Crisis communications and you

I attended a crisis communications workshop conducted by Andy Eklund, a veteran in the field of communications. It was an interesting session with simulations of crisis scenarios and also practical case studies of what can go wrong when things do go wrong and how to be prepared for it.
The key to crisis communications ( and also crisis management) is preparedness.

The principle is simple : If you are prepared, you will respond with intelligence and not come across as a fool. When one is not prepared and a crisis strikes, one tends to behave irrationally and with no sense of order or control. There is chaos not only outside, but in people's heads as well. The objective of preparing is to have some clarity in one's mind and respond intelligently.

Andy shared an interesting case study of Coca-Cola Belgium in which the company went through horrendous experiences all because they did not respond well to a
crisis in 1999. What had happened was this : On drinking coke, a few chilren fell it. This was not addressed by the company for many weeks. After a few weeks, a few hundred children were reported sick.It is only then that the company decided to react - and when they did; by setting up a hotline number; it was too late. The countries around Belgium had decided to ban coke. This had not only an effect on the revenues; but also the company's reputation. Ultimately, the CEO and Chairman had to resign.

A detailed enquiry a few months later revealed that the children were sick not from drinking coke, but from stress releated to exams. The fact that they had coca-cola was just a coincidence. Had Coca-cola decided to invest some time and intellectual capital on crisis preparedness; they would have been saved a lot of trouble and embarrasment.

We can see examples all around us when corporations and individuals face a crisis - which not only affect them professionally, but also dent their reputations irreparably. How one prepares and responds to them saves them a lot of trouble.

So, what are the steps to preparing for a crisis communications plan ?

Here are a few :
1) Build a system of communication - a core team who will be responsible to decide what to say and to whom. A core "crisis communicatios team"

2) Decide on what to say and the core message when a crisis does strike

3) Do not avoid the media . "No comments" can be deadly and can come across as being insincere

4) In the messages to the outside world show : Empathy, action and also put things in a context. Your/ your company's actions should resonate with the reality outside and show the others that you are doing the best that one can do.

5) Get third party endorsment for your communications if required ( for eg. a fire expert or someone from the fire-brigade) if there has been a fire disaster. This helps build credibility.

If the above principles are kept in mind, communications during a crisis can become seamless and sharp. One comes across as sharp, in control and above all sincere and in control of the situation. And that is the whole purpose of crisis communications.

celebrity branded real estate -2

Since my last post, there have been a few interesting discussions that i had with a few well informed people. These conversations have helped me gain some insights about Celebrity branding of Real estate projects.

In particular, when one speaks of branding Real estate projects, one name comes to mind in Dubai - ACI Real estate. While the concept of bringing in Michael Schumacher, Boris becker and Nicki Lauda is great; the real question that many people ask ( and which to me now seems relevant) is : Who or what is ACI ?

Just because the company has an investment portfolio and a few thousand investors from Germany doesnt make it a credible real estate firm. Does it ? What projects have they executed ? What is their background ? What is their experience in taking on and executing successful real estate projects ? How successful have they been, what is their USP as builders ?

By all these tokens, the company does not offer conclusive answers, as it is not a developer. It is a mere branding firm which sub-contracts the projects to others and oversees the marketing.

This in many people's eyes makes it suspect. As the chairman of a multi-billion dollar Abudhabi group remarked that such operators should not be allowed to even operate in Dubai, there is a growing consciousness among certain people ( both media professionals as well as end-users) to question the background of these builders.

As the market matures and people become more selective about where they invest their monies, these questions become all the more important and pertinent. As in PR, so in business; sometimes the most important question one has to answer is :Who the hell are you and where do you come from ?

And the answer to this determines how credible one is perceived to be.

Celebrity branded real estate in Dubai

It is SRK time. The king khan - Shah rukh is coming do Dubai to perform on 25th October. And this is not all, he is also starting a property development project in Ras Al Khaimah. Aptly called Shahrukh Khan boulevard, it is set to be a premier destination for one and two bedroom apartments.

I was involved in the PR for ACI Real estate, which launched the Boris Becker towers a few months ago in Dubai. With Boris becker in town, the media was abuzz with what he had to offer to the world of real estate. Listening to the former tennis star ( and a star in his own right today), one could glean a certain business acumen from him. He was talking "return on investment", "commitment to excellence", values which he embodies.

The premise of Celebrity branding is that the celebrity's perceived value will rub-off on the projects undertaken positively. While Boris becker, Donald Trump, Michael Schumacher, and now Shahrukh Khan are banking on their name to give wings to their projects, one is left wondering how much of the cross-pollination does really occur in such branding exercises ?

Does Boris becker's status in tennis really matter when it comes to a brick and mortar industry ? Of course, one can rest assured that he would not associate with someone who doesnt value quality and aesthetics in construction, but again; how much of his real 'self' is involved in the project ?

I presume that in the world of real estate branding, perceptions are really what matters. Perceptions become reality. And PR drives this more than advertising. The real value of these projects is in peopl'e minds.

Why no food marketer should ignore Halal products

As the fastest growing religion in the world, with over 1.6 billion followers, Islam has become a formidable force. Though the muslim world constitutes a tiny fraction of the world's GDP, the sheer numbers speak for themselves. Especially in the developing world, as well as the slightly better off Middle East, the market size of products and services catering to Muslims is quite large and cannot be ignored.

Consider Halal foods, Islamic tourism, Shariah compliant products. Each of these categories are multi-billion dollar industries. While Jews have kosher food, all Muslims prefer ( or in theory have to eat) only Halal food. As a muslim, i can testify that this is an extremely important part of one's diet. One would forego meat and other foods which are considered "haram" . For a company catering to this huge chunk of people, there is a lot of money to be made, by identifying the needs and fulfilling them.


Dynamics Driving the Global Halal Food Market
-Growth in the Muslim population, the primary market for Halal food
-Rising incomes in primary markets for Halal food
-Increasing demand for safe, high quality food in primary markets
-Increasing demand for greater variety in primary markets
-Incidents of food marketed as Halal but failing to meet Halal requirements has
spurred demand for genuine Halal products
( source : http://www.ats.agr.gc.ca/africa/4352_e.htm)


Key Halal Markets Algeria Bahrain Egypt Indonesia Iran
Iraq Jordan Kuwait Lebanon Malaysia
Morocco Oman Qatar Saudi Arabia Syria
Tunisia Turkey United Arab Emirates Yemen

Combined Population of key Halal markets: 652 million

Key Halal Markets in Non-Muslim Countries
India 140 million
France 6 million
China 40 million
Germany 3 million
USA 8 million
UK 1.5 million
Philippines 6 million

( source : http://www.ats.agr.gc.ca/africa/4352_e.htm)


While there are various estimates of the size of the Halal food market, a study conducted by the Canadian government estimates it to be in the range of US$500 billion to US$2 trillion. The more conservative value of an annual US$500 billion is a reasonable estimate of global spending on Halal food, as it assumes per capita spending on such products to be approximately US$300 per year.

Ramadhan in the UAE

My first Ramadhan in UAE
- Witnessing the holy month in the melting pot of Middle East
This is my first Ramadhan in UAE and also the first outside my home country. Observing Ramadhan while being away from one’s family is quite strange as this is the time for bonding with the family, friends and also getting to understand one’s self better. The period of fasting, prayer and charity is meant for self-purification.
One of the simplest acts which has a deep meaning is that of breaking the fast. Going to the mosque in the evening for Iftaar, sitting amidst other Muslims of all ages and social classes and sharing the iftaar food is a great social leveller. At a very basic level, it tells us that we are all one - that our needs at a very basic level are all the same. We strive and put in efforts for the same basic necessities - food, clothing and shelter. In this, we are all the same and have the same destiny. The level at which we may put in effort and gain results may be different, but very fundamentally; we are all equal in this respect. We share a common destiny and this act of breaking the fast - with people of all social and economic classes brings this truth to light very powerfully. One is humbled with this realisation and cannot but help feel a sense of gratitude for the food before us. Hunger is the great leveller. Infact, with the media portraying the month of Ramadhan as a month of excessive consumption, the truth is very different. Ramadhan is about developing a sense of gratitude, and thankfulness for what we have - both in terms of material wealth and also peace of mind. The act of sharing our food, of charity, giving drive home this truth.
Iftaar evenings are also a good opportunity for expats and non-Muslims to get to know the Islamic practices better. The various hotels in Dubai offer iftaar dinners. These are meant for both muslims and non-muslims alike and give a good peek into the cuisine as well as the culture of the Arab world. During one such evening, I heard some soulful Oudh music as well as got to sample delicious mezze and kebabs at one of the better hotels in town. And not surprisingly, half the guests at the restaurant were expats. Most of them seemed to be non-muslims. These occassions also serve as good “ice-breakers” for the non-Muslims to get to know the Arab and Muslim culture up-close.

What I notice in Dubai during Ramadhan is a general sense of piety and calm. Right from the roads which are less clogged to the office environment which seems more serene; there is an overall calming effect. Even the irate taxi drivers are complaining less and being more tolerant, perhaps imbibing one of the key lessons of fasting - patience.

Reduced working hours, fewer vehicles on the road, people who are consciously trying to “do good”, through charity, organizing various initiatives - such as a charity donation drive at the major malls in the city ( Mall of Emirates and Deira city centre) are some of the key highlights of the month which are visible to the onlooker who is looking at the month from the outside.
For an insider, the view is even more spectacular. There is not only a greater satisfaction in doing the everyday acts - of fasting, praying and being aware of the various things that we need to be thankful and grateful to god for. If there is one emotion that captures the spirit of the month, it is this sense of gratitude and thankfulness that the month tries to imbibe.

Maa'lish Habibi - Communicating with Arabs

Communicating with Arabs is a complex process. Not only does the average Arab speak only Arabic , but also has very different modes of gesturing. The body language, tone of voice are all very different when one is speaking Arabic. Arabic is a very poetic and literary language and can arouse a lot of passions. It should not surprise you if two Arabs are seen shouting at each other and swearing by God for a very insignificant reason. It is not that they mean to upset each other, but the language itself is structured to emphasise the emotions and culturally the Arabs are very emotional people.

Some observations about the language and communicating with Arabs in general

1) Emotions and reason - Give way to your emotions. Reason doesnot have too much of a place when communicating with an average Arab. Appeal to his/ her heart and not to the mind. If an Arab likes you, he/ she will forgive you for many slips. But get on his/her wrong side, and your most articulate and well reasoned arguments will fail. By nature, the Arab society places a premium on emotional well-being and harmony. Harmony of the individual with his family, friends and society. This is also manifested in the way two arabs speak with each other - usually the language and gesticulation is very elaborate and intended to show how much they like each other ( or rather dislike as the case may be).

2)Friends first, business next - The Arabs have an attitude of building a personal rapport first, then talking about business. One of my uncles who is based in Saudi Arabia recounts incidents where in the first round of business meetings, often there is very little or almost no discussion about work. The Sheikh would entertain the guest with Arabic coffee, Dates, food and conversation about everything other than work. The idea is to get to know each other first and then discuss business. The Arabs do not like the idea of being cut and dry and getting down to business too soon. This is seen as almost being rude.

3) Insha Allah - Literally translates into " If God wills". This is probably the most used word in the region. Muslims believe that everything happens by the will of God and if he does not want something to happen, no amount of human effort can bring it to completion. This is reflected in the use of Insha Allah. This doesnt in any way imply fatalistic attitude, but rather a mind-set which believes that we can only take care of the efforts; but results are in God's hands. And most of those who use it, mean to use it in the right spirit. Well, there are always exceptions to the rule...so you need to watch out the person who is using this word rather than the word itself.

4)Ma'alish - "Take it easy". Another attitude to life. The Arabs can be quite laid back and relaxed about certain things. There is a certain relaxed attitude to life in general and not the competitive dog-eat-dog attitude of the western world. Work happens at its own pace and things will fall into place over a period of time.

These are some pointers to dealing and communicating with an Arab. Of course there are exceptions to these rules and many western educated Arabs may be markedly different in terms of their attitudes. But these are some guidelines which may be of use so as not to offend anyone and also to gain insights into how the Arabs behave.

Can ducks make news ??

BBC news never fails to surprise me. I read this piece of news the headline of which was " Stranded Ducks are escorted home", and the article went on to explain how a good samaritan had escorted a family of Ducks from a park to their pond; from where they had strayed.

A few months ago,a friend pointed out a similar story on BBC website about a Seagull which stole food from a grocery store.

Features such as these need to be seen more often to lighten our day and take our minds off the worrying stuff that newspapers and websites report most of the time.

What if Israel attacks Iran ? What UAE can do through public diplomacy

The Economist in an article "Coming to a city near you " - Be very afraid, please. says that Israel may attack Iran; and possibly alone. The recent testing of long-range missiles by Iran and subsequent sabre-rattling from Israel has heightened tensions in the region. Iran has retaliated by saying that all it has to do it close the Strait of Hormuz, through which nearly 40% of the world's oil passes. This is definitely a serious threat which neither Israel nor the rest of the world can ignore.

Soaring Oil prices, ending of President Bush's term, Iran's testing of the long-range missiles, USA's insistence that Iran is enriching Uranium. All these factors may contribute to the kind of propaganda that led to the campaign and eventual destruction of Iraq. One sees a similar pattern here in the case of Iran.

What if Iran is attacked? Implications for UAE

Kish island is just a few hours away by the Sea from UAE. The proximity to Iran makes UAE a danger zone of sorts, should there be an attack on Iran. Though USA is a "close ally" to UAE, the members of the GCC and UAE in particular consider Iran a friendly nation. Though in the early 1980s', Iran did not recognise the GCC and in turn the member states were suspicious of Iran's intentions, since the shah had been overthrown in the revolution and the rhetoric was of a "republic" ( and all the GCC members are monarchies). The relationship has been one of cooperation amidst suspicion.

UAE has had good relations with Iran and the strong Iranian community in UAE testifies to this. Iranian businesses thrive in UAE and Dubai in particular. The governments also enjoy healthy diplomatic relations.

If Israel decides to attack Iran, with out the help of USA, it would be disastrous for the entire world, not just the region. Despite the OPEC promising to increase production, price control measures and diplomacy at the hightest level, Oil prices continue to rise by the day. If there is an attack on Iran, there would be chaos. Regional powers may join in and particularly Syria and Lebanon ( with its Hizbolla) may join in retaliating against the Israeli aggression. This could signal the beginning of another prolonged regional war.

UAE has considerable influence in the region, largely because of its economic clout and also its standing as a peaceful country. The rulers would do well to ease the tensions and send signals that there is no need for conflict in the region. Having a meeting of heads of state or even foreign ministers of all GCC members along with the foreign minister of Iran and Israel separately - would be the first step to easing the tension buildig up in the region. As always, UAE can take the first step and thought leadership to visualise a more stable and peaceful Middle East.

Turkey's dilemma

Turkey is in news again today. Two significant pieces of news caught my attention as i browsed the online version of The National - Abu Dhabi's new newspaper. The first was the front page headline of the attack on US embassy in Istanbul. The second titled " Turkey throws weight around the region ( Middle east)".

The first article talks about the attack on the consulate ( or rather the police outpost) at the consulate which killed three policemen and three of the four attackers. The president Abdulla Gul described the attack as " an act of terrorism". The second article talks about the uneasy tensions in Turkey about Middle East and also its desire to be seen as an important political force in the region.

"The visit by Recep Tayyip Erdogan reinforces Turkey’s singular role in Middle Eastern politics as a western-leaning Muslim country, but also points to difficulties at home" said The National. With the Kurds causing trouble in south east of Turkey,it is no doubt that the Turkish premier has sought to visit Iraq.

This visit is also siginificant in that Turkey wants to be seen as a participant in the muslim world. With the re-construction of Iraq becoming an all-important issue, Turkey does not want to be seen behind other countries which are doing their bit to help salvage the almost impossible situation. "PKK's presence in northern Iraq is the main thorn in Turkey-Iraq relations", points out The National.


Looking at these two different countries, one sees the sense of struggle that each is going through to transform itself. While Turkey braces itself to enter the European Union ( to which it has considerable opposition), Iraq is desperately trying to get back onto its feet. It still has a long way to get back to where it was - a leader in Middle East in terms of Education, healthcare and also quality of life. These two countries have much to offer each other - both in terms of exchanges as well as moral support.

While a common faith and cultural heritage may bind the people of the two countries, practical considerations are far more important and will play a vital role in bringing them together than mere sentiment. And of course, there is oil to talk about. Self-interest and fear unite people more than any other force. And there is plenty of both between Turkey and Iraq.

Interesting interview with Lee Kuan Yew

Obama's democratic nomination speech

A fine example of a well crafted campaign on "change" can accomplish

Re-branding Australia

The "where the bloody hell are you ? " campaign has gotten into some trouble. So, the Ozzies are looking at re-branding Australia. Check out this video, it offers an alternative to the existing strategy.

Why Barack Obama must win

I must admit, I havent been following the race for the presidential elections very closely. But all of that changed when i was in Bangalore recently, and bought Barack obama's book " The Audacity of hope", a very well articulated vision of a person, who i believe has what it takes to steer America out of the mess that it is in. Barack Obama is a visionary, a dreamer who also has the conviction to change the political landscape of the USA. For this reason, i believe he must win.

Some pointers towards why Obama seems to have identifited with what America needs and his unique insights can steer the nation towards peace and prosperity :

- Mass support : Mr Obama has rallied to garner the support of the masses. Millions of americans have come forward to donate money for his campaign, and he has intentionally not gone after the corporate donors

- New vision for America and its politics : Mr Obama also seems to follow the approach taken by Lincoln, Jimmy carter towards a more inclusive approach to politics. Being an African-American himself, he has integrated his campaign with messabing and ideas that are truly aimed at integrating the minorities while ensuring that the majority is not slighted

- Unique background : Having a Muslim father and being an Afro-american, raised in Indonesia and Hawaii does give Mr Obama a unique cultural background. This I am assuming has shaped his thinking the way it is, as a tolerant politician who can see both sides of the coin.

While Mr Obama may not have the experience of other politicians in Washington, his vision and conviction may help him win the nomination to the Democratic candidature also the elections subsequently.

Hania Thabet on How to evaluate PR performance in a diversified Global holding group -- MD, TBWA/ RAAD

Dubai – growth story. It was based on visionary leadership. Dubai – the name of the brand is synonymous with quality of life, commercial centre, multi-cultural society, strategically located and connecting east and west. As a brand, Dubai offers high quality of life, city of choice for modern professionals, and also ideal hub for multi national companies.


Leadership
Sheikh Mo. Acted decisively and eliminated red tape and took brash actions…palm Island is an example of a daring action of private sector joining in the governments move. Many components working in the city which are working to build the brand.

Dubai world
- Messaging also helping keep up the message of the Dubai city messaging.




Dubai Holding
- A single goal – The good of tomorrow



Next came – Dubai the global city
DAE , EMAAR are both working to build this messaging.


Successful global brands pick up three- four key themes and stick to it…and let sub-brands also toe the line of this messaging. – David

Can brands overshadow the parent company?? Possible, but entities like Emirates Airlines complements the positioning of a brand such as Dubai

Notes :

- Hedgehog principle – intersection of passion, doing things well and values…companies need out what this mix is.


- Benchmarking against people / companies that you most want to be like. Ask the CEO who you would like to be like.

How to measure PR on the Internet – panel discussion

- Samih Toukan ( CEO, Maktoomb), Rob Jones – Editorial director, AME Info, Katie Paine



Samih - Largest online community – 10 million unique visitors in Middle East. We are an audited company. We hope that others in the community will move to auditing as well. We served 2 billion pages on the Internet, double of Al Jazeera company. We are also into e-comm. One of the largest sports, travel network.

Arab internet network is re-shaping the region in many ways. It is becoming an interesting thing in the region and is growing at 25 %. All youngsters want to be on the Internet. The next five years we will see a big boom. There are 150 million pages, most of the content is user-generated. Net has pushed democratization process in the region. And we see a crack-down in the region by the government.

We are in the midst of a media revolution, and we are changing the rules of PR. And a clear shift of usage towards online media. A shift of Ad dollars from traditional media to online. UK = 12 % of the ad spends are on the internet. In the USA, circulation figures are going down. 40% of the revenues are from classifieds. Bill gates said that in five years TV will be very different than what it is today.

PR professionals need a good understanding of Web sphere.

Case study : Aramex, one of the customers attacked it. People started commenting about it. Suddenly, there was a response on that blog which said. Aramex reacted proactively and the CEO had posted on the blog. CEO invited the customer to share the frustration about the service. This led to a meeting and also positive reviews on the blog.

PR is no longer about relationship with media. Today PR allows us to a direct relationship with the public. We must learn to use the existing tools which allow us to do that.

Tracking and monitoring messages is easier today. Why not have PRLs’ customized for the internet ( with links, downloads etc..). Build online communities – upload videos etc..



Rob Jones – AME Info

Headlines in PRLs’ need to be self-explanatory. A lot of people come to us through Google and go away too…the headlines are the ones which really matter.

Katie : In the US, there is a concern that are we editing through Google ? ( depending on the release)

Samih : You have to be available to people where they are looking for you. Have your PRL’s which are search engine friendly….have a content strategy…and give good content to users searching for it.


Rob : I would love to have PRLs’ which have links or videos ( corporate videos etc..). Don’t hide the fact that it is a PRL. We need to work closely with PR professionals.

How does one customize a press release ?? for the internet

Rob : Where we are today, we post 150 PRLs’ a day. We would not be able to customize. For us, the relevance of the PRL is important. I know that during the peak time, we know the data about our users.



How do you measure repeat customers ?? Versus someone who has come accidentally ??

Samih : How do you come up in top ten of a search engine ? We use SEO etc.. also, he/she should be able to get relevant information easily. PR agencies must go ahead and learn. We do Ad recall studies and similar things can be done for PR. We have Maktoob Research unit.

Online research is also growing in a big way. We are launching Trend tracker 2007. We help track brand reputation online. This monitors trends in blogs, releases and other . forums.

Event blogs etc… are a good idea too….

Panel discussion on How to evaluate PR performance in a diversified global holding group

David Rockland, Partner and MD, Ketchum Global research Network


Dow case study ( diversified Chemicals company)

- Hired Ketchum in 2000 prior to purchase of Union Carbide ( of Bhopal Gas tragedy)
- How will merger help the reputation of these two companies. Both have legal issues. Dow needed a reputation management system to track progress of reputation management campaigns.
- Evaluation is on how messaging – all ways of messaging – of how what and when they need to say things..one of the things that happened is that their messaging and their advertising is around technology ; of how innovative they are…and also this doesn’t resonate well. To grow reputation, one has to put a human face and a personality about the company.
- Focused on a group called Influentials. Top 10-12 of a country’s population. They lead public opinion. If you isolate this group of people, it is a very effective way to lead the campaign…as the rest of the country will come along with them – this survey also validated that we need to put a human face to the chemical company


Stake holders groups: desired outcomes
- Employees – stay loyal
- Customers – loyal
- Shareholders – buy and hold Dow stock
- Communities – perceive Dow as respected corporate citizen
- Infleuntials – Likelihood to recommend Dow stocks
- Media – recognized as a business leader

The idea was to pull these groups together and keep them glued in.



“The Human element campaign “

In the periodic table, add the Human Element. Launched globally and successful throughout. Brand equity – gone up 25 % and Stock price gone up 29 % .

So, does this work and how does it work ?? IN our tracking we did every six months, our surveys bring out the fact that people know about this. The real test of the campaign is that through 2007, as a result their equity and stock prices have gone up. They are way ahead of their competitiors and a lot of this is being attributed to it.


How you do it ?

Look at connecting the dots statistically. You know what ppl should do, and what values and attributes drive the message The survey is to check about values, attributes etc.. and also you correlate these things. Look for drivers for each stake holders group where such data are available.


Values which are emphasized In each country

Honest – UK, US, India
Responsible – US, UK, India
Visionary – S. Africa, India
Accountable – US, Spain, Germany, India
Proactive – Netherlands, Russia
Intriguing – Netherlands, Spain
Respected – UK, US, Netherlands, Russia

What do you want people to do and what messages are going out for them to act on these messages ??

Measuring effectiveness of sports sponsorship- - Alun James , Four sports ( UK)

Tour de France
Objective : promote evnt where public attends for free and profle London as a world class destination. Increase no. of people cycling in London; attract tourism to London during the event.

PR Focus : UK, France, Holland, Spain, Italy

Media coverage – overall favourable – 20,000 pieces of news. 68 % favourable. AVE of GBP 35 million. Most media highlighted that London is the venue. 28 % said that media coverage encouraged them to attend the event.

Green King – partnership for Rugby

PR and sponsorship for Official Beer of England Rugby


Some questions about sponsorships ??
- How does sponsorship evaluation differ from PR ?. Sponsorship tends to focus on broader

- Is AVE Relevant ? when measuring sponsorships ??



Katie’s question on how can you factor in the negative coverage in AVE ? you got to factor in only the positive coverage in the AVE and leave out the negative as the client is not going to pay for the negative coverage in any case.

Alun replied that the factoring was taken care of and that overall AVE is what was taken into consideration.

Measuring Journalistic Integrity - Mazen Nahawi, MD, Media Watch

Key trends in Arab journalism

- Influence of modern PR in Journalism. The first question that they ask me is that the PR professionals have an impact on them. The champion of modern journalism is the PR professional. Journalists need PR and vice versa. Theres nothing wrong in the way things are going.
- Large no. of journos who need experience
- State control declining
o New generation of enlightened leadership
o Economic necessity
o Courage of Arab journos, human rights campaigns
o International media availability


- Advent of Social media



Journalist integrity : impact on measurement
Content is an important part of measurement, we make recommendations and assessments based on the content analysis. Only a few PR companies are focusing on quality and it is important that the context in which it is appearing is credible in itself.

Good analysis, untrustworthy media
- The consequences
a) heavy investment in time, money lost
b) results of media content analysis are unreliable

Is the context true ?


Issues in the age of citizen journalism
- 45 million Arabs on the net
- Burgeoning blog movement especially in Saudi and Egypt
- Mainstream media increasingly dependent on blogs
- Are bloggers reliable journalists ?

PR must evaluate integrity and credibility of social media.






What are we looking for ?? when evaluating integrity ….

Homework:
- Study the ownership of each media you target/ evaluate
- Demand transparency about their mission, values
- Do you know about Dar Al Khaleej
- Do you know the diff between Dar Al Khaleej ( started by the UAE by local journalistic family) and AMG ( govt. owned)

Discover the media – meet journos and suss them out. Check their skill levels and knowledge level. Whaat distribution methods are they using. Who are their audiences, are they audited ?? ( 86 papers only).


Ethics – personal integrity
- Are they on time
- Do they ask about gift items
- Do they give credit where it is due
- Do they work with a conscience
- Are they responsive to feedback, criticism, public interest

Start of measurement planning
- Focus on building relationships with credible journalists
- Get to know who the credible journalists are before planning a campaign; it helps throughout. Depending on their stature.

Tools for measuring
- Databases on what media are audited
- Surbeys on readership, audience segmentation, trust
- Fact sheets / databases on elite journos
a) Which journos stay in their positions, rise through the ranks
b) Whose writing is credible
- Participation in journalism awards, blogger conferencecs

How to measure ROI of PR

David Rockland of ketchum gave some insights into measuring the Return on Investment ( ROI) of PR. A rather interesting talk, it was punctuated by examples of the work that he and his colleagues have carried out in the recent past.

David pointed out that different clients mean different things when they use the term ROI. To be effective

a) ROI must be measured
b) In all cases ROI can be measured
c) Measurement doesnt cost a lot of money
d) Often the data to measure it already exists. It is a matter of looking for it in the right places

David advises that before we start measuring the ROI, we must start by asking the right questions :
1) What do we mean by ROI and what does the client mean by ROI
2) What are the business goals of the program ?
3) What is the client accountable for and to whom ?
4) What resources do they already have that will produce ROI measurement ?
5) Can our research group talk to your research group ?

Also, it helps to check with the clients if they have an Advertising Tracking study ? One can also include PR in this study if it exists...

ketchum Publicity Algorithm :
The Algorithm measures ROI by assigning metrics to various parameters of coverage

for example :

Type of publication - 0-20 points
Tone - 0-15 points
Messages - 0-30 points
Third party endorsment 0-15 points
Comparison to competition - 0-20 points



ROI on Awareness can be measured by campaign surveys.

Tools of the trade - Katie Paine

Katie shared a few tools of the trade for measuring PR effectiveness.

Signs that things are changing :
1) I spend more time on Twitter than on Email
2) Where are the gatekeepers of information ?
3) A start up company raised $ 6000 in a few hours on Twitter
4) youtube - Obama and HIllary campaign - where Hillary has more negative clips than Obama
5) IBM gets more sales leads from Podcasts than from their Ads
6) P&G is co-creating marketing with its customers - rather than rely on its marketing team
7) Wikipedia is almost as credible as Encyclopedia Britannica
8) Google has replaced short-term memory


The US Elections as a case study of measuring PR effectiveness

Look at the coverage that the elections have received on :
Youtube
Facebook
Twitter
Technorati


Metrics that show engagement in a blog:
- Conversation Index ( how many comments on each post etc..)
- Links to blog
- Forwards
- Time between posts
- Tone of discussion

Ways to measure Outtakes
- Relationship studies
- Opinon Surveys


Some tools to see how popular blogs are
- compute
- Quant cost
- Alexa

Ways to measure outcomes
- Membership
- CRM
- Google Analytics
- Web Analytics
- Donations ( in case of charity etc..)
- Applications (If called for)
- Engagement

How to write measurement Goals - David Rockland, Ketchum

David spoke at length about the need and the method of writing measuremnet goals. Said that Ketchum follows a discover-set goals- strategise- create - deliver - evaluate approach.

The basic questions to ask even before one starts to measure is - How has my Target Audience changed ? Some of the thoughts which go into planning measurement are : What portion of the T.G do you want to reach, What do you want to target, how much comprehension do you want T.G to have, and what belief change should they have ?

David also highlighted the need for clarity in goals which will help in measurement. The kinds of coverage that one can measure are : Coverage by Tier of media, coverage by tone, coverage by Issues, Share of voice in media, and finally the quality of coverage.

PR summit - post 2

Katie Paine - MD, Katie Paine and Partners

Why measure PR ?

Measurement it to find out what is working and what is not and move from what is not working to what is working. It is about optimal resources allocation.

- There is a shift in communication - from linear to a 360 approach
- B2B decisions are also going to be influenced by these conversations


Laws of 21st century PR

1) It is all about Conversations
2) Theres no market for your conversations, you will have to create it
3) It all starts with Google
4) Be who you are, those who need you and like you will come to you
5) Size doesnt matter anymore. Stop screaming, start listening
6) It is not how many Eyeballs see you, but the right ones
7) Spin is dead, long live transparency -as social media can expose all trickery and spin
8) ROI doesnt mean what you think - it could mean different things to differnet clients
9) Media will change - measure the customer, not the media
10) You become what you measure, so make sure you are measuring the right things
11) The one who has more data wins


No more excuses for not measuring. Why measuring is a must :
- It is cheap to measure, less than 200 USD per month to measure PR effectiveness
- Everyone is using PR these days
- Gutfeeling doesnt work anymore
- If you are not measuring, you are not managing your assets adequately
- If research is expensive, then what is the cost of ignorance ?


Outputs, Outtakes and Outcomes

In a PR campaign, look for the Outputs ( what is the coverage, materials produced etc..), the Outtakes ( What did people take away from this campaign, did they believe in the message) and also Outcomes ( what behaviour did it change).


6 Steps to planning your measurement of PR campaigns

1. Define measurement Goals
2. Understand audiences and also what motivates them
3. Define KPI's
4. Determine what you are benchmarking against
5. Pick a tool and undertake research
6. Analyse results, gain insights and take action, measure again

From Cave men to Katie paine !

From Cave men to Katie paine !
- Measuring PR effectiveness

Excuse me for borrowing this phrase from David Rockland, of Ketchum – but this more or less sums up the spirit of the PR Measurement summit, which was inaugurated at the Habtoor Grand Resort today. For those who do not know, Katie Paine is a “Guru” of PR measurement based in the USA. ( Check out her blog http://kdpaine.blogs.com/ for more). The phrase of the title means how PR measurement has evolved from a very basic ( AVE Measure) to highly evolved statistical methods and also value based measuring systems.
What I will attempt to do is give a few key highlights of what each of the speakers spoke – and hopefully you, the reader will be able to glean the information that is relevant to you.


Inauguration speech – Mazen Hahawi, President, Media Watch.
PR measurement is a moral obligation in many ways and it also has operational obligations. While the global role of companies in the Arab World is growing, it is also important that their role is measured and documented using PR. The interconnectivity that social networks and Internet offer is chaning the Arab world in more ways than one.

- The Ethical foundation for PR comes in because of accountability. It is all about managing the company’s assets as PR professionals. Also, measurement offers us a transparent evaluation of PR’s performance
- PR Measurement also solves the issue of staff retention. Measurement will help PR get the attention it deserves. Measurement also produces specialization. Measurement also brings in focus to the communications process.
- Some examples to showcase how the Arab world is moving into the centre stage of world business
o Petra Seven wonders campaign - http://www.new7wonders.com/classic/en/about_us/
o Aramco buys GE plastics - http://www.portfolio.com/news-markets/top-5/2007/05/18/Sabic-In-Talks-to-Buy-GE-Plastics
o DP world purchases P&O
o ADIA invests in Citibank - http://www.ameinfo.com/139989.html

A sense of accountability will not squander the limited resources available, and also ensure success.
Why is PR Important ?
- Interactivity is gaining dominance
- 45 million Arabs are online
- Freedom of press is becoming a reality in the region
- Reputations and relationships are being built in record time
- If you are a Danish company, you do not want to be in the Arab world now !
Some trends in the region – in PR Measurement
- More people are measuring than before
o Media Watch is used by 400 % more clients
o Government usage of PR measurement has gone up

- Ad values are in retreat
- Spotlight on bloggers
- Field studies approach is going up too

What is the future of PR Measurement ?
- Will become mandatory in pitches
- Creation of a global measurement commission
- Increased use of field studies
- Death of AVE
- Increase in measurement spending
- Creating of new PR opportunities through measurement
- Shift from retainer based billing to measurement linked planning and performance

Saudi Arabia the most "trend setting" country in the Middle East

Considering the way the youth across the middle east are behaving, it comes as a surprise that Saudi Arabia could well be the "trend setter" in the region. This applies not only to lifestyle but also social trends. In an insightful study of youth across the Middle East, carried out by global research firm TNS Global, titled "Shabab Tek", the emerging trends were brought out clearly and the pointers are clearly towards Saudi becoming a more liberal society and one that is most ready to embrace change.

consider the fact that probably the only graffiti park is in Saudi (Jeddah) and not in UAE ( considered the most liberal), the youth are willing to experiment and flirt with different cultures and challenge assumptions of their own. The study also found an inverse correlation to the amount of conservativeness imposed versus the willingness to preserve their culture. The more the external pressure to conform, the more the rebelliousness, as found in Saudi. While the UAE youth are free to do what they want ( well almost ! ), they tend to have more conservative views and are more inclined to preserve their own cultural heritage.

Shabab Tek followed 80 "future-shapers", youth who had high social currency and those who followed trends the most for more than four months and recorded very many details fo their lives through ethnographic research. This was compiled and analysed by a team which is well versed in the middle eastern dynamics. The team has identified trends - both social and cultural which will shape the future of the region. One of them is the emergence of a moderate Arab face. Also, women are demanding greater freedom from their families ( Emancipation of Eve), Greater need for self-expression among youth - as observed through blogs, websites and other means of communication ( mobile phones included).

The study should be of interest not only to marketing professionals, but also to anyone who is interested in following how societies shape and move forwards. For sure, this study opened my eyes about Saudi arabia and opened my eyes to a new way of looking at the Arab world. What one is seeing is the birth of a new complex Arab identity and one which will alter the course of the future in many ways.

Where Thursday is the new Friday

Dubai is a fascinating city. It fascinated me the first time i was here in 2006 and it continues to intrigue me the second time around that iam here. It is a city that is built on imagination and continues to grow with the imagination of its leaders.

Each day there is a newsgrabbing headline about a new real estate development and some new initiative to grow one industry or another. The energy and enthusiasm of the businessmen here seems to be boundless and their zest for growth seems unparalled in this part of the world.

While integrating with the larger world, Emiratis and particularly the people of Dubai have made all efforts to ensure that the city remains a true global destination. Both in terms of business regulations as well as personal lifestyle choices that Dubai offers are in tune with what any expat would expect. It does not dictate or force anything and one feels a sense of freedom while working and living in Dubai. WHile it is not a democracy, the constitutional monarchy headed by Sheikh Mo. as Sheikh Mohammed is popularly known continues to do a great job.

What Dubai has done is create a healthy environment, a competitive playing ground for the world players and let the place be known the world over as a world-class destination for business and living. Dubai is really a city built on PR. The word of mouth publicity that it gets is astonishing. Speak with anyone who has been to Dubai and he/she will say at least ten good things about the city before saying one / two bad features.

Living in the city has its own challenges though. Firstly, it is an expensive city. A master bedroom room for one in a big apartment ( with a shared kitchen) may cost upto 1000 USD, which by even European and American standards is expensive. It is definitely not a place for someone who is poor. But for someone who has a decent package and prospects of growth, the city offers great variety in terms of both work as well as living.

One has to make a few adjustments though - for starters the weekend is skewed. It is on Fridays and Saturdays..( recently changed from Thursday and Friday). So, that makes Thursday the new Friday. It does take a while to get used to this new change. And yes, I did work last Sunday.

Positioning the world's cheapest car

How do you position something cheap ? The world's cheapest Car for example. In a market where two wheelers still pre-dominate the private vehicle segment and where cars are still seen as symbols of affluence; this may be an interesting exercise to undertake. With Tata motors launching Tata Nano just two days back, the whole Two wheeler market is in jitters.

The total number of registered two-wheelers and three-wheelers on road in India, as on March 31, 1998 was 27.9mn and 1.7mn respectively. The two wheeler population has almost doubled in 1996 from a base of 12.6mn in 1990.

Mr Ratan Tata, Chairman, Tata Group said that his insight into how a typical middle class Indian family travels gave him the inspiration to design and develop a "people's car" for India. The car costing just Rs.one lakh ( Rs.100,000) is the cheapest in the market and would give stiff competition to both two wheelers and other cars which are mostly the choice of first time buyers.

Though about 30 % of India's population is in the middle class, who have high aspirations and would like to have all the trappings of a successful life; I wonder how they will react to this new car. THough everyone would like to own a car, how would they like to been in the "world's cheapest car' ? Will it go well with the image that they have of themselves ??

I think this car will work more in semi-rural areas and towns more than cities; as people in cities tend to be more image conscious. While all the marketing pundits are re-writing their business plans keeping Nano in mind; i think one will have to wait and watch before jumping to big conclusions. In the meanwhile, Mr Tata and co. can bask in the glory of a job well done.

Value of Art, price of a painting

"A cynic is one who knows the price of everything, but not the value of anything" said Oscar Wilde. Truly, many of us tend to attach a price-tag for everything and evaluate whether it is worth our while to spend so much time and energy on a given object or pursuit. While paintings may be priced, the value of art is priceless.

Just two days back, I was at a pre-launch party of an art exhibition curated by a dear friend Akumal Ramachander, whose claim to fame is his discovery of a polish painter - Harold Shapinsky in the USA. In the process both became incredibly famous ( and rich ???). Akumal is a quintessential art promoter. He is one of the most passionate people i have come across, a prince in his own words.

The discussion veered towards how art is priced. There were some interesting insights that he offered during this conversation. Artists are priced comparatively. For example, if there is a talented artist who is fresh and has tremendous potential. He would be priced perhaps 1/5 of the price of a well established artist. As the artist's reputation and market value grows; the price of his paintings also goes up. Ultimately, it is a matter of reputation, pointed out Akumal.


So, what really determines the price of a painting ? How does one evaluate something so subjective and attach a price-tag to it ?

For starters, it would be easier to look at what the market is willing to pay for an artist. A fresh talent,as mentioned earlier; may not be able to get much for his/her work. At this stage, comparative or prevailing market prices will apply. As a person's reputation grows, the price of his/her paintings may grow sky-high if the works are of very good quality and have sufficient depth. While a MF Hussain large oil on canvas may sell for four or five crores, ( Rs.500,00,0000); lesser known artsts may bring in a few lakhs for a similar sized painting.

Cartels and groups of rich, corrupt socialites are also known to artificially hike the price of a certain artist; just to build his credibility for a short time. While this practice of artificially hiking the price of an artist's work is known; it often goes undetected for years together. An artist's works may reach sky-high prices and drop as dramatically when people see through this charade and call the bluff.

While commercialisation of art is an ongoing phenomenon in India, commodification is also setting in. I know of an artist ( rather well-known) in Bangalore who calls his studio a "painting factory", as he churns out painting after painting as if it is a line-assembly. This is to be expected in a society which is nouve-riche and obsessed with acquiring more by the day.

Democracy needs an image make-over...

Last week Narendra Modi won the elections in Gujarat, a state which witnessed some of the worst riots and pogroms in recent history. The fact that he has been re-elected as Chief minister while half of the country is calling him a mass-murderer does not seem to be going against him. If at all, it has strenghtened his follower's resolve in backing the "Nero of Gujarat".

In another part of Asia, the Thai seem to be bringing back Thaksin Shinawatra's party to power. The former leader who had to do a runner after the military coup is facing charges of corruption and is being investigated. But this is not stopping his party from winning.

Both these cases bring to the fore, the inherent flaw or possiblities that the democractic process entails. Here we have two leaders, both very charismatic and able to lead people and shape public-opinion at will. Both have been charged with crimes against the people who they govern. There seems to be ample proof for both to be prosecuted. Yet, both are coming back to power.

Does it make them innocent ? Just because the majority believes that they are right and good; does it exonerate them of their actions ? Or is Democracy in itself flawed ? Is it the process which is at fault or is it the people ? Or is it a case of election rigging and information assymetry ?

No easy answers here; but this sure calls for a total image make-over for democracy - if people have to believe in it as a process.

I remember having a conversation with a Pakistani Taxi driver in Dubai.

Me: Dont you feel constricted in a monarchy and a police-state here ?
Taxi driver : Mr Khan, I am worried about the money i earn, what i send to my family and the quality of my life. Does it matter if this is a monarchy or Democracy ? It doesnt to me. The monarchs here think of the citizens as their children and take care of them. Corrupt politicians in the Sub-continent only think of themselves and stash away as much money as possible in the four or five years they are in power. Now, you tell me which system is better ???