Meera Tenguria, Founder and Director, Aarohan Communications
Be it newsletters, conferences, talks, fairs, events in schools and colleges, PR agencies are using an integration of possible mediums. In a country like India with the vast spectrum of cultural nuances - going beyond media is a role that PR agencies are managing very well.
Be it newsletters, conferences, talks, fairs, events in schools and colleges, PR agencies are using an integration of possible mediums. In a country like India with the vast spectrum of cultural nuances - going beyond media is a role that PR agencies are managing very well.
Meera Tenguria started Aarohan Communications over eight years ago, at a time when PR was in a very nascent stage in India. She has over twelve years of business experience in the areas of strategy, corporate PR, investor relations, technology communication, crisis/issues management, consumer communications, and brand management that has given Aarohan Communications a unique niche. Her skills extend from managing corporate PR for large Indian companies to managing International FMCG brands.
In conversation with Jasmeen Dugal, Meera Tenguria, Founder and Director, Aarohan Communications, underlines the conflicting interests between a client and a PR firm, how the company differentiates itself when pitching for a client, and the USP of Aarohan Communications.
Q. What is the unique selling proposition of Aarohan Communications? We do considerable research for mapping out not only the obvious aspects of the specific industry but also its nuances, to understand how other industries have an effect on this industry. This involves customer needs, competition, government policies, trends - domestic and International, direct and indirect opinion influencers, media, and future changes/initiatives.
We then take a holistic view of the plan for PR. We ensure that it addresses the core need - be it creating greater awareness for increasing sales, or increasing awareness for educating the public or investor relations as part of corporate governance or investor relations to attract market attention. Our strategies are focused on directing the PR Program to deliver the desired business objectives. We then add creativity to the mix - looking at communications creatively; out of the box thinking. We have built-in methods that ensure that the programs that we run for our clients our focused on deliverables.
Q. How is handling corporate communications or PR for a small and mid-sized client different from handling a large client? The objectives tend to differ. With large clients, esp. in Corporate PR, the audiences that a company needs to communicate are larger. Investor relations, internal communication, crisis communication, change management, channel communications, industry relations are critical for a large client along of course with brand and marketing communications, whereas in small and midsize clients, the focus is on marketing communications.
For a large client, we look into many aspects which need to be communicated to develop a truly multifaceted image of the company, such as the company's HR, its corporate governance, its R&D, its IT, its customer programs, its partners, acquisition and mergers, new products, brands, etc. This needs not only a very good strategy but also a very effective implementation plan in place. For large clients, there are many regulatory issues we are very carefully to take into account while planning communications.
Corporate PR for small and midsize companies is a wonderful challenge, for we are intrinsically involved in the process of actually creating an image. You may be competing with large brands, with lesser resources available. It really stretches you creatively.
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? Mature clients, who understand the value of PR, are very adept at making the most of the PR agency as a resource. The objectives of both the client and the agency are the same - the success of the client. Teamwork thus brings out the best of both - their knowledge of their business and our knowledge of PR. Constant communications and professionalism in all aspects go a long way in bridging any gaps. It defines relations around corporate objectives. The PR agency is after all an extension of the company.
W.r.t conflict of interest as an aspect of competing clients, it depends on the market the client is in and the understanding between the client and the agency. Permission from the existing client is a must. Indeed, in the era of convergence, competition is not always direct but can be replacing technologies or products. The fundamental ethics in this is the permission of the existing client.
Q. Is Ethics in PR business followed in true spirit? Ethics is critical in PR business. A PR agency's credibility lies in its ethics.
Q. What are the ideal attributes for a good PR professional? Professionalism, good communication skills, a constant eagerness to learn, strong reading habit, logic, eye for detail and a focus on detailing, ability to see the larger picture, ability to work in teams, and the ability to hold conflicting ideas in the mind and yet function effectively.
Q. How do you measure the results of a PR campaign? It begins with objectives. What was to be achieved? In what time frame? What was the road map set? What were the milestones? For instance "changing the positioning" - for each target audience, the benchmarks would be different depending on the plan - customers, investors, vendors, and the industry. Clarity in the plan in the beginning is needed. We conduct an audit in the beginning of a program w.r.t each parameter. We repeat it at various intervals to check the changes and the direction. So it is an ongoing effort.
Q. Tell us about the campaigns you are currently handling. Is there anything in the pipeline? We are handling extremely interesting and challenging projects ranging from infrastructure to brands.
Q. How do you differentiate yourselves when you go out to pitch for the clients? Our approach - we have always taken a very holistic approach of PR. We help our clients in using communication as a strategic tool for achieving their corporate objectives. This means that we work very closely with our clients in ensuring that communications is working strategically and effectively at the various communication points of a corporate.
Industry knowledge - we have built strengths in areas that we operate. Knowledge management is a key differentiator. It is mind you, not about large databases, or books in your library - it is about understanding the nuances of the industry.
Our relations with our clients - we take great pride in this. We have always worked very closely with our clients. We are always a part of their organization, sharing their dreams. We have been with our clients through their good times and their tough times. At all times we have been honest in giving advice; in bringing to the table issues we feel are important. Ethics and honesty with our clients is what differentiates us. This is very critical in Corporate PR.
Our focus on implementation - we bring strategy into play in the implementation process. We are very transparent about our process, and are paranoid about being creative and professional in the process of implementation, be it writing a press release or organizing an analyst meet.
We offer marketing communications, investor relations, internal communications, change management, channel communications, analyst relations, media relations and community relations. This enables our clients to have an integrated solution.
Q. In India, is the role of PR going to remain in media relations or it will go beyond that? It has begun to go beyond that. We have for instance done serious work in investor relations, analyst communications, internal communications, speakership opportunities, dealership communications, change management, crisis communications etc. More and more PR agencies are playing a role in planning and creating platforms of communications other than media. Be it newsletters, conferences, talks, fairs, events in schools and colleges, PR agencies are using an integration of possible mediums. In a country like India with the vast spectrum of cultural nuances - going beyond media is a role that PR agencies are managing very well. It has begun to go beyond that. We have for instance done serious work in investor relations, analyst communications, internal communications, speakership opportunities, dealership communications, change management, crisis communications etc. More and more PR agencies are playing a role in planning and creating platforms of communications other than media. Be it newsletters, conferences, talks, fairs, events in schools and colleges, PR agencies are using an integration of possible mediums. In a country like India with the vast spectrum of cultural nuances - going beyond media is a role that PR agencies are managing very well.
Q. Do initiatives like the PRCAI PR summit help? If yes, how? I do believe that the PR industry in India needs to start introspecting and make changes. We need to participate in the growth of the industry in terms of people and practices. We need to have more communications within the industry. Any initiatives thus are welcome.
Q. Have there been times that you have not been taken seriously due to gender inequalities? Never. I have always believed in a lot of preparation and background work. Any advice that we give is backed by a strong reasoning, which is backed by facts. We have built our reputation on a lot of hard work and thoroughness. Thus the gender as an issue has never really cropped up.
Q. How does PR compete with other below-the-line marketing activities? PR does not compete - it compliments below- the-line marketing activities. As mentioned earlier, PR is playing a very active role in these activities.
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Surabhi Patodia of Ola joins Practo as Head of Communications
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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.
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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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