dealing with the media due to a past bad experience can make efforts hard or non-starters. Media Relations is an art that requires constant practice, the ride comes with bumps and smooth stretches, sporadic crises thrown in for spice.  You give, you get, but you always talk! There is media out there that is out to trick you out, will they hesitate to rubbish your carefully build reputation for an exclusive? Absolutely not for a second! Can PR change the game for your business? Absolutely yes! Good comes with the bad, package deal like with most things in life. If you are going to get anywhere, you need to get started! Tell them like it is, chances are that they take risks in business everyday and will grow into the act with a little hand holding from you, the specialist!

Secondly, there is a clique out there as in most other domains, these ‘usual suspects’ then pretty much control the share of voice in the media, and this maybe specific to a beat. The media is most times too lazy to do any hard digging when mapping a business space and again relies on the ‘usual suspects’, who maybe be convenient darling MDs, CEOs and other assorted rabble rousers. Awards: every publication and their mother has an award stacked with their favourites, breaking into this game needs perseverance, a nose for ‘distress sales’, finally being able to work the apex bodies like CII, FICCI, NASSCOM, etc, for advocacy and influencer relations.

Third and last here, is clearly a lack of process internally at the client organisation be it in terms of communication superstructure, even if one does exist, its ability to deliver strategic advice to management may be suspect in hierarchy driven situations or where communicators are too junior to be taken seriously. Some people use external consultants to tell them what is known already as it brings a credibility they lack.

Anyone can tell you that game changing maneuvers are few and far in between as stereotypes and ’safe’ options abound but if you as a PR professional were ever able to affect changes that made a company’s perception congruent with its performance as benchmarked against its peers, then you indeed deserve to be in the hall of fame. If commitment is your destiny and you can help tell a story that is true and ethical but inconvenient, then you are indeed one lucky person!

We need our heroes just like we need our war stories to feel good about the tribe and what it does, so come on give!

The PR industry in India predominantly consists of young people - freshers from PG mass communications institutes or PR professionals with some years of experience. These are the ones who are out in the field doing the media rounds everyday, those who are responsible for running PR campaigns of big and small clients alike, getting press conferences done, and those who get the much desired media clips. They are the ones who run the show most of the times once any client comes into any PR agencies’ kitty. However, their voices get buried deep among the sophisticated PR philosophies of the veterans. PR associations talk a grand language that many of these young people often do not understand.

Is there a disconnect with the young PR people and PR associations? I am not sure but I feel that young people in the industry are more interested in knowing and learning what it takes to get more clips for their clients, how to improve their media network, how to grow their career path in the industry, how to write a better press release, how to give a ppt. presentation to the client, how to make a PR plan, which agencies are paying the best, etc. - things that are more immediate than rather say a discussion on the challenges and possibilities of PR in the new world economics.

Recently there was a discussion in the online PRPoint group on the state of the PR associations in India and people realise that there was a need to form a group consisting of young people.

This discussion has taken shape in the PR for Youth group that is now live and running.

The group has been started with the guidance of K. Srinivasan of the popular Yahoo groups on marketing and PR and being moderated by Tushar, a Mumbai-based young PR professional . Since its inception a few weeks back, the group already has 32 young PR people as its members on board.

I think this could become a good platform to share thoughts on our PR practices, share tools and information, etc. We can learn a lot from each other’s experiences and seek help on issues we are facing. Maybe we can work together on creating some media lists and publication profiles that any group member can use.

The group is seeking opinions from everyone in how to take the discussions forward and what activities can be plan in the coming weeks. So looking forward to discussing with you in the group..

The Chandigarh Administration is making a special endeavour to make Chandigarh as the ultimate tourist destination with host of infrastructural developments. However, the most crucial aspect for making a city into a brand, and into a ‘lovemark’ are the people who manage crucial services, and the residents. Since this requires a structured training framework, Chandigarh Chapter of Public Relations Society of India, launched its first pilot programme to train the city taxi drivers on January 25th - the National Tourism Day.

The program has been launched in association with the Chandigarh Tourism Department, and the Chandigarh Institute of Hotel Management (CIHM). The first batch of 12 taxi drivers received orientation for the important role they have as ‘ambassadors of the city’ towards the tourists that covered the areas of instilling a pride in their profession, upgrading their services, and soft skills including hygiene, cleanliness, etc.

The program was conducted by Mr. Man Mohan Singh, President, Tourism Promotion Society of Chandigarh, Ms. Renuka Salwan, Chairperson PRSI Chandigarh, Mr. Charanjit Singh, former national vice president PRSI, and the faculty of CIHM.

The objective is to reach out to every permit-holder taxi driver in the city and help them adopt world-class practices in handling tourists. Subsequently the program shall be extended for the porters at the airport and railway station, three-wheeler drivers, hotel staff, etc.

Each driver was given a list of the code of conduct, Rs.100 as incentive for attending the program, and a certificate of participation.

(Contributed by CJ Singh)

PRSI’s seminar on ‘Travel Tourism and Hospitality PR’ concluded successfully. It was part of an annual event that has been held by the Public Relations Society of India Chennai Chapter, the 38 year old body and winner of the Best Chapter Award this year.

The seminar was inaugurated on 19th January 2007 by the Chief Guest of the event, the Hon’ble Minister for Tourism - Tamil nadu - Thiru N Suresh Rajan and Mr Aswini Kakkar, Exec. Vice Chairman Mercury Travel and former Chairman WTTC, made the Keynote Address. The full day business session of 20th had 10 speakers and 3 panelists, covering major integrated aspects of Travel Tourism and Hospitality.

The State Tourism Minister N Suresh Rajan said in the last eight months a lot of projects have been taken up to set up facilities for attracting foreign tourists. A Government Order had been issued for recruiting tourism police to extend safety and security to both domestic and foreign travelers in Tamilnadu, he said. Lesser-known tourist spots and destinations in Tamilnadu would be promoted by identifying entrepreneurs interested to develop these venues and providing five year tax holiday for the locations.

The government would soon appoint over 400 tourist guides who would be trained to help and educate the visitors to monuments, temples and heritage sites. Tamilnadu was in the second spot in attracting foreign tourists with the arrival of just over 1.2 million visitors last year; while domestic tourists increased to 3 crore fetching the third position for the State in the country. Public relations in the travel trade should help to make the State the favourite destination for both foreign and domestic tourists, he said.

Recalling the host of concessions and incentive packages being offered by the government to the hospitality sector, he said tourist brochures were now being printed in Hindi too, apart from English. He hoped the PR seminar would open up opportunity for Tamilnadu to expand its growth in tourism and hospitality sectors.

Earlier at the keynote address, Aswini Kakkar, executive vice-chairman, Mercury Travels and former chairman of World Tourism and Travel Corporation (WTTC), said travel and tourism was the single-largest industry with a gross revenue of $4.6 trillion. However, India’s forex earnings out of tourism was over $6 billion, which was not even the one-tenth of China’s tourism earnings of $300 billion. ‘The wealth distribution in travel tourism is much greater than other sectors. As against 1.20 lakh new jobs expected to be created each year in software over the next few years, in tourism nearly 5-10 million new jobs will be added each year,’ Kakkar said.

By 2010, there would be one billion travelers across the world spending around $7 trillion each year. ‘If India has to increase its share of the tourism pie, then its spending as a percentage of GDP (0.5 per cent now) in this sector should be raised,’ he averred.

With a huge change taking place in travel and tourism, India has to effectively use PR as a tool to attract tourists at a time when this sector had embraced modern technology to cash in on high spending by global travellers, he explained.

Mr Geoff Magee, CEO, Accord Metropolitan Hotel, said the hospitality industry could participate in a big way to woo quality tourists. He patted the State government for popularizing concepts like adventure, medical, wildlife and eco-friendly tourisms. Dr Ajit Pathak, National Resident, PRSI, and V S Ramana, Chairman, PRSI Chennai Chapter, spoke at the inaugural session and reiterated that PR has a major role in Travel Tourism and Hospitality sector – as much as any other area, and urged that Departments and players must leverage Public Relations over and above advertising - to build lasting brands in India and overseas.

Indian Tourism - Rediscovered Globally and by Indians:

The panelists Mr Sudheer Nayar (Regl Dir, South India - TCI), Ms Sujaya Menon (Consultant Cox & Kings) and Mr Prabhat Verma (GM Taj Coramandel) held that tourism in India is on a great rise and that apart from global tourists even Indians are rediscovering their myriad India. Mr Rangachari, retired senior official from Tourism Sector added that the Brand India has done great success in this, and held that across the sectors, all players need to maintain the momentum in meeting customer service - to match expectations. Delegates held that while globally, many PR agencies and PR intervention is well availed, India tourism and their departments would gain by way of PR support - overseas and in India. Participants also urged that Tourism could get privatized - or even moved to the next level of PPP – sought private participation. It was a matter of better Strategy support and better attitude development towards customer satisfaction.

Cutting-Edge Service:

Dr Palani G Periasamy (CMD Le Royal Meridien - Chennai) held the Chair for the session. Mr. Geoff Magee shared his overview on Ecotels as cutting-edge tools in hospitality management, and stated that this concept should move further to schools and institutions to find ownership of eco-friendliness, for this generation to leave behind for the next.

Mr. Steve Borgia (CMD Indeco Leisure Hotels) stated that it is now easy for any clever person to set up special hospitality centres, with innovation and niche plan - it does not cost the earth. Identifying ‘Good Tourists Experience and translation of that experience is all that needs to be taken care’ he said. His chain is embarked upon setting a local rural village experience to global tourists, in the most eco-friendly ambience, close to nature - they would come back to pay the best package. Tourism and hospitality is a matter of selling ‘Great Experiences’. Promise and keep the promise. Customers are very clever - they are tired of business gimmicks and false smiles. Genuine experiences are what they seek and travel to seek.

Mr. Sounderarajan shared his knowledge that people’s shortest way to reach to the heart is through their stomach. The Gen Sect of IFCA and award winner at various culinary events, he urged that cuisine should evolve to suit changing life style and habits - although may have deep rooted practices and ethnicity. Indian cuisine is the oldest - 10000 year old and tested. This will need its own branding and promotion to stand a niche position, he emphasized for people to recommend and practice.

Aviation Sector - Flying High

Mr Harish Shenoy (Branch Head - Jet Airways, Chennai) shared that his carrier has seen great growth and gained in the tourism boom. Additions to airline strength, newer routes - both domestic and international is adding to their growth he stated. Increase in air traffic is creating a concern on infrastructure - leading to longer air-time for aircrafts. He urged the government agencies to look into quickly executing plans to grow and meet these infrastructure challenges – the backlog as well as the anticipated growth - of about 25 - 30% every year, now for the next at least the next 5 years.

Mr V Narayanan (GM-PR Indian Airlines HQ, N Delhi) shared the aspect that the Indian Carrier was always the oldest and the first having served the nation the longest. He shared the brand transition story and the emergence of the brand ‘Indian’. From the position of ensuring connectivity, he added that the carrier was also gained to provide results and bottom line profits. More fleet and more connectivity is also on the cards. Airport infrastructure to meet the growing air passenger traffic and tourists was also a matter of concern raised by this speaker.

Capt. S Arulmani (DGM Operations IA and VC, Madras Flying Club) shared the clubs initiative to putting out more pilots into the stream - that is warranting the need for many professionals to fly the increased air fleet of the Indian aviation. There is a tremendous shortage of pilots - and this is growing! Training a pilot is very expensive - as high as Rs 10 lacs. This would not be easy without the support of state subsidy, especially for a common middle class segment. He held that he himself was an outcome of the old Tamil Nadu State Scholarship support. He stands to be ever thankful for that. He added that while other neighbouring states are offering support, Tamil Nadu currently does not have the - Subsidy - or Scholarship support. HE URGED PRSI TO RECOMMEND THE CASE TO THE STATE GOVERNMENT IN REVIVING THE SCHOLARSHIP SUPPORT - ONE THAT WILL ENBLE MORE TAMIL PILOTS FLY HIGH IN THE INDIAN AND GLOBAL AIR-SPACE AND REMAIN COMMITTED.

Chairing this session, Mr. V S Ramana, (Chairman PRSI Chennai Chapter and Head Corporate Communication at L&T - ECC), added that his organisation was engaged in creating infrastructure for the last over 6 decades. The pace of infrastructure build up in India is increasing, he added. L&T is rightly engaged in partnering the new International airport in Bangalore and in the civil work of both Hyderabad and Delhi airports. Highways, urban infrastructure, metro’s are all the thrust of the new emerging India. He added that he considered honoured and apt to chair this session – as an ‘interested party from both counts’. ‘Airways take the highest load of traffic movement in India and has a great role to play in the future as well’. Planners are taking cognizance of the infrastructure build up on a war footing’ he summed up.

Travel and Travel Services

Dr M K Ajit Kumar (VP Hi-Tours) shared that the going trend is to MICE - Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions. A tool for any organization in its business development, and growth. MICE is an apt concept-tool to take charge of the act and through a ’single-window’ service everything can be meticulously done - by virtue of a macro view and micro planning. MICE would therefore be a great way for inbound and outbound travel and consequently, be responsible for travel and tourism thrust sector.

Mr. V Sriram (Reg Dir – IRCTC) shared the plans of the new baby of the old parent – the Indian railways. IRCTC is today emerging innovatively through varied private sector collaboration. It is not merely moving tickets to the travelers but bringing in a lot of value based service integration to them. Be it air travel, stay apart from rail travel and catering-hospitality. Exclusive rail journey, packages, special stay arrangements in properties close to railway stations, reaching out tickets off fuel depots, are all offers emerging out of IRCTC. ‘This will change the way how a person can plan his travel, holiday - all done on-line, without a need to visit the railway ticketing counter’.

Mr. P Kamalanathan, Secretary of the Institute of Public Relations, Malaysia reiterated that PR in this sector – or for that matter in any sector - will be able to deliver higher returns than mere advertising thrust. He called for greater PR initiative in India, from the learnings of Malaysian PR fraternity, which had successfully promoted ‘Pongal’ as a national event for all their citizens to involve and celebrate, taking it beyond any cultural or religious barriers. ‘It is all in the positioning – and PR can do and deliver better positioning’.

The session was ably chaired by Mr. Anantakrishna Gupta, MD Travel Air Pvt. Ltd.

Dr. Babu George (Dept of Tourism Studies - Pondy Univ) summed up that greater focus is being given to preparing better professionals in this sector. The seminar at this juncture is so relevant for all players he urged.

While the event had the support of Tamil Nadu Tourism, Pondicherry, Indian Airlines, Apollo Hospitals, L&T and Hi-Tours, the Tourism Malaysia team picked draws from the seminar-participants. Two winners won two free tickets - two ways - for a trip to Malaysia and back, all paid for stay, hospitality and tour for a week during the ‘Visit Malaysia 2007′ - this marked an apt culmination to the seminar on ‘Travel Tourism and Hospitality PR’.

(This writeup was shared by VS Ramana)

PRSI Chennai is organising a seminar on travel tourism and hospitality PR at Chennai on Jan 19-20, 2006.

India is seeing an upsurge in these sectors thanks to the economic, IT, and BPO boom, along with a good brand India projection globally. The opportunity now is to build on brands, take marketing initiatives, and leverage Public Relations to greater heights, says PRSI.

The seminar will deal with broad subjects and case histories will be taken up by around 12 speakers covering the overview on the booming tourism and hospitality sector in India - the picture ahead, the cutting-edge strategy in tourism and hospitality, and re-branding the Indian carrier, among other sessions.

The Tamil Nadu Minister for Tourism Shri N Suresh Rajan and the Union Minister of Communication and IT, Shri Dayanidhi Maran will take part at the inaugural session.

The delegation fee for the seminar is Rs.1500 for PRSI members and Rs. 1800 for non-members. Three or more participants as group will benefit 20% discount.

Registration and participation enquiries - Gajanana, 1, Tarapore Avenue, Harrington Road, Chetpet, Chennai 600 031. Phone: 28363051 / 98402-47624, 9840247624, 9841022345, 9940198135 and 044-2836 3051.

Have you noticed, that a lot of tiny PR agencies are mushrooming all over Delhi and NCR, and their clientèle contain some unknown name of a furniture walla’ or kitchenware walla and the like. Young people either with a degree/diploma from obscure institutes or people who don’t have any degree or diploma in PR and are fascinated about this profession usually land up in these agencies.

But it’s not a cake-walk for them- they have to learn about PR on their own as in a small PR agency, there might be no one to teach them. They are given a client, they have to create angles, write stories, and pitch in media, then work on the client side too. Working hour and conditions, well, they can’t get any worse. They work for 9 to 10 hours a day, 6 days a week.

And imagine people coming all they way from Delhi to Gurgaon in buses, they don’t even get a cab when every other offices in Gurgaon provide cabs facilities. But these hero’s don’t let any stone unturned in order to make a mark for themselves, whereas people in big PR agencies get to work for eminent clients with just a reference of their names interesting journalists of all papers. Ever gave a thought on how hard an UNKNOWN PR professional from some UNKNOWN PR agency has to work to get a coverage for his UNKNOWN client in some big paper?

After the successful ‘PR in Healthcare’ seminar in April, PRSI Chennai Chapter will now organise the next mega session at Chennai on January 19-20, 2007.

The economic buoyancy, IT and BPO boom combined with a good ‘Brand India’ projection at various forum globally, has triggered an unprecedented growth in the tourism and hospitality sector in India. The opportunity now - to build on brands, taking marketing initiatives and leverage Public Relations - is just phenomenal!

PRSI - Chennai is precisely going to take a 360 degree of this ‘comprehensive’ and an integrated sector - one that is seen as a ’seamless follow-through industry’. The programme will offer excellent forum to interact and share updates and case studies across all the players.

Topic of Discussion/Presentation at the Seminar:
* Overview on the Booming Tourism and Hospitality Sector in India - the picture ahead.
* Case Study on Incredible India
* Case Study on God’s Own Country
* What’s the Cutting-Edge Strategy - in Promoting State Tourism
* Re-branding the Indian Carrier
* A Jet age revolution in the Indian Sky.
* Making The Dreams of Air Travel for Common Man, come true.
* Cutting Edge Service - Hotelier’s USP
* Concept of Eco Hotels
* Indian Flavour…New Vistas to Indian Tourism - Exploring Ayurvedic Resorts, SPA
* Holidays for the Maharaja’s - Heritage Palace Resorts and their Paraphernalia
* IT - An enabler in Today’s Tourism - Dot com’s and Guide’s to Organized Travel
* Positioning Global Destination for the World at your Door
* Time Share Holidays - the way ahead
* Medical Tourism - The Indian Formula for Success
* Budget Travel - Getting More Indians to Enjoy Indian Destination
* Rural Tourism - Way to engage traditional homes extend hospitality to foreign tourists

Participation Fee - Rs. 1800/- For PRSI members - Rs 1500. 20% discount for 3 or more group bookings! For more details on Seminar Participation, Speakers and opportunities for Sponsorship, and detailed Seminar Catalogue, visit website www.prsichennai.org

Contributed by V S Ramana.

Public Relations Society of India invites entries for the Public Relations National Awards 2006, on the occasion of the 28th All India Public Relations Conference being held at Lucknow.

Entries are invited from PR agencies, consultants, advertising agencies in the categories of House Journals, Bulletins/Newsletters, e-newsletters, corporate campaign, mass awareness campaign, PR in action case study, etc.

Please get in touch with Dr. Ajit Pathak, National President, PRSI, for sending your entries.
Emails: drajitpathak2002@yahoo.com, pathaka@iocl.co.in

(Contributed by CJ Singh)

Technorati tags: PR, Public Relations, India, India PR, PRSI, PR Awards,

The 28th All India Public Relations Conference, the premier event for the PR practitioners, is being held at Lucknow on 8-10 December 2006. It is important that every PR practitioner in the country joins in and attends this event at Lucknow.

The program and registration details are being sent soon. However, you can block your dates for participation.

The Early Bird registration fee, applicable till 20th November 2006. So please hurry:

PRSI/IPRA Members: Rs.3,000
Non-Members: Rs.3,500
Students : Rs.500
Spouse: Rs.1800
Former PR Professionals: Rs.1500

After 20th November, the registration charges shall go up by Rs.500.

For further information you can contact:
Mr. Ratan Mani Lal, Chairman, PRSI Lucknow Chapter
Jaipuria School of Mass Communication,
Vineet Khand, Gomti Nagar,
Lucknow 226 010
Phone: 0522 2300295 / 2394297
Fax: 0522 2394295
email: prsilucknow@rediffmail.com

Please by cheque/demand draft drawn in favour of ‘PRSI Lucknow Conference-2006′, payable at Lucknow, and should be sent to the Secretary, Organising Committee.

(Post contributed by CJ Singh)
Technorati tags: PR, Public Relations, India,India PR,

Noticed that the Public Relations Society of India, Chandigarh Chapter has gone online, like its Chennai counterpart. And viola, we also have a new PR blog in India. Congrats to PRSI Chandigarh and it is good to see that they are practising what they preached about the need for PR people in India keeping abreast with technology.

As Charanjit Singh of Core PR put it nicely, technology has enabled PR practitioners to upscale their information interface with all stake holders through webcasting, podcasting, and blogging, enabling them to interact with different stake holders in almost real time basis.

So it’s upto us now how we take up the discussion of PR2.0 with our clients. I called for a meeting with one of my clients to discuss this subject only and it was worth it.
Technorati tags: PR, Public Relations, India, India PR, Marketing, PRSI, PR2.0,