Anita Lobo, CEO, Accord Public Relations
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.
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 began her PR career at Perfect Relations where she managed companies across sectors as diverse as automobiles, banking and finance, leisure and retailing. She became the CEO, Accord Public Relations at a young 28. Accord Public Relations is a five-year-old public relations agency and focuses on the food processing, telecom, banking and finance, marketing and retailing industries.
In conversation with Jasmeen Dugal, Anita Lobo - CEO, Accord Public Relations, underlines the common pitfalls of PR professionals, working with 'male' dominated industries, and the potential of the Indian PR industry.
Q. What is the unique selling proposition of Accord PR? We are a mid-sized, agile public relations agency and distinguish ourselves on the quality of advice, quality of implementation and quality of people, strongly believing that the best PR people are those who have had experience and exposure to multiple industries and have managed different kinds of PR campaigns. This creates the ability to think out-of-the-box of the predictable solutions that are typically suggested for a particular industry.
Accord has specialized teams that focus on industries like food processing, telecom, banking and finance, marketing and retailing. We have made a conscious effort to avoid the inertia many large public relations agencies fall prey to. We are an agile business unit - quick to think and act. Besides this, referrals from our existing client base as well as external consultants who have worked with us add incredible value to our USP.
Q. How is handling corporate communications or PR for a small and mid-sized client different from handling a large client? There are three parameters for evaluation: Advisory, approvals and implementation.
In an advisory role, there is no difference in the quality of advice you would give to a company - irrespective of their size. The only parameter is - does it impact image? The difference in scale comes into play in approvals and implementation. Working with large companies, especially multinationals usually requires all PR activities to be shared with both the local management as well as our international counterparts. This means multiple approvals on plans as well as information made public.
When it comes to implementation, the difference is in the scale of activities that may be implemented i.e. national vs. regional or city specific. We have worked with a range of companies from start-ups who are redefining categories; large Indian corporates companies aiming for an image make; multi nationals who need to establish their equity and unseat well entrenched competition; as public awareness campaign that aim at changing mindsets and expanding product categories.
However, the bottom line for every company, irrespective of size, is the 'value' created and the impact on image - that is what counts!
Q. I believe that Dilip Cherian, Perfect Relations, is one of the bigger shareholders in Accord PR; could you give us some details on this front? There is a group of personal investors who have shares in Accord PR, of which Dilip Cherian is one. I cannot disclose any further details.
Q. 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? Clearly, defining objectives and therefore, results expected - at the beginning of a relationship is the best way to prevent such a dichotomy. To ensure this, when we begin working with a company, we meet the CEO and all department heads so that we have a clear picture of what is required - across the organization.
The next step we take is to share a detailed action plan that clearly states deliverables. This ensures that there is no 'gap'. However, we also recognize that the big danger in PR is that both the client and the agency may start focusing on the day-to-day operations and could lose track of the 'big picture thinking' that is expected. To prevent this, we have ingrained a regular review system that provokes both sides to look at what has been achieved and plan for the future. It also enables faster mid-term correction in response to a change in the market place.
For instance, when we were working with a leading brand of women's wear, we noticed and pointed out to our client that most of our efforts over a quarter were directed at latest, new collection launched. Very little was being done to promote the overall brand profile and for category promotion. The client was happy at this observation and accepted our suggestion to change the scope and focus of activities.
Q. Do initiatives like the PRCAI PR summit help? If yes, how? The PRCAI summit was a good beginning for PR practitioners to meet and exchange ideas. In the future, I hope PRCAI makes the summit a more focused and business oriented platform by placing greater focus on 'what clients want' - because after all, they are the reason we are in business.
Q. How do you measure the results of a PR campaign? We recommend the following three parameters of measurement:
The quality of advice: Innovation, Timeliness, proactive thought, and impact on image - this is what counts most!
The quality of implementation: Planning, delivery, monitoring and reporting
The quality of results against what was planned: Quantitative as well as Qualitative
Q. Is ethics in PR business followed in true spirit? PR like any other business from banking to journalism to law has its vast majority of ethical practitioners who lead the industry. Yes ethical practice is common - in letter and spirit. But corruption exists in every industry. And it requires both internal checks as well as an industry redressal body to lay down norms and penalties for non-compliance to ethics.
Q. How do you differentiate yourselves when you go out to pitch for clients? Lets look at this from a client's perspective. A client looks for:
Agility and speed are very valuable in a hyper competitive environment where profit margins are wafer thin.
An advisor who delivers sound strategy and creative implementation
A trained and committed team that understands their business and is capable of going the extra mile
A business partner who can provide objective inputs in areas that are beyond traditional PR but nevertheless, impact image
And an agency that has a clear result orientation.
A common pitfall of PR professionals is that they entice themselves into this vision of PR building an esoteric image in the long term. The harsh reality that marketers live is the business of PR as well as all other marketing communications is to help companies do more business - sell more. So lets stop treating impact on sales as a dirty word and keep a sharp eye on how our efforts impact our client's image.
These are the parameters on which Accord differentiates itself - in thought, action and spirit.
Q. In India, is the role of PR going to remain in media relations or it will go beyond that? Rising numbers of people in the corporate world understand today that the scope of PR is far more than just media relations. But in a young industry like ours, there will be a plethora of agencies providing a range of services - from the most basic to the most advanced. Much in the same way as there are fresh MBBS doctors, super specialists and quacks!
In more developed markets, the pattern has been one of consolidation - after which emerge a group of large national agencies and smaller specialist agencies. And of course, individual publicists do also thrive successfully.
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.
Therefore the challenge is for PR agencies to have the ability to provide such advise and ensure programmatic delivery, instead of uncoordinated 'PR bursts'. Because the agile will survive, the slow will perish!
Q. What are the ideal attributes for a good PR professional? Public relations is a great career for people who want challenge and learning to be a part of every workday. Although this sounds very enticing, in reality it requires people who are willing to step out of their 'comfort zone' and go the extra mile everyday.
People planning a career in public relations should evaluate their strengths and weaknesses on the following criteria and then dive in: above all Integrity, lateral thinking and the ability to speak and write in English, the ability to understand complex issues and grasp implications in a wider framework, the ability to communicate these very same complex issues in a simple and easy to understand manner - both in written and oral forms, and a curious mind that is aware of what's happening in business, economy and politics.
Q. Have you faced any difficulties being a woman in a senior post in a predominantly male-dominated country? Have there been times that you have not been taken seriously due to gender inequalities? My personal experience has been that if you have personal conviction; if know your business and have great ideas, people will take you seriously and are eager to work with you. But yes, there are stereotypes you have to break like women cannot think about strategy or men are more competitive or career oriented, etc.
In fact I began working with 'male' dominated industries like automobiles, banking & finance and manufacturing very early in my career. It was interesting and sometimes funny to see how people accepted and liked working with us, irrespective of gender. But we have to recognize the fact that all of us are a product of diverse social & cultural upbringing and factor this difference into how we approach people and situations to come out on top.
Q. Tell us about the campaigns you are currently handling. Is there anything in the pipeline? We are working with exciting brands that are changing the status quo by redefining how the category functions. From a leading brand of women's wear for career women to an exciting niche channel, and a manufacturing giant, we are proud to be working with some of the best in the business.
Q. How does PR compete with other below-the-line marketing activities? PR does not compete with below the line activities. In fact PR complements and adds to the impact of below the line activities by building a supportive environment that makes the target audience more receptive to such campaigns.
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Surabhi Patodia of Ola joins Practo as Head of Communications
Patodia served over three years at Ola as Senior Manager, Corporate Communications & PR
Surabhi Patodia, former Senior Manager, Corporate Communications & PR at Ola has joined healthcare platform Practo as Head of Communications.
Patodia started her career in Communications with Adfactors PR, where she helped companies going to IPO with their communication plans. She then went on to be a part of Text100, India's premier Technology PR agency, where she worked with brands like Lenovo, Tata Power Solar, to name a few. She joined Ola in 2016, and was instrumental in building a strong narrative for the brand, across India and International markets.
Patodia holds PG Diploma in Public Relations & Corporate Communications from the Xavier’s Institute of Mass Communications, Mumbai and Bachelors in Business Administration from BIT, Mesra.
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ShareIndiGo appoints Chhavi Leekha as Director, Corporate Communications & Brand Reputation
Prior to this role, Leekha worked with Nokia India as Head of Marketing and Communications
IndiGo airlines, part of InterGlobe Aviation Ltd, has appointed Chhavi Leekha as Director Corporate Communications and Brand Reputation. Prior to this role, she worked with Nokia India as Head of Marketing and Communications. Her role included setting the direction and leading Nokia's marketing strategy, demand generations, brand strategy, event management, advertising, external/internal communications, corporate affairs &CSR.
Leekha has also worked with Uber India as Consulting Director of Communications and also served a stint at Spice Global as Group President, Brand and Corporate Communications.
Leekha has completed her MBA from the prestigious Narsee Monjee Institue of Management Studies and BA from Shri Ram College of Commerce.
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Aditya Birla Group appoints Sandeep Gurumurthi as Head of Corporate Comm. and Brand
Gurumurthi who was part of the core team that launched ET NOW stepped down from his role as Managing Editor in August 2018
Aditya Birla Group has appointed former ET Now Managing Editor Sandeep Gurumurthi as Head of Corporate Communications and Brand.
Gurumurthi who was part of the core team that launched ET Now stepped down from his role as Managing Editor in August 2018.
He was associated with the channel since inception and besides anchoring breaking news and other special shows, he hosted ET Now's flagship debate show India Development Debate weeknights at 9 pm.
Gurumurthi began his career with national broadcaster DD News, and prior to joining ET Now, he was associated with CNBC TV18,
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Yaap appoints Deepak Singh as Chief Creative Officer
Singh is one of the most awarded creative talents in the country and has won over 1000 national and international awards
Rainmaker Ventures-backed Yaap, the digital advertising agency has appointed Deepak Singh as their Chief Creative Officer. Deepak will be based in the Mumbai office and will oversee all creative functions across the Yaap network in Mumbai, Gurugram, Hyderabad, Shillong, Dubai, Singapore & Jakarta. He will report directly to the Board of Directors at Yaap.
Singh is one of the most awarded creative talents in the country and has won over 1000 national and international awards at Cannes, One Show, LIA, New York Festival, Goafest, Adfest, Spikes Asia, Young Guns and more. He has also been on the jury of some of these prestigious festivals and led creative teams across agencies including Leo Burnett, Grey Worldwide, McCann Erickson, DDB Mudra, TBWA, Dentsu and The Social Street.
For the past 3 consecutive years, Singh has led a young team from The Social Street, which has gone on to give an exhilarating performance. He has been instrumental in securing the Creative Agency of the year title for the agency, several times during 2018.
Commenting on his new role, he added, “Saying yes to Yaap was actually not a very tough decision to make for me. Right from the time we first met, Atul had a clear picture of why he wanted to hire me. I am glad he has chalked out a much bigger role for me. Being a young and vibrant company with expertise in Digital Content, Design and Influencer Marketing, Yaap I believe will be a great learning experience for me. I’m raring to go “
Atul Hegde, co-founder Rainmaker Ventures added “Deepak is a welcome addition to the array of Partners we have at Yaap, which has a unique non CEO model, our aim as investors, is to ensure that we are able to attract the best & brightest of talent into the senior management pool at Yap. Within a short span of fewer than 3 Years, Yaap has grown into 70+ people across 7 offices in South East Asia, India & the Middle East and it was the right time for us to bring in a Senior Creative talent. I wish Deepak all the very best and I’m sure he will be a great asset to Yaap. “
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Leo Burnett India promotes Rakesh Hinduja to COO, West
He has been leading the operations of Leo Burnett’s head office in Mumbai as the Executive Director and Branch Head
Leo Burnett has announced the promotion of Rakesh Hinduja to Chief Operating Officer, West. He will continue to report to Dheeraj Sinha, Managing Director, India and Chief Strategy Officer, South Asia and Rajdeepak Das, Managing Director, India and Chief Creative Officer, South Asia.
Hinduja has been leading the operations of Leo Burnett’s head office in Mumbai as the Executive Director and Branch Head.
Speaking about the elevation, Dheeraj Sinha said, “Rakesh is the perfect role model for the new-age agency we are building. His leadership on all the three parameters of People, Product and Profit has been stellar. Under his watch, we have consistently seen spectacular work that has won our brands market-share, and glory at platforms such as Cannes Lions, Spikes and Effies. He has delivered high-quality growth for the Mumbai office, leading the teams to win a new business almost every two weeks. The momentum and buzz at Leo Burnett Mumbai are palpable. Rakesh has been an amazing team player, helping push the Publicis Groupe’s Power of One agenda. Leo Burnett Mumbai’s contribution to our services such as Prodigious has helped Prodigious to become the number one ‘agency production house’ in the country within a span of two years. More than anything else, Rakesh has a never-say-die attitude and he always plays the game with a sense of camaraderie that we really value at Leo Burnett.”
In his new role, Hinduja will drive the Power of One agenda for Leo Burnett in the West. He will help build cross-platform solutions for our clients using our services in Entertainment (Publicis Entertainment), Content (Content Factory), Experiential (Arc Worldwide), Production (Prodigious), Digital (Indigo Consulting and Digitas) and Media (Zenith Optimedia, Ecosys and Beehive). He will lead all the functions of Leo Burnett Mumbai to create world-class work, build a high growth business and create a culture where people come to do the best work of their lifetime.
Commenting on Rakesh’s promotion, Rajdeepak Das said, “Rakesh is always there, backing great creative work and making integrated thinking happen for our clients. He has been an essential part of the journey to get where we are today. This elevation is much-deserved and will take all of us to greater heights.”
Talking about his promotion, Rakesh Hinduja said, “I am happy with my journey at Leo Burnett – a new-age, solution-providing ‘Wave 3’ agency. I’m proud of the brave we have work done and I am hungry for more. Hereon, there are a lot of exciting things to do and in quick time. I want to take a critical pause here to thank all our clients and the Burnetters for their belief in me.”
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Publicis India appoints Neeraj Bassi as Managing Partner & Chief Strategy Officer
Along with Srija Chatterjee and Bobby Pawar, Bassi will help in fostering collaboration and delivering on the Power of One synergy across the Groupe
Publicis India has announced the appointment of Neeraj Bassi as Managing Partner & Chief Strategy Officer. Neeraj will work from the agency’s New Delhi office. Along with Srija Chatterjee and Bobby Pawar, Neeraj will help in fostering collaboration and delivering on the Power of One synergy across the Groupe.
With over two decades of professional experience, Neeraj has worked with some of the world’s most renowned brands including Coca-Cola, Asian Paints, Cadbury, BMW, KFC, Adidas, Samsung, British Airways, WeChat, Voltas, Audi, HSBC, Max Life and Tata Singapore Airlines – Vistara among others.
He joins Publicis after a brief stint as an independent Consultant where he provided strategic guidance and brand solutions for multiple clients across various categories. Neeraj has worked with some of the top market research networks such as TNS, IMRB, and NFO and led the Strategic Planning function in advertising agencies including Cheil, Ogilvy, JWT, McCann in India and abroad. Neeraj has also won multiple awards across reputed award festivals that recognise effectiveness such as Effies (India & APAC), AMES, WARC, etc.
Announcing the new appointment and welcoming Neeraj aboard, Saurabh Varma, CEO, Publicis Communications, South Asia said: “In Neeraj, we found a partner with a shared vision of driving a deeper level of integration within the Groupe by leveraging the Power of One model. Neeraj’s vast experience and media neutral planning approach will help clients in building a holistic brand experience which will aim to create one-to-one consumer engagement, at scale. I look forward to working with Neeraj and wish him the best of luck.”
Welcoming Neeraj to the Publicis family, Srija Chatterjee, Managing Director - Publicis Worldwide, India said: “Neeraj joins at a time when the Groupe is implementing a profound transformation which puts our clients front and centre of everything that we do. His wealth of experience of working across diverse sectors and with cross-functional teams will help build a narrative around our clients’ business and marketing transformation that connects data, content and technology in an omnichannel world. I’m excited to welcome Neeraj to the Publicis Groupe family, and we look forward to him riding the next strategic wave at the agency.”
Bobby Pawar, MD & CCO - Publicis Worldwide, India added: “I’ve always believed great work is born out of a strong partnership between strategy, creative and clients. Neeraj Bassi has a history of creating strategic platforms that killer ideas can springboard from. His cross-platform approach to planning will also be a huge asset to our march towards the future of creativity. It also helps that he is fun to be around. I can chat with him for hours; the chemistry is very important when you are going to be more or less living out of each other’s metaphorical pockets.”
Commenting on his appointment, and his plans for the agency, Neeraj Bassi said: “I am really excited to be part of Publicis India and looking forward to partnering Bobby and Srija to create stellar work that stands out in the market. Working with clients as an independent consultant has given me insight on the primary concerns of CXOs and how communication can help resolve them. Clients today need an omnichannel approach to planning that focuses on identifying and solving their business problems holistically, rather than getting trapped in a discipline-specific approach. I am fascinated by the way all Groupe companies have come together at Publicis to create Power of One, and I look forward to wielding this power to build successful campaigns for our clients.”
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Airbnb appoints Google's Aristotle Balogh as Chief Technology Officer
Balogh formerly served as Vice President of Engineering, Application Storage, Indexing and Serving at Google
Airbnb has announced the appointment of Aristotle Balogh as Chief Technology Officer, according to media reports.
Balogh is expected to begin his tenure with Airbnb in November and will head the engineering and data science teams. He will also be in charge of infrastructure, information security and IT, as well as engineering for payments and community support.
Balogh formerly served as Vice President of Engineering, Application Storage, Indexing and Serving at Google, where he was instrumental in developing the infrastructure and data platforms of Google Search. He also worked as Chief Technology Officer at Yahoo and VeriSign.
According to reports, the company is expected to file for an Initial Public Offering (IPO) next year and Balogh's appointment comes at a time when Airbnb is still without a Chief Financial Officer after Laurence Tosi stepped down from the role earlier this year.
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