Living in a Disruptive Age: Public Relations in a Rapidly Changing Age (The Indian Story)
Indeed, these are wonderful times we live in. I prefer to call this the disruptive age, an age where almost anything, anyone (not to mention, any country) can disrupt even the concepts, beliefs, and businesses of a century ago. An era where the old gives way to the new with ease, a time when anything is possible!
This era has also seen a revival of some old business concepts, such as public relations, which have been reinvented and have taken center stage prominently in all other business. Until a few years ago, it was rare to find someone who understood public relations, and today, although many understand it, not everyone who uses public relations uses public relations to do what they are supposed to do, that is, build brands. Reputation is the most basic building block of brand image, and PR is arguably one of the most trusted tools for building reputation, making it indispensable for brand building in today’s disruptive era.
For PR practitioners in India, 2006 will be considered a turning point. It is the year when public relations accelerated and, as a result, also became more visible. Stealing some of the publicity limelight from its older cousin, PR professionals must surely be smiling with delight knowing that their time has come and now it’s time for a place in the sun.
Those who have chosen public relations as their career are already reaping the benefits of their choice, although the rapid growth of the industry has another effect that is not entirely productive or harmonious with growth; has created a huge demand for good quality staff. This gap between supply and demand is reaching its limit to serve new businesses, and it is no longer unthinkable that a professional in this field would be offered double salary for a job change. Practically everyone, employment consultants, professionals and public relations companies listen to pleasant music coming from the ringing of the cash registers.
The growth of this sector is also evident by the sudden globalization of the business. Almost all the global PR giants have already established themselves in India or are actively considering it. Indeed, India will be a defining part of the growth strategies of even the Big Five agencies. Consolidation is another strong indicator. Much like the advertising deals of the 1980s, there is a fervent race for international PR agencies to cement their position in India. The signs of acquisitions, mergers and acquisitions are already very visible. I personally know at least 5-6 of the high growth agencies in India (including ourselves) that are evaluating potential alliances. The knocking on the door doesn’t seem to stop!
Two questions come up pretty quickly after reading the above. One, where does this business come from? And secondly, will this last?
One of the critical and apparently contradictory factors responsible for this sudden growth is the fact that it is due to a growing tendency to merge differentiations. Brands are feeling the pinch of the lack of a distinctive personality. In a world where options are many, each stakeholder is looking for the perfect match for their needs. A world full of clones will hardly represent a choice, or be interesting, fun or productive.
Let us consider established that the distinctive character of the brand (as we will call it here), is a central driver for the existence and evolution of a brand. Also consider established that public relations is the most innate driver of this ‘distinction’. If both are true, what will be the answer to the question: ‘Will this phenomenon last?’
There are two parts to this answer. The first part is generic and almost philosophical, one that says that nothing lasts forever. This trend is cyclical and we are all happy to be riding the wave. But, if you get more specific and ask the question, will this industry overtake others and witness a boom in the next two decades? “Without a doubt”, would be my answer without hesitation.
The reasons: First of all, trust in the brand is essential. Without trust in the brand, there will be no brand. Second, distinctiveness is as basic to a brand’s survival and growth as air to breathe, water to quench thirst. Distinction is the unique “I” of a brand and is therefore essential to meet growing consumer demands. Add to that the fact that customer demands are inversely proportional to customer loyalty. So unless brands have an aura of uniqueness, it will be difficult for any consumer to identify with the brand.
If you read the previous paragraph again, you will see that public relations is the only communication tool that can help you achieve both effectively. Building credibility and trust in the organization, brand or individual are innate goals that any public relations campaign fulfills. Creating a distinctive identity is the creative design of the campaign that gives relevance to the PR deliverables.
The field of public relations is already growing at a furious pace and we can only expect it to accelerate in the years to come. But of course the industry will need to innovate to respond to critical demands for accountability, transparency and relevance. Public relations has become an essential nutrient for the growth of any company, regardless of the industry, and it is entirely up to professionals to ensure that they do everything possible to maintain credibility in their industry.
An anonymous quote that aptly sums up the way the PR industry moves can be found in “Yesterday we were learning and still finding each other; today we run to race the storm, tomorrow we will fly and find the wind beneath our wings.” – Anonymous
