Sustained engagement

IN CONVERSATION

how PR can have a bigger impact than advertising.

When you say PR can become as effective or even more than advertising, are you not camparing an older, larger industry with a relatively new field (PR) that's still to mature?

Agreed, advertising is a much larger industry. Though it's difficult to give the size of both, for lack of industry data, a very rough estimate suggests that advertising is over Rs 14,000 crore, whereas PR is somewhere near Rs 150 crore. But PR is growing at 30-35 per cent.

Besides, it is quality PR which we are focusing on, not just getting media coverage for our clients. I also feel third party endorsement, through a balanced article in a newspaper or magazine, helps create a fairer and broader brand perception of a product or company.

You yourself have spent several years in advertising. How is strategy formulation different in PR?

Firstly, in advertising, relationships tend to get project-centric, even if one tries to build long-term relationships, but in PR it is essential to maintain such relationships for the creation of good brand value.

Secondly, nothing has better recall value than good content, while a good ad can still be forgotten.

Thirdly, in advertising, while the creative content rests with someone else, in PR it is done by the strategic planning cell or the person directly dealing with the client. And, finally, in PR, cost is not a deterrent, unlike in advertising.

Do you think corporates these days are going in for PR because advertising costs more?

No, I don't think that will be a criteria for any leading corporate. What they want these days is qualitative visibility. That is why PR is also becoming a priority with them.

Has Rediff added on clients ever since it started the strategic planning cell?

Yes, we have added at least 10 clients in the last two-and-a-half months. These include some like Nippon, AOL and Cartoon Network. The increased client list has already led to a business gain of 25 per cent.

The company can easily witness a 50-per cent growth in sales this year over 2005. We have got Shantanu Kumar as GM, strategic planning, who has been a planner for over seven years, and are in the process of appointing other people.