Media Catalyst

Fall of the traditional reporter and Rise of the citizen journalist ?

2011-12-24T18:36:00.001-08:00

Not really. For all the stories of gloom and doom that are written about how traditional ( read Print) media will die, and will be overtaken by citizen reporting – I believe that it won’t. Good “old” media reporters, who know their business and do a thorough job will always be in demand for one reason : their credibility.
A case in point is that of Ms.Aisha khan, a young 19 yr old girl from Kansas who went missing recently. In less than 24 hours of her having gone missing, I noticed several Face Book posts, a video of her parents being interviewed and a barrage of information on how she possibly could have been abducted.
While this was very plausible, it turned out that she had merely gone into hiding ( god knows why?) and returned “safely and unhurt”.
What is the moral of the story and what is the connection to the point made earlier, you may ask.
Well, the point is this : Social media enthusiasts ( including her family and friends) reacted too soon – without enough due-diligence and fact checking. All the well-known names in the world of Journalism : Robert Fisk, Walter Cronkite, Fareed Zakaria, Riz Khan have built their reputation by credible fact-checking and reporting which is accurate, informative and insightful; and not based on rumors or written in such haste that there is no room for seeing through the lies.
In this case, a good “Old media” reporter would check to see if there is a police complaint, before even thinking of writing a story. He/she would look for facts, perhaps take enough time ( at the expense of being a bit slow), but get all the ducks in a row before crying wolf.
The trouble with Social media reporting ( also its strength ironically) is its speed. Anything with an internet connection and a computer can put up bits of information, which can be called “News”.
In this case, it was the case of a girl, who decided to play a prank. But, she not only damaged her reputation, but also that of her peers, who may perhaps not heed her call for help the next time she is in real trouble.
That is the real danger.

What on earth is "strategic waiting" ?

2011-12-04T15:21:00.000-08:00

I am sure you have had moments of lucidity, when you have said or done things which you have regretted later. This may be with a friend, a client or your significant other. Just waiting for a minute, a day, week or a month may have solved the problem.

It is good to remember that in the "real world", we are all dealing with imperfect and incomplete information. If we did have perfect information, then our ideas and perceptions would be drastically different than what they are today. This is not only humbling, but also a deep insight; which can re-shape the way we think and live our lives.

Strategic waiting is a concept, which not many people practice, much less understand. Some may call it "patience", or even "lack of courage to speak one's mind". But another way of looking at it is focus on what speaking out or "communicating" in the heat of the moment will accomplish, and what result will silence have. Sometimes, waiting it out gives us more information, more insights which may not be available right now.

Individuals as well as organizations can learn to "strategically wait" for better results, rather than jump in to act - in thought or in deed.

Dr.Johan Galtung, world-renowned figure in peace studies has said this recently: " If the USA had waited and dealt with the post 9/11 catastrophe, not by going to war in Afghanistan, but by addressing the tragedy of the attacks in a different way, then today the situation in Afghanistan would have been very different. Timing is everything. Countries as well as individuals must learn to strategically wait for the right moment to act or say anything."

A new CSR landscape ?

2011-11-13T05:24:00.000-08:00

Corporate Social Responsibility ( CSR) as a model of engagement between the private sector and the wider stakeholders in a society is well established and entrenched in many societies. But in the developing world, CSR is at various stages of development, right from its nascent stage to a very advanced stage; with the private firms working closely on issues such as education, healthcare - and making a substantial contribution to the society.

In the context of the global recession, and decreased development aid from richer countries to the poorer ones, it is estimated that there will be a greater role of the private sector in International development . I wonder how this will shift the CSR landscape ? Will it mean greater CSR initiatives, now that the Aid dollars will reduce from one government to another ?

In reading the latest report by Brookings Institute titled " Global Development Under Pressure", In addition to partnering more systematically with international
private actors, support for sustainable development in any developing country requires collaboration with local businesses and civil society organizations rather than just a narrow relationship with state institutions. Over the long term, it is these enduring elements of broader society that will continue to drive growth
and accountable governance".

The report goes on further to add :"The shift in the global development landscape requiring even greater linkages between public and private actors is not a sudden revelation within U.S. foreign policy circles. The United States has long been an international leader in this area".

I wonder how all of this will shift, and at what pace ? Will private players actually move in, and do "what is right" to create the right business environment so they too can operate well, or as Milton Friedman argued, stand back and say " Social responsibility is not our business".

Listening in the social media space : Why bother ?

2011-11-08T13:33:00.001-08:00

I attended a workshop recently at the Foundation Center, on Social media technologies titled "Doing more with less: Social media tips and trends for 2012". While the information presented was all very relevant and timely, the one major take-away for me was this : Social media allows us all to listen carefully to what others are saying, and helps us to learn, tailor our communication and strategy accordingly.

Never before was such insightful listening possible. We are able to zone in, and listen carefully to what people are saying. The very process of hearing, listening and analysing this information can give us tremendous insights about human behaviour and how we can use this information to address our audience.

Marketing communications professionals take pride in their ability to skillyfully craft messages and deliver them to an audience, who in turn, are expected to behave in a certain way. Without careful analysis, we may actually be talking to a wall.
But if we do know what a person or a group of people are thinking, discussing, we can enter the conversation ( on Facebook, twitter) or anyother platform and contribute meaningfully to this discussion.

I strongly believe that social media should teach all of us good listening skills, as much as good skills in creating good conversations and dialogues.

As William Isaacs points out in his book "Dialogue and the art of thinking together" : " The heart of dialogue is a simple but profound capacity to listen. Listening requires we not only hear the words, but also embrace, accept, and gradually let go of our own inner clamoring. As we explore it, we discover that listening is an expansive activity. It gives us a way to perceive more directly the ways we participate in the world around us".

The social media sphere offers us this ability to build relationships, form communities of concern and also help us create positive change through discussion.

The preliminary criterion in the online world remains the same as in the "real world" : the ability to listen carefully and thoughtfully.

Issues management basics : Its all about the mindshare !

2011-10-27T18:42:00.000-07:00

Have you ever wondered how certain groups of people take over the debate about an issue, dominate it so much that any alternative discourse doesnt even seem possible.

Think of the Middle East peace process, the two-state solution for example. Or the debate about immigration that seems to have hogged the limelight in the US, in the context of the current economic climate. Everyone i speak with ( barring a few enlightened individuals) agree that it is "ok" for the US to be a bit "protectionist" about jobs, since it is about providing jobs for "our own" people.

I see this trend in the Middle East too. During my stay there in 2008-09, the wave of "Emiritization" was dominant, and I still read comments by former colleagues on Facebook that there arent enough "good" jobs for the locals. Well...

This brings us to the issue I was thinking about : that of mind-share.

How much of the mental space in the "publics" mind has been captured by one line of thinking ? Is this an easy thing to do ? Well, that again depends on the issue ? Is it important to be aware of it ?

Absolutely !

Sometimes, one group of people dominate a discourse and it becomes a part of our collective mind-share, to such a large extent that we forget that this may be false.

As a consumer of information or news, it does help to step back, just for a minute and ask the question : how much of your mind-share is being occupied by this line of thinking/ organization ?

When there is too much noise, it would perhaps help to whisper !

2011-10-02T17:07:00.000-07:00

Insight of the week : When there is too much noise, perhaps it would help to whisper- rather than shout.

Counter-intuitive ? Well, this one is common-sensical.

With a cluttered market ( think of the corporate world, the political arena or even your own personal life)- With so many people competing for your time, attention and money, who do you really listen to ? The one who is shouting at the top of his/her voice, or someone who is thoughtful, close to you and who is not "hard-selling" you ?

Whispering has never been as important as today's hyper-connected world.

Get close to someone, get their attention and tell them what you want to - with sincerity and clarity.

And chances are - they will listen.

Good luck and have a great week ahead.

Managing your professional image - Harvard Business article

2011-09-28T07:25:00.000-07:00

I dont usually re-post articles here, but this is a pretty well written article. Courtesy HBR.

http://hbswk.hbs.edu/item/4860.html

Creating a Positive Professional Image

Q&A with: Laura Morgan Roberts
Published: June 20, 2005
Author: Mallory Stark

Executive Summary:
In today’s diverse workplace, your actions and motives are constantly under scrutiny. Time to manage your own professional image before others do it for you. An interview with professor Laura Morgan Roberts.

As HBS professor Laura Morgan Roberts sees it, if you aren't managing your own professional image, others are.

"People are constantly observing your behavior and forming theories about your competence, character, and commitment, which are rapidly disseminated throughout your workplace," she says. "It is only wise to add your voice in framing others' theories about who you are and what you can accomplish."

There are plenty of books telling you how to "dress for success" and control your body language. But keeping on top of your personal traits is only part of the story of managing your professional image, says Roberts. You also belong to a social identity group—African American male, working mother—that brings its own stereotyping from the people you work with, especially in today's diverse workplaces. You can put on a suit and cut your hair to improve your appearance, but how do you manage something like skin color?

Roberts will present her research, called "Changing Faces: Professional Image Construction in Diverse Organizational Settings," in the October issue of the Academy of Management Review.

She discusses her research in this interview.

Mallory Stark: What is a professional image?

Laura Morgan Roberts: Your professional image is the set of qualities and characteristics that represent perceptions of your competence and character as judged by your key constituents (i.e., clients, superiors, subordinates, colleagues).

Q: What is the difference between "desired professional image" and "perceived professional image?"

A: It is important to distinguish between the image you want others to have of you and the image that you think people currently have of you.

Most people want to be described as technically competent, socially skilled, of strong character and integrity, and committed to your work, your team, and your company. Research shows that the most favorably regarded traits are trustworthiness, caring, humility, and capability.

Ask yourself the question: What do I want my key constituents to say about me when I'm not in the room? This description is your desired professional image. Likewise, you might ask yourself the question: What am I concerned that my key constituents might say about me when I'm not in the room? The answer to this question represents your undesired professional image.

You can never know exactly what all of your key constituents think about you, or how they would describe you when you aren't in the room. You can, however, draw inferences about your current professional image based on your interactions with key constituents. People often give you direct feedback about your persona that tells you what they think about your level of competence, character, and commitment. Other times, you may receive indirect signals about your image, through job assignments or referrals and recommendations. Taken together, these direct and indirect signals shape your perceived professional image, your best guess of how you think your key constituents perceive you.

Q: How do stereotypes affect perceived professional image?

A: In the increasingly diverse, twenty-first century workplace, people face a number of complex challenges to creating a positive professional image. They often experience a significant incongruence between their desired professional image and their perceived professional image. In short, they are not perceived in the manner they desire; instead, their undesired professional image may be more closely aligned with how their key constituents actually perceive them.

What lies at the source of this incongruence? Three types of identity threats—predicaments, devaluation, and illegitimacy—compromise key constituents' perceptions of technical competence, social competence, character, and commitment. All professionals will experience a "predicament" or event that reflects poorly on their competence, character, or commitment at some point in time, due to mistakes they have made in the past that have become public knowledge, or competency gaps (e.g., shortcomings or limitations in skill set or style).

Members of negatively stereotyped identity groups may experience an additional form of identity threat known as "devaluation." Identity devaluation occurs when negative attributions about your social identity group(s) undermine key constituents' perceptions of your competence, character, or commitment. For example, African American men are stereotyped as being less intelligent and more likely to engage in criminal behavior than Caucasian men. Asian Americans are stereotyped as technically competent, but lacking in the social skills required to lead effectively. Working mothers are stereotyped as being less committed to their profession and less loyal to their employing organizations. All of these stereotypes pose obstacles for creating a positive professional image.

Members of negatively stereotyped identity groups may experience an additional form of identity threat known as "devaluation."
Even positive stereotypes can pose a challenge for creating a positive professional image if someone is perceived as being unable to live up to favorable expectations of their social identity group(s). For example, clients may question the qualifications of a freshly minted MBA who is representing a prominent strategic consulting firm. Similarly, female medical students and residents are often mistaken for nurses or orderlies and challenged by patients who do not believe they are legitimate physicians.

Q: What is impression management and what are its potential benefits?

A: Despite the added complexity of managing stereotypes while also demonstrating competence, character, and commitment, there is promising news for creating your professional image! Impression management strategies enable you to explain predicaments, counter devaluation, and demonstrate legitimacy. People manage impressions through their non-verbal behavior (appearance, demeanor), verbal cues (vocal pitch, tone, and rate of speech, grammar and diction, disclosures), and demonstrative acts (citizenship, job performance).

My research suggests that, in addition to using these traditional impression management strategies, people also use social identity-based impression management (SIM) to create a positive professional image. SIM refers to the process of strategically presenting yourself in a manner that communicates the meaning and significance you associate with your social identities. There are two overarching SIM strategies: positive distinctiveness and social recategorization.

Positive distinctiveness means using verbal and non-verbal cues to claim aspects of your identity that are personally and/or socially valued, in an attempt to create a new, more positive meaning for that identity. Positive distinctiveness usually involves attempts to educate others about the positive qualities of your identity group, advocate on behalf of members of your identity group, and incorporate your background and identity-related experiences into your workplace interactions and innovation.

Social recategorization means using verbal and non-verbal cues to suppress other aspects of your identity that are personally and/or socially devalued, in an attempt to distance yourself from negative stereotypes associated with that group. Social recategorization involves minimization and avoidance strategies, such as physically and mentally conforming to the dominant workplace culture while being careful not to draw attention to identity group differences and one's unique cultural background.

Rather than adopting one strategy wholesale, most people use a variety of strategies for managing impressions of their social identities. In some situations, they choose to draw attention to a social identity, if they think it will benefit them personally or professionally. Even members of devalued social identity groups, such as African American professionals, will draw attention to their race if it creates mutual understanding with colleagues, generates high-quality connections with clients, or enhances their experience of authenticity and fulfillment in their work. In other situations, these same individuals may choose to minimize their race in order to draw attention to an alternate identity, such as gender, profession, or religion, if they feel their race inhibits their ability to connect with colleagues or clients.

Successful impression management can generate a number of important personal and organizational benefits, including career advancement, client satisfaction, better work relationships (trust, intimacy, avoiding offense), group cohesiveness, a more pleasant organizational climate, and a more fulfilling work experience. However, when unsuccessfully employed, impression management attempts can lead to feelings of deception, delusion, preoccupation, distraction, futility, and manipulation.

Q: How do authenticity and credibility influence the positive outcomes of impression management attempts?

A: In order to create a positive professional image, impression management must effectively accomplish two tasks: build credibility and maintain authenticity. When you present yourself in a manner that is both true to self and valued and believed by others, impression management can yield a host of favorable outcomes for you, your team, and your organization. On the other hand, when you present yourself in an inauthentic and non-credible manner, you are likely to undermine your health, relationships, and performance.

Most people use a variety of strategies for managing impressions of their social identities.
Most often, people attempt to build credibility and maintain authenticity simultaneously, but they must negotiate the tension that can arise between the two. Your "true self," or authentic self-portrayal, will not always be consistent with your key constituents' expectations for professional competence and character. Building credibility can involve being who others want you to be, gaining social approval and professional benefits, and leveraging your strengths. If you suppress or contradict your personal values or identity characteristics for the sake of meeting societal expectations for professionalism, you might receive certain professional benefits, but you might compromise other psychological, relational, and organizational outcomes.

Q: What are the steps individuals should take to manage their professional image?

A: First, you must realize that if you aren't managing your own professional image, someone else is. People are constantly observing your behavior and forming theories about your competence, character, and commitment, which are rapidly disseminated throughout your workplace. It is only wise to add your voice in framing others' theories about who you are and what you can accomplish.

Be the author of your own identity. Take a strategic, proactive approach to managing your image:

Identify your ideal state.

What are the core competencies and character traits you want people to associate with you?
Which of your social identities do you want to emphasize and incorporate into your workplace interactions, and which would you rather minimize?
Assess your current image, culture, and audience.

What are the expectations for professionalism?
How do others currently perceive you?
Conduct a cost-benefit analysis for image change.

Do you care about others' perceptions of you?
Are you capable of changing your image?
Are the benefits worth the costs? (Cognitive, psychological, emotional, physical effort)
Use strategic self-presentation to manage impressions and change your image.

Employ appropriate traditional and social identity-based impression management strategies.
Pay attention to the balancing act—build credibility while maintaining authenticity.
Manage the effort you invest in the process.

Monitoring others' perceptions of you
Monitoring your own behavior
Strategic self-disclosure
Preoccupation with proving worth and legitimacy

About the author
Mallory Stark is a career information librarian at Baker Library.

Self-branding : The single most important question you need to ask youself

2011-09-05T08:40:00.001-07:00

When it comes to branding your own self ( such a necessity in the current job market), the single most important question you need to answer is : Who the hell are you ?

While there are many of us, who are rather modest about our selves, there is a case to be made to be immodest, to position oneself well and reap the rewards that come from being noticed. Infact, one of my favourite sayings in Hindi ( popular in Mumbai, the financial and commercial hub of India is): " Jo Dikhta hai, wo bikta hai" - meaning, What is visible is sold faster. There is some truth to this statement, even as it applies to us as professionals.

This statement just about sums up everything that you need to do to establish yourself as a credible professional/ artist/ writer. I believe that if one seeks to answer this rather basic question thoroughly, with an in-depth look at the talents, dreams, aspirations, skills, experience that one has; this can be a ticket to the dream job or assignment.

How do i know this ? Well, partly from experience ( honestly, I am no super-achiever), but i do believe i have accomplished a tiny bit of what i wanted to do in life both professionally and personally, and also by observing others. I have made a few career transitions and apart from being lucky, i believe, i did do a few things right.

It is more by reading, observing those who have done very well for themselves that i notice some traits and habits which we can use too,to brand our own work and position ourselves uniquely, to break through the clutter.

So, how does one answer this rather important question ?

Here are a few ways to clarify who you are and to differentiate yourself from all the millions of people out there :

1. Bring what you love : I borrowed this from a documentary title of the Grammy award winning Grot Singer Youssou Ndour, a Senegalese singer. He has made a name for himself by focusing on what he has : his heritage as a Grot singer. He took this age-old traditional singing tradition to the world, packaged it well and is now respected as one of the most original singers Senegal has produced in a long time. Focusing on our own unique skills, traits, heritage may be a good way to answer this question too.

2. Be passionate about what you know, and know it well : There is something to be said about specialisation, though i hate the word. But in today's day and age, it makes sense to focus on one or two narrow pursuits and be on top of what is happening in the field. Nothing replaces depth and expertise. This will instantly win you credibility. Expertise has value.

3. Be credible : It helps to have credibility in your field, and be known as the "go-to" person for any problems or advise that others may want.

4. Showcase your strengths to the best of your ability : There is no point focusing on one's weaknesses, though one should admit them. I am a terrible editor, and i know it. Though, i write (fairly) well. This is something i am aware of, and admit when needed. It helps to be aware of what it is that one brings to the table.

5. Get third party endorsement : It helps if others talk well of you. References, letters of recommendation, Awards are all good ways of establishing one's credibility.

In sum, I believe that everyone today is short of attention. And this includes not only your friends, family, employers but also anyone who you come in contact with. With split-second decision time, people can make decisions which work in your favour or against you.

Given this scenario, branding one self and positioning of one's work clearly is not only recommended, but has become an absolute necessity.

Public Relations need not be a dirty word

2011-08-26T21:37:00.000-07:00

I recently watched a documentary by John Pilger about wars and propaganda " The wars you dont see", where the veteran journalist made a very strong ( and valid) case for tackling and reading through mis-information and lying that goes on in the build-up and execution of a war. He mentioned and quoted Edward Bernays, considered one of the founders of modern PR as we know it.

While i totally agree with Pilger and his journalistic philosophy - what i came away ( and also notice among many people) is a derision of the profession and a subconscious lack of belief in what "publicists" say or do. In the cases that he has mentioned in the documentary ( WWII and Gulf war) propaganda was definitely used to built public opinion and manipulate people. Clearly not a good thing.

I remember reading a survey a number of years ago, which pointed out that Ad men are among the least trusted among professionals, only after lawyers and politicians. Not a good thing if one is looking to build credibility, isnt it ?

But looking at it practically, just as lawyers can use their skills both to defend a corrupt Wall-street type and at the same type use it to pursue justice for the impoverished and socially marginalised, the same can be said about PR and propaganda too.

The image attached is from the Civil rights movement era and demonstrates the power of the spoken word as well as stunning visual images used by the activists during that time to drive home a message - of equality and social justice.

Very valid and relevant messaging, even from a PR perspective.

I would say that in today's day and age, with the challenges that we face - socially, economically as well as politically, it is high time that social activists, civil rights professionals ( and even journalsits) learnt a few tricks of the trade so they could further the cause of the poor, marginalised, oppressed and dis-advantaged.

It is like using the devil's trick on the devil himself. But in this case, PR is no devil. It is a tool, much like the writers pen or the surgeon's scalpel. You cant blame the tool for what it is used.

Something to remember, before we start pointing fingers at a profession that has obvious social uses.

De-constructing India-bashing

2011-08-22T20:34:00.000-07:00

This post is a response to an article by Anand Giridharadas in the NY Times on 1 July 2011 titled "In Fight for Better India, Best to Look Within", an attempt at a provocative essay, which fails miserably. A dear friend was offended at this article, and I thought about this for a while before writing my own take on this important issue : that of India-bashing.

Well, for starters, it is not new. There have been as many India haters as there have been Indophiles. Among India-bashers, VS Naipaul, Khushwant Singh come to mind. And these are contemporary writers, who have written some deep, insightful stuff,though i dont agree with most of Naipaul's analysis.

Khushwant Singh, the veteran journalist and writer does it with style, class as well as good humor, which seems to be lacking in Giridhar's writing, which comes across as pompous, grand and obviously flaky.

Going back to Giridaradas's article, his opening is not only offensive, but also racist and bigoted. Sample this : " I have entered India from the sky five times over the past year. Those flights started in airports where norms, rules and authority carry weight — Hong Kong; Doha, Qatar; Newark, New Jersey; Frankfurt. But in waiting to board, I have come to a troubling realization: Airport workers around the world have learned the hard way that my people — Indians, resident and diasporic — cannot be boarded the way other humans are".

I am always suspect of anyone who uses hyperbole to draw attention. It is as if his/her ideas are not strong enough to make a case - and one has to rely on exaggeration and show of bravado or intellect to draw attention ? How else would he expect to enter India ? On an Elephant, if not on an Airplane ?

He further offers us more "insights" with such inane examples such as :" A heart-rending example involves ambulances. Several times in the past few years, I have been in traffic in a major Indian city and suddenly heard an ambulance behind. To watch it forge fitfully ahead is to observe thousands of drivers make the choice to ignore it. Some people genuinely cannot pull over. But many can. Mostly, they don’t. Not a small number of Indians must die each year thanks to that collective refusal to be bothered".

I am reminded of a comment by Joan Robinson, who taught Amartya Sen at Cambridge, who told him once:"whenever you make any generalization about India, the opposite is equally true".

For sure, this is his personal observation of a few people - and i can counter this with a few dozen examples from my 26 years in India, when the exact opposite has happened, when total strangers have risked their lives to save other strangers. My friends who have personally tended to wounded and hurt passengers - again total strangers, not to mention giving way to ambulances.

This is not to say that he is making up this issue or at worst imagining an India which does not exist.

Nor is my gripe with his American roots or NRI flaunting of "insights" that come from spending a summer consulting with a firm in Delhi and "understanding" the deep existential angst that only the author understands.

There are far too many journalists who fall into this trap of trying to de-construct India in a few months / years and offer the world solutions, as they seem fit.

Implicit is the assumption that there are no intelligent and sentient beings in India and we needed an American born person of Indian origin to return and civilise us.

I wonder if Giridhardas has even read anything about India. Is he familiar with Nehru, Tagore, Premchand ? Has he seen any Satyajit Ray films ? Has he worked with any non-profits or civil society workers who grapple with these issues on a daily basis ?

Does he even read newspapers ? Times of India, Economic Times, The Hindu ??

My educated guess is no. He hasn't really bothered to do his homework. His un-inspiring talk on Jon Stewart's Daily Show is a case in point . He makes a fool of himself when he says that the real challenge to the US is not from India or China's economy, but from their "cultures". Really ??
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This guy needs some lessons in Macro-economy before he is allowed to open his mouth.

I wonder how the NY Times and other media allow such inane observations to pass off as "analysis".

Again, it may be because from a western perspective, he is credible because he is one of "them", who is diagnosing the problem from the "inside" ( being an Indian and American at the same time).

I believe this smacks not only of racism, but also bigotry and lazy journalism.

And it is about time someone protests this non-sense and tells Mr Giridharadas that he would be better off spending a few more years and perhaps tempering his own ego before he goes off on trips on Airplanes and landing in his country of origin - analysing problems to which he offers no solutions.

The more such people speak for India, the more he loses his credibility among the "real" Indians, those who struggle with the daily challenge of de-constructing India. Their fear and suspicion of the 2nd or 3rd generation Indians would be validated - who in many cases are rightly called ABCDs : American Born confused Desis.

He would do well by reading a bit before he writes more nonsense. Khushwant Singh may be a good teacher to follow. The grand old man of Indian writing has style, grace and humility. Something sorely lacking in this arrogant young punk from Ohio.

He would also do well to remember what Nirad Chaudhury said about India, that even "Exceptions in India run into millions".

Communications as an ongoing process – in the grant seeking process

2011-07-31T12:36:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, I attended a workshop at the Foundation centre, (http://foundationcenter.org/newyork/) in New York city on Grant seeking basics. While the session was about broader aspects of seeking a grant, preparing for it and the modalities of how to do it effectively; what stuck with me was the notion of communications as an ongoing activity in the entire process.

The instructor mentioned that from her experience, the ones who successfully received grants were ones who had formed some form of a network with the foundation or grant-making body and had already prepped them about the work that they seek to do, and also had laid the foundation of this- in some shape or form.

This not only strengthened their case, but also made sure that their top of mind recall remained high.

Simple, isnt it ? Well, yes and no. Most of us are aware of this basic fact, but when either seeking a grant, applying to one or even servicing one, we tend to forget this fact. I am no veteran of grant-seeking, but i do see parallels from the world of client-servicing, which i am very familiar with. As a former Public Relations consultant, i am all too familiar with the process of acquiring a new client, nurturing them and sustaining this relationship.

It can be tedious, painful and at times nerve-racking. But all in all, if there is one thing that can help smoothen this it has got to be Communication.

Ongoing, consistent, clear, honest and transparent communication with all stake-holders ensures that you not only remain on the top of their minds, but also that your work is clearly recognised and valued for what it is. That was my biggest take-away from that talk.

Bollywood and Terrorism

2011-06-29T20:13:00.000-07:00

I recently watched “A Wednesday”, a Bollywood thriller, starring Anupam Kher and Naseeruddin Shah - indisputably among the finest actors in Hindi cinema today. They were the protagonist and antagonist respectively, dealing with one issue which Bollywood; which in my opinion has been handled rather openly and directly: terrorism.
While it is true that terrorism, violence do not make for good dinner table conversation, and people watch cinema for entertainment and to switch off from their daily worries , it is also true that cinema as a medium is extremely powerful and can be used to effect change and bring about a change in people’s perceptions. Bollywood, I believe is coming of age.
In contrast, I will argue that Hollywood has failed in this regard. There are too many stereotypes, clichéd arguments and portrayals of the “other” – that is to say anyone non-western or American as evil. At the outset, I must also admit that I am no authority on cinema – but I am surely a film buff. I have grown up around a lot of theatre, cinema and have spent a lot of time around people who work in the medium and promote it.
Coming back to Bollywood, despite the fact that there is an overdose of emotions and of course the typical masala formula of song and dance; most of the movies I have seen dealing with this rather heavy subject, do a decent job.
My name is Khan is another recent film that comes to mind –which touches upon issues of terrorism, loss, grief, Love and higher emotions. The Shahrukh Khan starrer is about a mentally challenged Muslim boy who grows up to face inordinate challenges of both identity as well as personal adjustments – and overcomes them through sheer determination and passion for life.
Right from the days of “Dil se”, a 1998 film, starring Shahrukh Khan and Manisha Koirala; which is about terrorism in the North East part of India, which to date remains involved in cessasionist violence. It was part of Mani Ratnam’s trilogy on terrorism and human relationships (the other two films being Roja and Bombay).
Indian parallel cinema, which incidentally also has a good following, as compared to “mainstream” cinema continues to make powerful statements about contemporary social issues.
A more nuanced approach needed ?
There is for sure an awareness of the complexities of the origins of terrorism, as well as the human element of where a terrorist comes from. This can be considered a sign of maturity of the industry, as well as a good deal of understanding of the issue of terrorism itself ? This is not to clear Bollywood of all blame and give it a clean chit.
There is stereotyping going on in Bollywood too– right through the 80s’ and 90s’ – with the Sherwani wearing, pan chewing Muslim man and the Burqa clad Muslim woman, as if these were the only realms of possibilities in the Muslim world. Almost always, terrorism is associated with Muslims in mainstream cinema.
If there is one thing that can be said about Bollywood’s treatment of the issue of terrorism it is this : the industry is not shy to tackle it head on. There is no ambivalence and beating around the bush. While the western media, and Hollywood in particular still relies on blatant stereotypes and use of worn out formulas to make blockbusters (the same can also be said about Bollywood to some extent), some actors and directors seem to be making a conscious effort to address this issue with all the honesty they can muster- and are succeeding fairly well at this.
This intellectual honesty and directness, I believe, will produce more original and cutting-edge cinema, which hopefully will have some social impact in the years to come.

Media and grassroots advocacy

2011-05-13T21:06:00.000-07:00

In our class on International and non-profit management at the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, a few weeks ago, we discussed the case of Greenpeace and its efforts to stop the dumping of used batteries in Argentina. Greenpeace’s efforts to creatively manage media to send out messages about global warming, climate change and environment conservation are legendary.

It is interesting to note that the group garnered enough media support and sufficient grassroots mobilization to ensure that there would be a new National Law on Management of Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment.

This is a classic case of use of traditional media, social media as well as the internet to pressure the companies in question to get the results that Greenpeace wanted. One must remember that limited budgets, need for on the feet and smart thinking is what differentiates work for grass roots organizations from large corporate or even the government. Strategic communications, in my experience, takes on a whole new meaning. It can be akin to guerilla warfare in many ways.
I believe media and especially strategic media communications (Social media, Public Relations included) can help grass root organizations in the following five ways:
1. Help build credibility
2. Cheap and ( at times) free publicity which is essential for a grass roots organization, which may not have big marketing budgets
3. Build stakeholder confidence
4. Keep the issue(s) alive and energize the staff
5. Create an ongoing dialogue with all stakeholders involved and ensure that there is adequate feedback
My most successful campaign working at Ogilvy Public Relations, India was for our client Apollo Hospitals, the largest healthcare services provider in India. I ideated several campaigns during my stint there (between the years 2007-08), one of which one two global awards for its social marketing (Clio and Abby). I was able to bring in several grassroots organizations, including a local theatre group to put up a film festival on international women’s day to get focus on women’s health issues.
Additionally, during my work at Centre for Civil Society, a think-tank based in New Delhi in 2003, we used media rather effectively to ensure that our ideas were spread and the advocacy work received the kind of ink-space that we felt would guarantee some action in the areas we were advocating for. I believe that the work that we did for our Education campaign is significant in terms of media usage. The School choice campaign has had a very significant impact and the state governments in North India have adopted various measures that we advocated.
The work for both these organizations involved building credibility for the causes – that is healthcare issues and education for all – involving local organizations and people. We also partnered with local celebrities in giving joint press statements during certain important events as well as helping spread the right messages about critical healthcare and other issues.
The tools that we relied mostly were very cost-effective – including media relations, partnerships with other organizations etc. keeping our costs low. One such example I can think of is organizing a free Asthma screening camp for the local traffic police of Bangalore city by Apollo Hospitals. This idea originated from our end and was championed by the Hospital, as it made sense for them to do it as part of their Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives.
Both the CCS and Apollo Hospital cases involved building greater confidence in the stake-holders and also greater involvement of all parties involved. We also managed to create an ongoing dialogue with all stakeholders involved and ensure that there is adequate feedback

Media, as we have come to accept, has assumed a dominant role in our lives; and there is enough proof to say that this will only continue to grow in the years and decades to come.

The Arab revolutions, which are ongoing as of today, are an example of grass-roots organizations, which came together, organized and spread information about demonstrations and overthrew decades old dictatorships. Social media in particular have been very effective in these revolutions.

All in all, one cannot deny that media and activism are coming together like never before in this generation –which is empowered with Facebook, Twitter and other social media. While there is enormous potential to use this to educate, engage and build stakeholder value, there is also the danger of not using it at all or at worst ignoring these tools. It is the choices that we, as communications professionals make, that will determine the success of our organizations.

Who is worse : The monster or the people who helped in its creation ?

2011-04-19T05:18:00.000-07:00

Blame Greg Mortenson or the media ?

I am upset, angry and saddened to learn about Greg Mortenson and the revelation that he has been swindling away money from innocent people all over the world – in the name of building schools for poor Afghani, Pakistani children. While at one level, he is to be blamed entirely for what he did, at a more nuanced level, isn’t the media to be blamed too ? How ? You may ask.
Well, for starters, why did it take all these years for the media to wake up to the reality that the funds were being mis-used. Anyone with basic investigative skills ( in particular those whose job it is to follow and write about non-profits) should have been able to locate the financial statements of the Central Asia Institute and report any irregularities they may have noticed. They could have, and ideally should have done this due-diligence and fact checking. If we do it in cases involving domestic issues, why not with a charity which is claiming to be educating thousands of children. Simple isn’t it ?
Well, it turns out it is not all so simple.
Media, as we know and are seeing on a daily basis, tends to be a victim of groupthink . Iraq war, War in Afghanistan are just two examples of the media falling all over themselves to reproduce every word that came out of the State department. There were exceptions to the rule for sure, but for the most part, media has become a tool of manipulation by those in power. Groupthink dominates discussions at times, and the most dominant idea or meme perpetuates, sometimes without being questioned. It takes someone like 60 minutes to stop, look hard and eventually find out the truth. Until this happens, all the media play along with what is convenient and seems easy to follow - just like sheep.
A victim of its times ?
One of the reasons I chose not to pursue journalism in India, when I had to make a career choice is the direction that the field was ( and is ) taking. There seems to be a huge influence of the corporate sector and the government, in any mature media market. India, USA are but two examples. “Independent media” is a term which has become fashionable. The very word is a contradiction of sorts. Why should they even call a media publication, while by its very nature it is supposed to be independent, non-partisan and free to publish what it wants ? Makes sense ?
Media today is a victim of what I would call the “celebrity syndrome”. The media ( just like all of us are) is desperately searching for heroes. Simply because we live in such cynical times, where most of us cannot think beyond our own selves, when someone like Greg Mortenson comes along, who claims to have climbed hills, survived harsh conditions and shows idealism, we grab him with both hands and don’t let him go.
We want a piece of him, his idealism and all that he stands for – because he represents what is noble, lasting and real in us.
Alas, he seems to have mis-used this trust, and the media seems to have gone overboard in just showing what a hero he claimed to be he is, thus creating a monster.
Can we draw any lessons from this ? Perhaps yes. Here are a few :
1. Media should do some fact-checking and we should also demand this of them, and not just blindly consume information
2. We should all question everything we read in the media and especially if a story is too good to be true
3. Stay away from hyperbole. At least, I am increasingly becoming wary of people who indulge in it.
4. More fact-checking, careful analysis, transparency are needed and also avoiding the tendency to hero worship
5. On a cynical note, I think we should all learn some budgeting and financial analysis – at least we can learn to read financial statements and see who really paid for that private jet flight.

At the same time, there should not be cynicism. This incident or any other should not stop us from giving to worthy causes or individuals. What we can draw from this is the need to be vigilant and caring at the same time.. Being one without the other can be devastating.

Inventing a new language to talk about Israel-Palestine issue

2011-03-01T17:01:00.000-08:00

The J-street conference on Middle East peace titled, "Giving voice to our values" ended yesterday. As someone who is researching the issue of Israel-Palestine issue, I was amazed at the variety of voices that spoke out almost unanimously to solve this decades old issue.

As I traveled from Columbia, Maryland from my uncle's home to Washington DC, several questions popped up in my head. My aunt, who is a bit skeptical about anything to do with the word "Jew" in it asked me quite blutly "Why are you hanging out with those people ". I was quite taken aback with this question, and tried my best, to respond, as politically correctly as possible. "Well, we need to talk to everyone, especially with those you disagree with", i pointed out to her. "And besides, you make peace only with your enemies, not your friends". She wasnt convinced. And this was the line of thinking of someone who had worked with a Jewish boss for over 12 years and she herself described her relationship with him as "superb". What could is say ? At least, my cousin sister and brother did not share her opinion. Nor did many of my Muslim friends and relatives, who knew that the only way to resolve this issue is to take the leap of faith, believe that there is genuine intent to solve the problem and move on with life.

The belief that the status-quo is not sustainable is slowly spreading. Even Israel is waking up to this reality and if the Arab revolutions taking place across the Arab region are any indication, this will for ever change the nature of politics in the region. The Israelis are aware of this too.

As Mona Eltahawy, the well known blogger and media commentator pointed out, one cannot rule out another mass uprising in the Arab world for the Palestinians. And this time, it may be about the dignity of the people who have been enslaved in Gaza and treated as second class citizens. Demographic imbalance cannot be used as an excuse to mis-treat Palestinians, she added.

The discussions, both from those working with the Obama administration, as represented by Ambassador Dennis Ross, who spoke on the last day, as well as those such as Roger Cohen, Columnist for NYT, pointed out the need for movement on this issue. Everyone agreed that the time has come to solve this issue, once and for all.

When the conference finished and i headed home, i stopped by a friend's home for a quick chat. My former class-mate from graduate school, Steph, a reformed Jew, who believed that J-street was just a propaganda machine, which was not sincere in its claims, and was just a pro-Israeli organisation. This cynicism is also a part of the equation. Cynicism that Israel is not sincere, which is partly true. Cynicism that nothing will ever come out of the situation, and there is no chance for peace to succeed.

While i am still trying to grapple with these issues myself, i do believe that there is a peaceful solution to this issue. I tried to explain that just because J-street was pro-Israeli did not make it evil. I believe they have a nuanced position on many issues, and i believe they are progressive, authentic and sincere in what they say. There is sense in pushing these progressive, left leaning organisations and offering them support, in spirit and otherwise.

With elections coming up in September in Palestine, and the need for reform becoming a war-cry in the region, those who could not deliver cannot stay in power for longer. It is definitely the time for change, it seems.

One could sense the energy in the air, with thousands of pro-peace activists exchanging ideas, opinion as well as arguing with each other about the manner in which peace can be brought to the region.

While the larger questions remain up in the air, and who will win the battle for ideas will be determined in a few months or perhaps years; No matter who wins, one can only hope that sanity and peace prevails. As far as i can see, there is no other alternative to peaceful co-existence.

Responsiveness and good leadership, governance

2011-02-06T19:31:00.000-08:00

I woke up very early this morning, unable to sleep. Too many thoughts were battling for attention, and I couldn’t shut them off. With barely 5 hours of sleep, I was still sleepy. But I dragged myself out of bed, not wanting to waste time, and instead decided to start my day. Nice and early. I logged into my mailbox and also typed in a few news sites into my browser to access the latest information about the happenings in Egypt.

A mail in my inbox and what I read and heard on several websites taught me my lesson for the day( or month or year) : Listening and responding to what people say is not just good manners, but also critical for good leadership and governance.
The mail I referred to was from Miles Young, the global CEO of Ogilvy Group, the global communications firm, with over 500 offices across the world, of which I was a part in India. Though I left the agency to move to work , I have been in touch with several people from the old office, as well as a few from across the world. The company prides in being a creative hot shop as well as a flat agency, where ideas flow seamlessly and the best ones rise to be implemented. “We are not in the creative business, but that of talent”, says Mr Young’s statement on the website. And having worked at the agency, I can attest to the integrity of that statement. It is not PR speak. That is the truth as it plays out ( well almost) most of the times in the agency. At least the bench-mark and principle is set. This is a company which “listens” to its employees. And responds to the demands. And this mechanism I believe has brought it to the position that it is in today.

Lets look at what is happening in Egypt today. While hundreds and thousands (possibly millions) crowd the streets of Cairo, protesting the overthrow of a leader who is not listening to the demands of the youth -Middle East Youth initiative estimates that unemployment is at staggering heights in Egypt, at around 19% and youth are not able to reach “adulthood”, meaning having the ability to move out of parents home and start families etc. because of purely economic reasons. The government of Mr Mubarak clearly is not responding to this call, and has failed in all the time that it has been in power ( 30 years is a long time to shape a country in a direction that the leaders want to ). If one were to measure the impact of USA’s financial aid to Egypt over the years, clearly the billions of dollars have not had a significant impact on the outcomes that were intended.

The ability of the government to take feedback, modify policies and reflect the public sentiment is in essence the spirit of democracy. In a liberal political set-up this also points to a healthy situation. In this respect, businesses and responsive governments which are successful are similar. One can also extrapolate this philosophy to leadership style and say that a good leader is one who listens, responds and reasons with the people who he / she governs. A leader who is incapable of doing this is not fit to be in this position, and is replaced, sooner than later. Repression, authoritarianism ( both in a political as well as corporate) scenario may last for a while, but ultimately, both market dynamics as well as political calculations will weed out the “inefficient” leader.

Even from this perspective, Mr Mubarak has failed as a leader.
And Mr Miles, thank you for that email. It not only made my day, but also perhaps taught me an important lesson in leadership today.

Call for papers - post-disaster recovery conference 4/15 at Maxwell School of Syracuse Uni

2011-01-28T21:03:00.001-08:00

Conference on Post-disaster Recovery
Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs,
Syracuse University
CALL FOR PAPERS
SUBMISSION DEADLINE: FEB 28, 2011

The South Asia Center of the Moynihan Institute at Maxwell School is hosting the first Annual Conference on post-disaster recovery to bring into focus the recent disasters that have wreaked havoc in many parts of the world—the southern US, Haiti, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, among others. The conference is scheduled to be held April 15,2011 at Maxwell School.
Through this one day conference, we hope to bring together scholars and practioners of post-disaster recovery to elucidate the commonalities and differences among these events and how we can best plan for and mitigate the effects of these devastating events.

We have selected four overarching themes for the one day conference and invite papers that address these themes:
1. Climate change and disasters
2. Role of faith based organizations and NGOs in post-disaster recovery
3. Role of advocacy, media in post-disaster recovery
4. Post-disaster recovery and humanitarian assistance
Paper guidelines/ criteria:
- Deadline : Abstracts should be submitted by February 28, 2011 as a Microsoft Word document (.doc or .docx). Email them to Emera at elbridge@maxwell.syr.edu. Please include your name and affiliation. The abstract should not exceed 250 words.
- Length and format : Policy papers not to exceed 25 pages. You are encouraged to present posters too
For further information please contact :
Emera Bridger Wilson, Outreach coordinator, South Asia Center : elbridge@maxwell.syr.edu and Sabith Khan, graduate student, Maxwell School : skhan02@syr.edu

"The new vision is of trans-pacific and not trans-atlantic"

2011-01-25T16:14:00.000-08:00

Blake affirms Obama administration’s commitment to Indo-US strategic partnership

1/25/2011
Syracuse, NY: Speaking at the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, Syracuse University, Assistant Secretary of State, Robert O. Blake affirmed the Obama Administration’s commitment to the US-Strategic partnership, which was strengthened by the president’s recent three day visit to India last November. He used the presidents’ words to describe the unique partnership as the “most important one for the US in the 21st century”. Shared values of pluralism, democratic processes, belief in human rights and economic progress are what will help us work together, he added.
He also spoke of the Maxwell School’s connection with India, with the then Dean Appleby making a visit to India and preparing the “Survey of India” in the 1950s’, which led to the establishment of the Indian Institute of Public Administration.
“We believe India is our most important partner both in terms of trade, as well as our regional interests in Asia. Areas of technology, clean energy, Information Technology, healthcare, Human resources and Space exploration were discussed during the Strategic dialogue that Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has initiated with the Indian government. We are committed to ensuring that India reaches where it has to, and in it lies the best interest of the USA”, he pointed out.
He also pointed out that India is the rising star of the region, with its GDP being 10 times what it was in 1990, when it liberalized its economy. It is the 14th largest trade partner with the USA, and we have very good reasons to believe that this partnership will only grow in the future, despite challenges. He also fended questions from the audience about security issues, conflicting interests with India and Pakistan and terrorism etc.
Earlier in the day he spent time with graduate students and talked about his experiences as a foreign service officer and shared tips about possible career opportunities.

Key points from his speech :

- The relationship between India-US is one of the most important one in the 21st century from the US perspective.

- The fact that both countries are democracies and economies which are significant on the world stage makes this partnership important

- The strategic dialogue initiated by Secy. of state Hillary Clinton has created a momentum that is both positive and forward looking. There is a need to build on it and India sees the benefit of working to make this happen

- President Obama's visit to India in November shifted gears in terms of our relationship with India, into one of the most important ally in the region

- Tapping areas of common interest and mutual benefit is what will help both countries.

- We signed a few MoUs' with firms and also government entities in India during president Obama's visit.

- We have also facilitated the trade and technology transfer between India-USA, and we will see greater business and other transactions between the US and India

Lesson from Fund-raising campaign on campus - focus on the individual

2010-11-21T08:30:00.001-08:00

Raising funds for flood victims in Pakistan is turning out to be quite an experience. Apart from fund-raising, we are also equally focused on raising awareness about this calamity. While more than 20 million people have impacted, and millions others impacted indirectly; through job-losses, the disaster is the biggest one that has hit Pakistan in this century.

On Friday evening, the South Asian Students Association organised its annual cultural show Udaan, where i got a chance to speak about "Syracuse Cares", the campaign we started. Basit Naeem, a graduate student from the LC Smith School of Engineering spoke with me - and we gave a brief overview of what we have done so far and what we intend to do in the near future.

I anticipated that we would collect a few hundred dollars in donations that evening, as most of the audience were students and my expectations in terms of cash donations were low.

As anticipated, we did collect a few hundred dollars. But the biggest discovery for me : Most of the money came from ONE individual. This is the second instance in which this has happened. According to Giving USA, a report compiled annually by the American Association of Fundraising Counsel, figures on American philanthropy indicate the following:

# Americans gave more than $307.75 billion to their favorite causes despite the economic conditions in 2009. Total giving, when adjusted for inflation, was down 3.6 percent, the steepest decline since the Giving USA annual reports started in 1956. It’s important to keep in mind that despite the downturn, giving still totaled $307 billion.
# The greatest portion of charitable giving, $227.41 billion, was given by individuals or household donors. In 2009, gifts from individuals represented 75 percent of all contributed dollars, similar to 2008 figures

( http://www.nps.gov/partnerships/fundraising_individuals_statistics.htm)

Lesson # 1 for me so far : Focus on the individual. Speak to each person and solicit attention, focus, money as well as concern. It usually pays off.

Crisis of Islamic Civilisation - Ali Al Allawi at Central European University

2010-04-17T15:09:00.001-07:00

Turkey in Perspective - a panel discussion

2010-03-08T19:20:00.000-08:00

One of the advantages of studying at Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs is that one has the opportunity to attend several events on campus. These can range from events related to Africa, Europe, Middle East, South Asia over and above the theme based ones that are organised almost on a daily basis. The one that I attended today happened to be titled "Turkey in perspective".

This panel brought to fore several issues related to modern turkey as well as took a historic look at some issues that continue to impact the politics as well as demographics of this rich country. When one thinks of Turkey, and especially if one has travelled to Istanbul or the touristy southern part, one remembers the Turkish Baths, kebabs and the mosques and it is easy to forget that the country was home to one of the mighty Ottoman empire. The only empire to which the British crown has ever paid taxes. The proof of this is in the Topkapi palace Museum in all its glory.

The panel was organised by the Turkish Cultural center, Syracuse University in association with the Middle Eastern Studies Program, with Dr. James Bennett, from Syracuse University as the Moderator,Dr. Yildiray Yildirim, Maxwell School of Syracuse University who spoke about the Global Economic Crises and Turkish Financial System,Dr. Mustafa Gokcek, Niagara University,Islam and Modernity in Turkey and Dr. Norman York, from Buffalo State College, who spoke about the Balkan Immigrations, Ottoman Empire, and Modern Turkey.

The issues addressed ranged from the Balkan immigration to the Turkish territories in late 19th century which made them a politically significant group and also altered the geo-political landscape of the region forever. The results of this migration continue to have an impact on modern Turkey both in terms of the ethnic mix of people as well as the relations between the Balkans and Turkey, when seen from a historical context.

Dr Yildiray yildirim gave an insighful talk on the global financial crisis and how it has not had much impact on Turkey, since the country went through a market correction in the real estate prices in early 2003, spurred by the European Union regulations for greater transparency and financial openness. This the speaker stressed was a blessing in disguise and also saved the country from being in a precarious position today. To identify 'important but not urgent' issues in the financial world is a work of art and one which one must pay close attention to, he added.

The question of Turkish identity and its ambitions to join the EU were also analysed with the panel pointing out that this has been a subject of discussions since the early 60s', with slow reforms taking place across various sectors: Human rights, democratisation, and greater women's rights. The issue of Turkey being a Muslim country came up with one of the speakers addressing this issue head on and focusing on the fact that the country is coming to terms with integrating with the west while maintaining its proud Islamic identity. The fact that sufism, which is considered a very tolerant version of Islam dominates the discourse in Turkey helps to do this, he added.

The discussion wrapped up with a quick analysis of relations with Greece and Armenia over contentious issues, land and the Armenian genocide respectively. Overall, a very interesting panel considering there were many views represented. I also got a good perspective of Turkey from various angles : Social, Historical as well as Financial. It did challenge me to alter my mental image of Turkey a bit, from one of a country which seems to be focused on entering the EU to one in which there is a lot of dynamism and energy and definitely a will to contribute to the world in all spheres.

Re-branding Indian nationalism

2010-02-14T20:19:00.000-08:00

A few minutes ago, i discovered that the famous song " Mile sur mera tumhara", which i grew up watching on Doordarshan, the government owned TV station has been re-packaged. The remake stars the icons of modern day : Deepika padukone, Aishwarya Rai, Yesudas, Aamir Khan among others. I have embedded it here for those who want to have a look

What is going on here ? Is it another attempt at re-branding India, as the emerging 'super-power' ? Or an attempt to bring Indians together ( read all the bollywood stars from all religions, castes and denominations) in a show of unity ? perhaps a bit of both, with a ton of jingoism thrown in. It is also pertinent to mention that as i write this post, the Shahrukh Khan starrer, "My name is Khan" was released across cinemas last friday amidst much controversy. Apparently Mr.Khan has hurt many people by saying that Pakistani cricket players be allowed to play in the Indian Premier League. This is being seen as a very 'un-Indian' thing to do. The right-wing in India has very predictably jumped into the fray and attacked him with all its might. The fact that he is muslim helps their cause. The movie was not due to be released amidst threats from the Shiv-sena in Mumbai, but ultimately was released across the country. Ironically, the movie received much publicity as a result and many more people would want to see it now just to see if there is an element of controversy in it.

The story line itself sounds very cheesy and typical bollywood. From what i could gather watching the trailer, it is about a certain Rizwan Khan, a Muslim who falls in love with a girl in the US attempts to prove to the world that he is not a terrorist by trying to meet the president of the US. How banal and mis-placed can one get ? The saving grace seems to be some of the sound-tracks.

I am curious to see how the movie is received in India and abroad ? king khan is known for his power to drive up revenues of films just by his presence. It remains to be seen if he can draw in the crowds with such a jingoistic and in the face story-line.

Here is the older version of 'Mile sur mera tumhara'. Hope you tell the difference. No prize for guessing which one i like and why.

The older version

How to be a social entrepreneur - Ashoka founder Bill Drayton speaks

2009-11-30T20:18:00.001-08:00

A week of PR disasters

2009-11-30T16:04:00.000-08:00

This week has been characterised by PR disasters at a global scale. First came the news of Dubai World defaulting on its humungous payments to its investors and a massive global media backlash. And immediately, there was news of Tiger Woods getting whipped by his wife. Two major events with huge loss of credibility for two global brands.

Accidents happen, but it is no reason not to respond in an organised manner to contain the damage. In crisis communications, when the damage is done, what one can do at the most is contain the damage and move into crisis management mode. The first thing one has to do is to monitor the extent of the damage.

One thing that i learnt while managing crises ( in Dubai, at the start of the recession), was to firstly MEASURE the extent of the damage. This could mean something as simple as looking at ALL the media write ups, the blog posts ( as many as possible) and also video / other posts. Media monitoring is of utmost importance, because you know what the media is saying and where.

The second step is to analyse what they are saying. What the key messages are. This exercise becomes a crucial tool to monitor, and eventually respond to the detractors or the outside "publics" ( in many cases the media themselves).

Responding to the media in a timely fashion, after coming up with appropriate responses ( taking into consideration questions of confidentiality etc..)

So what can Tiger woods do to get out of the woods ? Simple, convince his wife to do a joint press conference asap to 'clarify' the facts. Even if he is having an affair, it is time he came out clean and settled the issue. If not, then he could clarify this with wife in tow, which is the smartest thing that any man can do. Think Bill / Hillary Clinton post the Monika Lewinsky case.

What can Dubai do to rev up Brand Dubai to its previous ratings ? I believe the first thing they can and should do IMMEDIATELY is to get ALL the media to speak with the ruler : His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum. He should come out and reveal the extent of the real damage. While the facts are out, there seems to be a sense in the international media that the government is not being transparent about them. To get over this, there needs to be a greater transparency and access to the decision makers. While working in Dubai, I have seen the reluctance of the powers that be to shy away from the media and let them speculate. This is not only hurting their image, but also spreading rumours.

These are some steps that these two brands can take to manage the crises that have hit them. A crisis is never a good thing, but if managed well can teach us to be prepared, organised and also a bit more open and honest about what is really going on in our lives.

How a UN resolution is drafted

2009-10-23T18:41:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we had an interesting exercise in one of our classes. Titled "UN Peacekeeping in the Middle East", the course i have signed up with Dr Isaac Kfir, a visiting professor from Israel attempts to look at the historical role that UN has played in the peace keeping process in the greater Middle East ( including Israel). Just for the sake of clarity, Middle East includes Turkey, Israel and all the other Arab countries which are part of the Arab league.

One of the biggest take-aways from yesterday's class was a look at how complicated the process of writing a UN resolution is. Having looked at several dozen resolutions - Uniting for peace resolution ( 1950), Resolutions 452 etc.. we had gotten used to the language, the ambiguity and the nature of resolutions. But actually drafting a mock resolution for a hostile situation between Syracusia ( hypothetical state) and Cornellia with a non-state actor ( Onandaga county college) brought home some key points that one needs to keep in mind when drafting one. Here are some insights :
1) Never appear to take sides while drafting a resolution
2) Do not open a door you cannot close( in the matter of rehabilitation of victims, compensations etc..)
3) Do acknowledge the long-term implications of the words being used
4) Always be ware of the power of each word you put down on paper and be prepared for criticism
5) Consult other members of the team when drafting it
6) Look at how the big 5 ( permanent members of the Security Council ) are going to react to it. Will it ever make it past them ?

The exercise appeared to be a great one in principle. But the bigger question is : Will i ever get an opportunity to actually draft one ? Perhaps time will tell...

Afghanistan, Writing, Politics come to the fore during a Q&A with Khaled Hosseini

2009-10-06T18:29:00.001-07:00

Well known writer Khaled Hosseini was at the Hendricks Chapel, Syracuse University last night for a Q&A session with well-known writer Firoozeh Dumah.

Here are some excerpts

F.D : Do you think anyone can write ?
Khaled Hosseini : No. Anyone can put sentences together, but to have a voice as a writer is something entirely differnt. Writers are more or less born. It is not out of arrogance or any elitist perspective that i say this, but writing calls for a certain temperament, a certain talent which very few people have. It is innate and akin to musical talent almost. The ability to add tension, to look at possibilities in the development of characters is a different talent.

My daughter is a great budding musical talent and it shows that in just 6 months, she has gone much further in her music classes than i ever could.

F.D : What do you have to say to counter people who say there is so much violence and sex in the Kite Runner ?
Khaled Hosseini : I believe that it is not gratuitous sex and violence, but part of a broader context of what Afghanistan went through in the last three decades and if looked at it from this perspective, the opponents would understand why it is there. I believe there is more harmful content on some of the TV shows that kids watch these watch than in reading the Kite Runner, which aims to sensitise young people to a different culture, part of the world.

F.D : How much of your writing is from your life ?
Khaled Hosseini : My life and my work has a lot in common. I grew up in Kabul and in the surroundings that my characters have. I flew up flying kites and going to cinemas and exposed to Iranian films, Indian films and B Grade Hollywood films and i grew up with a love of writing and a lot of my experience of growing up is the basis of the Kite Runner.

F.D : How did you find an agent ?
Khaled Hosseini : It was my ability to face so much rejection. I had read about it. But I really struggled to get published, and many of the publishers rejected me even without a reason. Many were justified in rejecting me. But one sent me a letter saying "Afghanistan is now passe, write about Iraq". This was a very upsetting thing for me. This to me was the writing on the wall on how things went wrong in Afghanistan.

F.D: What are you working on now ?
Khaled Hosseini : I am presently working on a family based story of the tribulations, tensions of a family based in Afghanistan.

F.D : What do you think of the American presence in Afghanistan ?
Khaled Hosseini : I believe that Afghanistan is the most American friendly nation in the region. Not that the Afghans like the Americans to be there, but their leaving will create more tensions and in-fighting in the region and is harmful in the long-run. I believe that the people's lives have improved in the last few years and infrastructure is improving. One can hope that things get better over time.

F.D : Tell us a bit about the Khaled Hosseini Foundation
Khaled Hosseini : It is a foundation that works for providing shelter to homeless Afghanis. Millions of Afghanis live without a proper roof over their heads and thousands die every winter due to the cold and the cost of providing a shelter is minimal in the country. We are a funding agency and identify deserving NGO's working for shelter provision and provide funding.

Is American customer service in need of a overhaul ?

2009-09-23T12:38:00.000-07:00

The single most critical factor which determines whether customers remain loyal is customer service. People tend to forget how expensive an object or service is, but dont forget how they felt when buying or using it, especially if there is a strong emotion attached : positive or negative.

My experiences in India, Dubai, Europe and now USA show that customer service in the developing economies seem to be better. Consider the fact that in India, which by every measure is a developing country , one can call a major firm ( Bank, Hospital, Real Estate firm) 24/7 and rest assured that there would be someone on the other side to answer the phone. Not so in the developed world. offices close at 5 pm. Getting service on weekends is out of question.

While flying an Airline, this fact becomes clear too. While airlines such as Emirates have just started operations a few years ago, they have clearly learnt the rules of the game early on and have emerged as one of the most competitive and well serviced airlines, other giants in the US and Europe are struggling with providing service and surviving in recessionary times.

So, is it time that the west learns a lesson or two in customer service from the 'lesser developed' countries ?. I think so. While success has made some of the giants complacent, lack of an understanding of people's changing expectations has kept some of the others where they were 10 years ago. It is time they change their approach or die. There arent too many alternatives unfortunately.

China says Ahlan !

2009-07-27T09:07:00.000-07:00

China’s attempt to reach out to the Arab world

China announced the launch of its first Arab TV station focusing in reaching out to the Arab world. Based in Beijing, the new channel will broadcast news, entertainment and other programming and will be accessible in most parts of the world. How does one view this new development ? As a state owned machinery, this is clearly one tool of propaganda that the Chinese government has come up with. Will it be effective in quelling the voices of dissent coming out of Urumqi where the recent violence took several hundred lives ( the clashes and riots were sparked between the ethnic Uighuirs and the mainland Chinese who have been encouraged to settle in the region).

Will the people of Arab world trust such a state sponsored medium ? While there is deep suspicion about state owned media across the Middle East, this new outlet will just add another voice to the clutter in the region. As regards providing ‘ authentic’ information coming out of Beijing, it will at the most be seen as a PR stunt and is unlikely to succeed.

This may be compared to several attempts by the American government to set up media in Iraq and eventual failure due to lack of credibility.

Credibility is the watch-word in this scenario. Unless there is absolutely integrity and credibility in the message as well as the messenger, people are likely to remain skeptical. In today’s digital age integrity can be checked and double-checked in a matter of seconds. In such a scenario, the Chinese need to check their motives and intentions before embarking on the ambitious project of winning over the Arabs. But at least it is a positive sign in that there may be a good cultural exchange to the extent that the Arabs may learn a bit more about china through the horse’s mouth. So, to this extent at least this is a welcome move.

Ban on Al Jazeera in Palestine

2009-07-27T09:00:00.000-07:00

The enigma called Al Jazeera is in news again. They are perhaps the most (in) famous media in the Middle East, having earned a reputation of sorts over the last few years. Incidentally I just finished reading a book by Hugh Miles called “ Al Jazeera – How Arab TV news challenged the world”. This fascinating account of the birth, growth and eventual proliferation of the network brings to light the various challenges that the Qatar based journalists have had to face .

The media landscape in the Middle East is fragmented with several key Arab and English media trying their best to get their share of voice on important issues. IN a market where speaking out openly against the ruling government ( usually a monarchy) is a luxury, Al Jazeera has stood up for its values and spoken out loud and clear. As a media house, it seems to be doing a good job – at least from my personal experience as a media professional in the region, all my experiences with them have been rather positive. Though I don’t watch TV – so have no direct access to their programming, their professionalism in chasing up a story and reporting on issues which are of vital importance comes across quite clearly.

The latest move by the Palestinian Authorities to ban Al Jazeera is a short-sighted move and smirks of the very same attitude that Israel uses to control media.

If the Middle Eastern countries aspire for leadership and openness they must also pay a price for what accompanies it – accountability as well as a free press. There cannot be progress and growth without debate, discussion and frank and honest exchange of ideas and information. If there is an attempt to hide it or curtail basic freedoms, this shows that those who talk about freedom and democracy are hollow.

The Palestinian leadership must be brave and let the channel investigate its own truth and contribute to the debates that are raging about the power struggles going on in the occupied lands. As long as there is debate and discussion, there is hope of the truth coming out. If people are forced or bullied into submission it is a sure sign that something is not right.

In another development, the Yemeni reporters of Al Jazeera received death threats from people claiming to be their well-wishers. The threats came as a result of the coverage that the station is giving to the protests going on in the country.

Public Policy and the crisis - some notes

2009-06-12T03:16:00.000-07:00

Dubai School of Government hosted a half day conference on Public policy and the downturn yesterday. "Ok, so what?" you ask . The big deal about this conference is that it is one of the few conferences in UAE ( or rather Middle East), where there was OPEN and frank debate and also criticism of certain government reforms and policies of certain governments. The agenda was to identify the role of governments in managing the current global economic downturn and also leveraging it for success in the future.

There is a growing awareness in the Middle Eastern countries that one needs to create open platforms for debate and discussion, so there is at least a semblance of "democratic institutions", though many of them are working towards it. This forum was an attempt to foster this culture of discussion, debate and knowledge exchange.

Here are some notes from the speakers, some of them ministers and heads of national/ international bodies.

Nabil Al Yousef, Vice Chair, DSG, Member, Board of trustees :
The region is facing the economic crisis as other countries, All arab countries have been affected. Both oil and non-oil exporting countries. Both public policy reforms as well as others are being questioned in terms of upgrading the performance. In the light of these challenges how do we steer our resources in order to make use of them and make the best gains possible will determine our future.

Dr Zuhair M’dhaffar :, Minister delegate to the PM, Tunisia
I would like to focus on the Tunisian experience . Public policy needs a long-term vision of the future , and I think the financial crisis is a test for all countries since all countries have been affected, both rich and poor. All studies have concerned that growth will be slow in western countries. In recent visits to the head of the World bank, the institution said that most countries will be affected till 2010. 80% of the Tunisian exports are aimed at Europe, so naturally we have been hit hard too.

We have 3000 foreign companies in Tunisia. How did Tunisia deal with the crisis ?
From the very early beginnings of the crisis in 2007, the president of Tunisia has initiated an alert committee to monitor the crisis. End of 2008, they started to make suggestions and deal with the crisis in a more practical way. The decisions taken included : A financial management plan with – to aid the companies which are facing major companies to help them through the crisis. In the beginning of 2009, they passed a law to encourage companies to increase their exports and taking into consideration companies participation in social 25 Mn . Tunisian dinar fund was set up and decreasing VAT and parallel trade.
Structural adjustment changes have been taken too in the budget. The development budget has been increased by 20% and infrastructure – vehicle manufacture and power .

Dr Maher Al Mujtahed , Secretary General, Cabinet of Ministers, Syria
I am thankful to the Dubai govt. and I am pleased to be here as we are great friends of UAE. I will give some suggestions and ideas on how to deal with the crisis. As you know most governments are in the process of reforms in the recent past and this comes in line with so many changes we have seen in the last quarter of the 20th century due to geo-political and tech changes and emergence of new concepts of globalization and public-private partnerships as well as communication tech.
These changes have challenged us to make changes. There have been many negative issues due to globalization. We need to look for new ways of management and also upgrade of public performance. There are new concepts related to these challenges and one of them is good governance : the performance of public sector and how they can serve the community better. De-centralisation, simplification of procedures, transparency and public financial management and public-private partnerships and active role of NGOs’ and contributing to economic development. The concept of good governance is not new actually. Most countries are doing well in the Arab world. This requires us to integrate the past efforts .

Julian Hawkins, Senior Partner, Deloitte

Govts. Around the world face similar issues. Although each govt. has similar macro response and each will react uniquely.
I would also highlight this from a consultant’s perspective. Our guide “ Turning the tide” provides a perspective from our end. I believe there are a set of actions need to be taken. In either case , the critical issue is to manage change. I will focus on 3 actions :

1. Allying policy change with program and procedures : Provide real leadership when those developing public services. Eg. My personal work in working in immigration department. This gives confidence in the department as well as people
2. Make sure one is in control : Systems and procedures which work in normal times may not work well in turbuiletn times. The systems may change and need to be able to adapt. Eg. In our experience in dealing with payments – speedy
3. Take the hard decisions – It does require tough decisions to ensure that we do the right thing, not anything that will guarantee short-term gains.

World bank steps in to solve the crisis...some insights from the Lead Economist of World Bank, MENA Region

2009-03-26T04:12:00.001-07:00

Dr Auguste Tano Kouamé Says Crisis Offers Opportunity to Revisit Policies and Map Out Inherent Competencies

Self-reliance, confidence in times of stress, and concerted planning and development by governments and the private sector are key points to be adhered to while riding out the current economic crisis, according to Dr. Auguste Tano Kouame, the World Bank's lead economist for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA).

Dr Kouame’s remarks came today at a talk hosted by the Dubai School of Government on the impact of the financial crisis on Arab capital markets.

Addressing senior government officials and policy makers from the region, Dr. Kouame outlined a number of solutions to help the economies of the Middle East and North Africa region shield themselves from further impact. He also proposed action plans that can be adopted by the government and private sector to reduce the negative impacts of the crisis, calling for a good understanding of the potential weaknesses in the financial sector.

Dr. Kouame said: “The global financial crisis that started in the US came on the heels of very high food and fuel prices that were already impacting many developing countries. The financial crisis has now become an economic crisis. Many developed countries are already in recession, and every country in the world is being affected. While many countries in the MENA region were able to avoid a large impact from the first round of the crisis, other countries in the region experienced its impact in quite a significant wave, due to the fact that their financial systems are more integrated globally.

“Going forward, the second round of impact — on the real economy and people — is likely to be significant for all MENA countries. Countries throughout the region and their development partners can respond with policies and expenditure programs that mitigate the impact of the financial and economic crisis while building the foundations for future economic growth in a sustained and inclusive fashion.”

He pointed out that while Sovereign Wealth Funds and petrodollars from the oil and gas industries have shielded many Middle Eastern economies, the global meltdown will continue to challenge heads of state and administrators with fundamental economic issues such as employment and food supply.
Dr. Kouame added that the crisis is particularly crucial in its impact on ordinary people, especially those living below the poverty line, adding that the World Bank can use its capital to help small- and medium-scale enterprises in the developing economies through the usage of its financial assistance programs in partnership with the IMF

Hafed Al Ghwell, Director of External Affairs and Communication, Dubai School of Government, said: “We are delighted to welcome Dr Kouame here today whose views are highly regarded and will prove invaluable for us in the region. Key insights such as his are even more imperative at a time when the world is going through this very serious phase of economic re-structuring that challenges all our previous assumptions of economic development as well as growth models. We are confident Dr Kouame’s key recommendations will help policy makers and governments explore innovative solutions for paving the way to economic recovery in the short term. The credibility and depth of the knowledge base of the World Bank Group is an important tool for the region's policy makers now more than ever .

Slumdog Millioniare, Dubai Literature Festival and branding of countries

2009-02-23T11:55:00.000-08:00

The 8 Oscars that Slumdog Millionaire won has made India proud. It is rare that an Indian film ( or one about India) receives so much attention as has Slumdog Millonaire. And rarer is the combination of artists who have come together to produce this award winning film. I believe the awards have brought more positive publicity than the so-called damage to it by portraying the slums in the film. The amount of positive word of mouth and publicity that the film has generated is unprecedented. It surely is a moment to celebrate.
This week in Dubai, something equally interesting is taking place. While the scale of the event is not so big, it definitely has grabbed global headlines. I am talking about the Dubai Literature Festival taking place at Festival city. While the literary festival is mired in controversy, ( Margaret Atwood’s withdrawl after an author was apparently banned from the festival) one cannot deny that it is an effort to help position Dubai as a hub of culture and art. Looking at this in perspective, one cannot deny that arts and culture have greater currency as branding elements than many other straightforward means. Culture seems to be the new weapon in the branding arsenal.
With the current global recession, most cities and countries are down playing the small successes they may have had or even toning down the ‘celebrations’ if any to keep in tune with the somber mood globally. This seems to have an impact on how branding is being seen. The loud, brash and arrogant tone is long gone. Companies, cities and countries which were ambitious, loud and domineering are seeing the logic in toning down their voice and are a bit subdued. The tone being adopted is a bit more mature, careful and measured. What impact has this had on the image of Dubai and other destinations ?
Abudhabi and Sharjah have also taken a stand of positioning the heritage, culture and arts – not only of the region; but are ambitious enough to get Guggenheim and Louvre to set up museums in Abudhabi.
Art is being imported in large measures. The objective ? Create an ambience and eco-system to encourage global talent to gather in an atmosphere where it can thrive. Also, encourage local talent to thrive. The end result would be the growth of a certain consciousness and atmosphere in which Art and culture can flourish .
Dubai in turn is being positioned as a destination which has more to offer than just world class business , conferencing and leisure facilities. It is being positioned as a mature place, something which has something for everyone. A destination which has an eco-system which encourages scholarship, thinking, living a quality life and much more than just a transit point that many people take it to be. Looking at the current events, discussions, one gets the impressions : It is a maturing city. There is more to Dubai than just glamour and show. In essence, there is more depth . The leadership of Dubai has realized that these positive attributes and ‘soft branding’ can be used to show the world that Dubai can be a ‘complete city’ , a mature city with its own distinct identity .

Will Saudi ever become a Dubai ?

2009-02-20T09:39:00.000-08:00

After watching a few Youtube videos of Saudi women driving ( in the desert) last year, one could feel that the rebellion against certain archaic laws ( including not allowing women to drive) is coming out in the open. This week's overhaul of the leadership by King Abdulla is another positive sign in the right direction. King Abdulla is known to be a moderate leader, with a clear vision of integrating the Saudi society with the modern world.

In several discussions that i have had with people who live in Saudi, the resentment comes out quite clearly. The population clearly wants change and with such close contact with the western world, and the internet and proiliferation of technology and travel; the people are demanding more individual freedom and freedom of speech. While the over-all structure of Saudi society will not change overnight, at least the signals coming out now are encouraging. It shows a departure from the old ways and an approach which seems to be challenging the assumptions of certain laws which are restrictive and considered repressive.It must be remembered that King Abdulla also recently organised an inter-faith dialogue, met the Pope and also has been a leading voice in trying to solve the Palestine issue. He is seen as a moderate leader with a broad vision of integrating the best aspects of all cultures and religions.

A TNS survey conducted early last year called 'Shabab tek', sought to unravel what is going on in the minds of young Saudi nationals. This ethnographic study followed the lives of 'future shapers', youth who are likely to influence other youth and set trends. The research threw up some very interesting insights, some of which included the youth's need to express themeselves. The growing use of blogs, mobile devices and other means to connect with others, to rebel if needed and make their voice heard points to this growing trend. Riyadh also has the only graffiti park in Saudi Arabia and this was a point made to illustrate the growing need for youth to express their thoughts and concerns to the establishment and also make their voice heard.

In the latest move, the power of the moral police has been curtailed. This is also a welcome move, considering that even according to strict islamic interpretation, there cannot be force in religion. One cannot be forced to do an act of worship, let alone be punished for it. By reducing the power of the moral police considerably, King Abdulla has done the right thing. Morals cannot be taught by police, at best they can safeguard the rights of people and ensure that the law is not broken.

All of this brings us to the next question : Will Saudi ever become as liberal and free as Dubai ? I dont think that is possible in the near future and highly unlikely that the extent of individual freedom will ever become as much as in the UAE and Dubai in particular. Saudi is Saudi because it houses the holiest sites for Muslims. Mecca and Medina are cities of not only religious and spiritual importance, but are also significant historically. The entire history of early Islam is tied to these cities and the authorities believe that by 'opening' up the country to foreign influences and culture, the very brand of Saudi will be diluted. They are partly right in thinking so. At least from a branding and positioning perspecitive, one can understand that if Saudi becomes a Dubai, then what impact would that have on Islam ?

Saudi Arabia today is in a formidable position, both economically and morally. It has the goodwill of all leading Arab nations ( except Iran) and also USA. It has the moral standing to mediate in disputes, offer solutions to the world's problems and also be a beacon of hope for those financially distressed ( either in terms of Aid to suffering victims or even bailing out firms with its Petro dollars). It is about time that the society reflects this by modifying certain archaic laws and ensuring that freedom and individual liberty are given in areas where there is no conflict and which will ensure that people from the rest of the world feel safe and secure while travelling/ living in KSA.

Protecting reputation in times of crises

2009-02-10T11:51:00.000-08:00

During times of crises, brand protection becomes the top priority. Brand promotion usually takes a back-seat. What do you do when your client is mobbed by a group of curious, over-curious or angry journalists just after a press conference ? And how do you deal with them especially if your client has just fired 500 employees ?

How do you deal with rumours of a company closing down ? Do you bury your head in the sand and hope that they go away ( as most people do ), or would you go out boldly and tell them what you can tell them ? ( without damaging stake-holder value) ? How much do you speak and what do you tell those who are asking questions ? What implications do your words, actions have on your clients reputation and how do you advise your client to behave ?

These are some of the crucial questions that every PR professional must ask himself/ herself when dealing with a crisis.

The current economic downturn is a blessing in disguise, as it is a living laboratory of all kinds of scenarios. Job losses, loss of confidence, project cancellations, scandals, firings, all of these are plentiful in every industry across the world. As brand stewards, one is required to protect the brand ( and the people behind the brand).

Some tips for handling the process well :

1) Have a strategy in place . Be clear about the direction that the company ( your client) will respond to the dynamic conditions in the market
2) Discuss honestly with the top management what one is allowed to say and what one is not. There can be embargo on communication from the company and the PR agency if needed. It is better to keep one's mouth shut than blurt out something which may damage a reputation
3) Keep channels of communication open. Nothing hurts than the journalists calling you up and complaning that they are facing a brick-wall. It is better to receive calls / emails and respond saying that there is an embargo on communication rather than not speak at all
4) Play out worse case scenarios in mind and prepare responses. Brief client/ others in the communications team on the possible scenarios
5) Never exaggerate. This can be the worse crime in a crisis. If the whole market is doing badly and if your client is doing OK, it is better to be cautious and play down the success rather than beat one's drum . This will be seen as being pompous and ostentatious. Qualities the media will not forgive you for. Unless you are Muhammad Ali !

The over-arching rule is to be prepared and be seen as prepared. Protection of reputation is in itself a huge task and very challenging and requires creativity and composure. Following these simple rules may help ease the process for any company trying to deal with difficult times.

Iran's satellite launch, refusal of Visas to americans and the western world's reaction

2009-02-06T10:05:00.000-08:00

This week Iran made news. And news for all the wrong reasons. On February 3, the media across the world reported the launch of a home-made satellite by Iran. According to BBC, "President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said the launch had been successful and that with it Iran had "officially achieved a presence in space". The satellite, carried on a Safir-2 rocket, was meant for telecommunication and research purposes, state TV said. A US state department official said the launch was of "great concern" and could lead to ballistic missile development. Iran insists its intent is peaceful".

The biggest concern is that Iran will use this technology to deliver arms and it will not be used for 'peaceful' purposes as Iran claims. The usual back and forth about the western double standards went on between the foreign ministers of UK, US, Iran.

The newspapers today carried news of Iran's refusal of visas to the USA women's badminton team. The reason given for it is that their papers were not submitted on time. The head of the delegation said that the papers were submitted on time, but they were not granted visas anyway.

While the concern that Iran may deploy the technology to intimidate others and non-peaceful purposes is genuine, the coverage of the issue was slightly skewed. While President Ahmadinejad seems to have a sense of theatrical performance, timing the launch with the anniversary of the Iranian revolution; what cannot be denied is that the media tend to cover issues related to Iran with a lot of bias and pre-judgment.

The Iranian revolution which de-throned the Shah, the Iran nuclear program, refusal of visas to westerners tend to take on larger than life proportions. The media tends to focus on Iran as the 'other', an evil force that needs to be closely monitored and scrutinised.

Why doesnt the media carry stories of the thousands and thousands of Iranians who are denied US visas ? Why this lop-sided perversion of reality? There is a deliberate attempt to paint certain countries in a certain light and this bias seems almost unconscious. The same propaganda happened with Saddam Hussein before Iraq was bombed out of existence. The media seems to have all but forgotten about the Nuclear program and WMDs' that Saddam had after the western leaders acknowledged that it was a big fat lie.

Fair, honest reporting demands that each issue be examined closely before reaching any conclusion and definitely demands that opinion be kept out from facts. There seems to be an easy blending of both facts, opinion when it comes to reporting on Iran. The same holds true for any country that has challenged the US hegemony. One is reminded of Edward Said 's "Covering Islam", which brilliantly captures the trends in reporting on Islam and muslim countries.

While it is a fact that Iran is still on the list of suspect countries which is developing a nuclear program, it should not deter the media and responsible spokespersons from reporting accurately and stop interspersing the facts with their own per-conceived notions ( which are usually handed down ) either from the establishment they work for, or their superiors.

I hope that the global media start seeing this pattern of their own mistakes and correct themselves to the extent of merging facts with fiction.

Do ethics have a place in Technological adoption ?

2009-01-23T02:59:00.000-08:00

A few days back, I heard Jonathan Murray, Worldwide Technology Officer, Microsoft Corporation, who gave a lecture titled " Tech. society and the new society transformation", at Dubai School of Government ( www.dsg.ae). He spoke at length about the way the world is shaping up and how technological changes are transforming human effort.

Personally, i was reminded of my days at Engineering school, and Industrial Engineering lectures in particular, where we lived and breathed work measurement and efficiency.

The lecture focused largely on how our society has transformed from a labour intensive one to a service one in the last 200 years. Post industrial revolution society has struggled with the questions posed by replacement of human effort by machines. We continue to debate these issue even today, with recession, job lay-offs and the slowing down of economies world-wide.

Some of the major trends in technology transformation around us include increase in storage capacity, doubling of processing speeds as well as reduction in power usage of processors. These are having a big impact on the way the service industry is shaping up.

The moral and ethical components of this transformation which will lead to wider distributed storage platforms including 'cloud platforms' include issues of liability and responsibility. for example, if a person meets with an accident caused by a faulty processor in the Car, is it the fault of the driver or the chip ?

The real challenge for policy makers will be to take cultural and social context and decide where do you want to intersect . Eg. Reasons why u can’t access flickr in a society as free as Dubai ?

What are the moral implications??? If policy makers create the right environment, then the implications can bring more people into the chain of greater wealth creation. These would create social systems which will be healthy, and create high value for all the people involved.

Being 'plugged in'

2009-01-23T02:50:00.000-08:00

Working as a media professional can have its own unique challenges and opportunities. One of the most exciting aspects of being a PR professional to me personally is being in touch with the latest developments taking place, socially, politically and financially.

I can recount several incidents in the recent past when I have had access to 'priviliged' information simply because of the circles that i am connected to. Journalists, writers, business leaders are some people we interact with on a daily basis. Our daily feed consists of consuming over 5 newspapers on a regular basis, writing articles, press releases, opinion pieces and much more arguing, persuasing, selling ideas, shaping opinion.

As an employee of a semi-government PR agency, i do feel happy that we are so close to the 'centres of power'. proximity to the government in the Middle East also means access to invaluable information, contacts which can give one a deep insight into the way the city or generally the country is developing.

How does one make use of this access ? What are the responsibilities that come with having so much information at one's disposal ? How does one NOT mis-use it ?

Information is power in today's society. One can always use this information to gain an edge over others, professionally or personally. If done within the bounds of ethics and a moral framework, it is ok. But if done unscrupulously and with a malicious intent, this can be the worst abuse of information and access.

These are some issues that one needs to think through.

Max clifford interview - The Observor

2009-01-09T13:22:00.000-08:00

This much I know

Max Clifford, publicist, 59, LondonGeraldine Bedell
The Observer, Sunday 9 February 2003 Article historyI cost at least
£10,000 a month. Many of my clients are paying a lot more.

I started working for myself 32 years ago, when I was 27. I'd been at
EMI before that, where I'd helped to launch the Beatles. People
thought, 'He must be good: look at the people he's worked with.' My
part in their success was totally nonexistent, but their part in my
success was huge.

Most of what I do is not getting things in the media, it's keeping
things out. The bigger the star, company or organisation, the less
important promotion becomes, and the more important protection.

Is it legitimate to embroider? Yes, all the time. Freddie Starr ate my
hamster, David Copperfield and Claudia Schiffer... I've always had a
very creative imagination and that's an important part of what I do.

I admire very few stars. I would say that Paul Newman and Muhammad Ali
have come to terms with their celebrity and see it for what it is.
But, on the whole, I basically feel quite sorry for them.

What stories am I proud of? I love to believe, rightly or wrongly,
that I played a little part in bringing down the Conservative
government.

My daughter Louise has had juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. She was in
hospital on and off for 15 years. She's had hips replaced, knees
replaced, a rod put down her spine, a rib taken out, sleeping with
traction on her legs. Over that time I watched the National Health
Service, one of our proudest achievements, being destroyed. It hasn't
been put right yet, but it takes a long time to revive something
that's virtually dead.

I've heard all kinds of bad things I'm meant to have done, but as long
as the people I love - my wife, my daughter - know the truth, I'm
happy. I don't want to look at myself in the mirror and feel ashamed.

When I took on Mandy Allwood, I believed the only chance she and the
babies had was to stay out of the media spotlight. The spotlight was
going to be there whether I was involved or not. So the medical fees
were picked up by News International and they were given a place out
of the way, poachers being the best gamekeepers and all that. But as I
found out more and more about her partner Paul Hudson... knowing what
I know now, I wouldn't have got involved.

I don't know if something inherent in celebrity makes people
self-destruct, but it's something you often find.

I've never approached a client. I won't pitch for business. It comes to me.

Where I am incredibly creative is with the image of stars. They may be
seen to have women falling at their feet when I know they're gay.

Some of my best friends are madams. With major stars, if there's a
party, I control the party - nothing comes out.

I find it fascinating that we're so obsessed with sex. We're very
puritanical. But that's wonderful for me. Oddly, even the French are
interested in our scandals, though they're not interested in their
own.

The tabloids are a much nastier world than they were. Everyone's
jockeying for everyone else's job and they've got no power because
there are no unions any more, so they're more and more insecure - if
they don't do the story, someone else will.

I like it that I can get justice for people. Gary Glitter wasn't a
satisfactory legal verdict, but he can't go anywhere in the world now
without people being aware of him. That's a result as far as I'm
concerned.

I'm not happy about the grief that Mrs Mellor would have gone through,
but with no disrespect, I think that's down to David rather than Max
Clifford. The affair was out before I got involved.

Some of the nicest, kindest people I've ever known are always at it
with other people.

Money is important to me. Flying isn't that straightforward for us, so
we fly first class, and I drive a Bentley. Louise would have to be
lifted in and out of a car that was lower. But I give a lot of money
away.

If you asked my wife Liz who I look after, she'd have trouble telling
you. She's not very interested at all. She finds the entertainment
world full of very empty shallow people, which is not far wrong.

I love the mischief of it all. There's a little old lady I see every
week called Marjorie. I have a cup of tea with her before I play
tennis and I always give her a few juicy stories. And if there isn't
anything, I make it up.

Crisis communications and you

2008-11-01T06:19:00.000-07:00

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

2008-10-25T01:55:00.000-07:00

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

2008-09-29T22:11:00.000-07:00

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

2008-09-26T16:09:00.000-07:00

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

2008-09-09T04:35:00.000-07:00

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

2008-07-28T01:13:00.000-07:00

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 ??

2008-07-23T05:06:00.000-07:00

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

2008-07-11T23:52:00.000-07:00

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

2008-07-09T20:06:00.000-07:00

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

2008-07-01T09:41:00.000-07:00

Obama's democratic nomination speech

2008-06-07T04:31:00.000-07:00

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

Re-branding Australia

2008-04-29T04:18:00.000-07:00

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

2008-04-15T04:50:00.000-07:00

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

2008-04-01T08:39:00.001-07:00

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

2008-04-01T08:37:00.000-07:00

- 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

2008-04-01T08:36:00.001-07:00

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)

2008-04-01T08:28:00.000-07:00

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

2008-04-01T08:24:00.000-07:00

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

2008-03-31T10:02:00.000-07:00

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

2008-03-31T09:31:00.001-07:00

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

2008-03-31T09:24:00.000-07:00

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

2008-03-31T08:50:00.000-07:00

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 !

2008-03-31T08:46:00.000-07:00

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

2008-03-20T12:35:00.000-07:00

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

2008-02-28T03:39:00.001-08:00

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

2008-01-11T23:53:00.000-08:00

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

2008-01-07T22:39:00.000-08:00

"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...

2008-01-02T02:48:00.000-08:00

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 ???

Emotions vs Reason

2007-12-28T04:13:00.000-08:00

Consider any significant piece of communication you may have noticed in the last one week. Be it a TV ad, a print commercial or even something you heard word of mouth. I would not be surprised if this was a piece of communication which appealed to your emotions very strongly.

Communications based entirely on reason, facts, data is boring. When one feels a tug of emotions, one is able to relate to it; empathise with this bit of communication and hence it appeals to us.

Does it mean we must base all communications on high-emotional appeal ? Perhaps yes and no. Yes to the extent that one does not over-do it. No, to the extent that too much emotion can also dampen the effect if one is communicating a serious issue - for example homelessness or cancer research. Facts need to be placed side by side with emotions and one needs to look at the right balance.

Alex Etgar and talkability...

2007-12-22T04:33:00.001-08:00

Ogilvy Singapore did an incredibly successful campaign recently. Entitled "Meet Alex Etgar", this was a viral campaign aimed at increasing talkability about a fictional character "Alex Etgar".

I remember one fine day, opening my mail box and finding out that we have someone called "Alex Etgar", joining the network. Alex was introduced as a 20 something - head of the "Red" division of Ogilvy; a newly formed business unit. His accomplishments were praised and within a week, Alex had won a major million dollar business for the Asia-Pac region. Boy ! were we in awe ?? I told myself ," This guy is really a super-hero".

A few weeks after this high-profile introduction, there was a party; where "Alex Etgar" was formally introduced - or rather the myth of Alex was de-mystified.

Turns out that he actually did not exist at all. Alex was a character introducted to showcase the qualities that Alexander the Great embodied; and values that are needed in today's competitive world. He was someone full of strength, ideas,resourcefulness, initiative, daring and vision.

I must admit that the campaign definitely was full of these values ! Kudos to the team that came up with this campaign...

PR professionals' credibility problem...

2007-12-20T01:57:00.000-08:00

While we PR professionals claim to be building the reputation of our clients, often our own reputations are suspect. I have over-heard so many journalists speak of PR professionals in such a disparaging manner that it has shocked, at times amused me. Lets admit it, we do have a credibility problem.

After all, dont we try to consciously alter the mindsets of people with a set objective ? This alone can make journalists suspect of our motives. A lot of agencies use "all means necessary" to get coverage - and this often crosses the thin line between what is ethical and un-ethical.

In a market such as India, where PR industry is still in its infancy, media looks at us with suspicion and at times with disgust. "you people have sold your souls to make money " said a city editor of a prominent newsdaily; where i had interned earlier before making the jump to PR. Her remarks are just among the few that i have had to encounter when it comes to justify our existence as well as the need for qualified, trained professionals to communicate, convince and persuade people to communicate about issues and businesses.

While professional bodies outline Dos' and Donts' to all professionals; seldom do people practice them in real life. In the frenzied competition to out-do the other agencies; some agencies often step over the mark of what is ethical. Bribing journalists, not speaking the truth, hiding important facts are all part of the bargain for some PR professionals.

So what is one to do in such a scenario ?? Here are some suggestions to overcome this "credibility gap"

1) I think it is upto each individual PR professional to build his/ her credibility and this would in-effect reflect on the industry as a whole.

2) One must be thoroughly abreast of what is happening in the industry that one's client is in. No journalist likes to deal with an ignoramus. Being informed helps project a confident and self-assured image which even the media appreciates.

3) Training, reading, continuous learning must be made mandatory in every agency. Quarterly reviews of what one has learnt and implemented must be made compulsory.This will ensure quality among PR profesionals

4) Zero tolerance of un-ethical practices. If we as PR professionals put our foot down and refuse to budge when certain journalists demand something which is not ethical; it would stand in our favour and build credibility in the long run.

5) Results based work : Each individual PR professional must hold himself/ herself accountable for the clients work and must have "ownership" of the brand so there are no slips. We must see ourselves as the "ambassadors of our clients" and behave accordingly.

The making of a star...Om Shanti Om and Deepika

2007-12-17T05:25:00.001-08:00

Finally saw Om Shanti Om, perhaps the most talked about movie of the year. I enjoyed the film and believe it is a well packaged piece of entertainment. All the elements were right - the humor, the sense of history, which took one back to the 1960s and 70s; and the evolution of Bollywood.

shahrukh khan was at his best as Om Prakash and OK respectively in his first and second life. The movie also struck a chord with me simply because of the way it was marketed. Right from the "making of OSO" to the premier of the film, the PR was absolutely fabulous. The PR guys focused on all elements which would interest the typical movie goer in Indian cities.

While we are all running around doing our work, making money and complaining about the traffic; each one yearns for the lost time, the "past" which was all hunky-dory and fine. We want to re-visit our past and live in it for the dreams and aspirations we cherised. This movie does exactly that. It subtly takes us back to our past, and helps us re-live the same in a span of three hours. It showcases the dreams and aspirations of the wannabe hero and in doing so, captures some of our own dreams and aspirations.

Deepika Padukone could not have asked for a better launch pad. She is impeccably packaged. Right from her costumes to make up; she fits the bill perfectly. The story line is also not too "modern". It also has a very typical "filmy" end -as Bollywood movies are supposed to have. Everything ends on a happy note.

All in all, a good effort at making a good entertainer. And hats off to the PR guys - who focused on everything from Manoj Kumar to SRK's six pack abs, and kept the audience glued and asking for more....

Death of originality

2007-12-05T06:50:00.000-08:00

Why ? Why cant we live original lives ? Why are our lives so similar. Why are we not able to come up with original ideas ? Why dont we have more Oscar Wildes ? Where are the Einsteins ? Why havent we produced another David Ogilvy in the last 50 years ?

Just the other day, i was walking down the street and noticed that most of us end up going to similar schools, getting similar education, wearing similar clothes, form similar opinions and end up living similar - and unorginial lives.

Our language, mannerisms, thinking is so box-standard; it is revolting. I feel nauseous when i think of how so many of us can live this way. May be this is a sign of the end of originality.

Most of the great inventions/discoveries in the realm of science have been done in the last two centuries. This century and perhaps the next one will only have minor modifications in all things known....technology is bound by Moore's law. And then what ?? Across all realms, right from TEchnology, natural science, Fashion, societal organisations, economic systems; one can see an absolute lack of originality. It is as if we have stopped discovering and we are all too afraid to live original lives, imagine something original and new.....

Fashion is nothing but re-packaging of things old and outdated. We have an uncanny ability to dig up the past and bring elements to the present; as if the "collective unconsciious" forces us to re-visit the past and re-live it.

So, where is original thinking ? Where are new ideas ? Where are the daring heroes who transformed the world and shook the roots of conventional wisdom ? Are they products of another day and age ? Is the world not able to produce any more of them ?

Is this the beginning of the end ?? End of originality as we know it.

Humour and PR....

2007-12-02T00:43:00.000-08:00

Saw this amazing video "Axis of Evil : comedy tour" by a group of American comedians. Most of them muslims. This is an amazing show put together to laugh at the situation that many muslims face in the west as well as in the developing world.

This video has an american of middle-eastern origin who makes fun of the hypocrisy of the muslims in America and middle east who would call themselves muslims but indulge in all vices - yet frown on him for making jokes about muslims. The theme is largely post 9/11 and how the muslim world is adapting to changing realities and being seen as outsiders - by the westerners.

Humor is a great way to reach out to people of differing cultures and religions. It is cool simply because it breaks ice easily and can break prejudice and build understanding. But this has to be done with good intentions and a clean heart. If there is malice, jealousy or plain petty-mindedness it spoils the fun.

The most important is the ability to laugh at oneself..and iam happy as a community, muslims are learning to do it. Hats off to Ahmed Ahmed, Preacher moss and the likes of him....they are doing greater service to the cause of building bridges between people than all the Mullahs and religious preachers....

Hats off to people who build bridges, bring understanding, promote peace, harmony and love.

the danger of overkill...

2007-12-01T04:26:00.000-08:00

How much is too much ? With shorter attention spans, we are becoming accustomed to shorter, crisper messaging. Be it Advertising, PR or Direct Marketing, communication professionals are realising that it is better to keep it short, crisp and focused. Repetition is the key. Better have short/ smaller ads running for more number of times rather than longer ones....but how much exposure is good ? what causes fatigue to set it ? Do we need to be aware of overkill in communication ?

On world Aids Day today, i read a nice editorial piece in one of the local English newspapers in Bangalore saying that there has been too much of celebrity endorsement for AIDS and people are getting weary. Weary of how harmful AIDS is. Weary about how to prevent it etc...

The same goes for poverty, homelessness and a host of social and economic evils. So, what is the way out of this ? We do know that it is important to hammer out these messages consistently....and regularly.

I think the way out is to be creative and adopt unconventional means to send the messages across....make a movie, start something spectacularly new related to AIDS, get celebrities who had AIDS to perform etc...

The idea is to not let boredom or fatigue set it. This is a mighty challenge anyday.

A visually deceptive world.....where words are losing their meaning

2007-11-30T23:45:00.000-08:00

We are living in a visually saturated world. A world where media - print, TV, Internet dominates our thinking. It shapes our thinking in ways that we cannot imagine. All of this is largely becoming visual. There is a decreasing emphasis on the spoken or written word and an increasing emphasis on the visual element.

We are making decision largely on how a thing is packaged, how it is presented before us and what we make of it in the first few seconds - long before we can even rationalise it and make an informed choice. TV channels ( mainly news) are becoming crisper, capturing news of profound importance in a few sound-byes; where earlier it used to take minutes if not hours to reach conclusions.

We seem to be moving towards an age of super-fast information and knowledge dissemination. An age where no one has the patience nor the inclination to think about anything. We are looking for packaged opinions, packaged products and packaged people - be it they movie stars or politicians.

Are words losing their meaning ? This is the first danger that i see from this sort of over-emphasis on the visual component of thinking and observing the world. Isnt it true that what one sees is usually only half the truth ? Noone can deny the sensationalisation of the media - Advertising, TV are the chief examples. Unless it has shock value, it is not news and in the case of Advertising; it is a case of offering "insights" or an alternate perspective which makes an ad stand out. The main danger of this is the dumbing down of the senses. Relying too much on the visual means no time to really absorb what one is seeing and making decisions based on superficially observable facts.

Is there a danger of becoming zombies with this process of dumbing down of the senses ??? Perhaps only time will tell....

Connecting dots, minds and hearts

2007-09-20T03:15:00.002-07:00

One good “connection” a day. This I believe should be the mantra for living as a PR professional. Much like the Boy scouts, who live by “one good deed a day ” philosophy. While we may come in contact with hundreds of people in a year, not many make an impact on us; and the same holds the other way round. But doing just one small act – consistently on a daily basis can build a huge reservoir of goodwill, network and ultimately healthy community network for us professionals.

On an average day, I make at least 30 phone calls and when there is a lot of work, it could go upto 100 calls a day. And most of these calls are related to work. They are about connecting people, sharing information, informing someone about something they did not know. A PR practitioner’s job is also as much about connecting with and connecting people to people as it is about persuasive marketing communications.

In an increasingly selfish world, where more than 95 % of the time we are concerned about ourselves, a people’s profession such as PR can help us look beyond ourselves and reach out to understand, know and ultimately appreciate other people with a genuine motive. This understanding can ultimately reduce conflict and help create a stable and peaceful world.

Learning to give….
Ours is an inter-dependent world. One man or woman cannot live in isolation, and in an increasingly complex world; even nations are realizing that it is only by sharing that they can survive and thrive.

Just a few days back, we got a request from a client – Apollo hospitals, a major Healthcare provider in Asia. This was an appeal for help from a patient admitted there, who needed funds for treatment and even with his insurance, he is finding it difficult to cover the expenditure. It is a matter of life and death.

What one can do in such times is reaching out to people, connecting the right sources with the right people and ultimately helping a human being. While this may sound quite mundane, how many of us consciously stop and think about such articles written in the media and how many of us actually write a cheque? The concept of sharing information can be a starting point for us to start sharing more tangible things – which may not mean much to us – but could be a matter of life and death for others. All it could take for us to help this case is putting him in touch with an NGO or a Philanthropist.

Christmas breakfast and Ramadhan Iftar parties
Last Christmas I was invited to attend a Christmas breakfast just a few days before Christmas. It was a well organized event for all Non-christians, to get to know more about the Christian faith. And as a participant, I got to know a lot about the religion, the social mores and practices in two hours – than I could have reading ten books about Christian theology. It was a great PR exercise done in good faith. Similarly, Ramadhan Iftar parties ( when one breaks the day long fast) are held in several places each year in India during Ramadhan. They do serve a purpose of familiarizing people who are not from the community to get to know more, to question, to share and ultimately understand each other.

Sharing, understanding can reduce conflict
From a marketing communication perspective, our job is to communicate to sell. Sell stories to the media, sell our client to the Industry body which may help them or sell them to their prospective employees. This ultimately leads to conflict of sorts. So does just living our normal lives. Living with someone under the same roof itself can cause conflict, no matter how much we love a person. There are always differences, differing points of view or differing goals. The only way that one can reach a common ground and start living in harmony is by understanding the other person or group of people and through this understanding will come greater acceptance and hence conflict reduction.

While this may sound simplistic, this is true in both a social context as well as inter-personal context as well as from a marketing context. Brands which share information with their users, which inform the user and which really care about the customers well-being are often trusted more than those who are just out to make money. Concepts such as Corporate social responsibility ( CSR) and Ethical practices are testimony to how even commercial enterprises have started realizing that undermining social, environmental concerns can do harm to them; while taking them into consideration will only do them a lot of good – even to their bottom-line.

What is in it for me ?
So what is in it for me ? You may ask. All this talk of giving, sharing and not hoarding onto information and contacts. Well for starters, the more you give, quite literally the more you receive. How many of us appreciate people who hoard onto money or information and do not like to part with it ? On the contrary, all of us like and appreciate people who give, share – what they have, be it their money, other resources, advise or what ever that will help us.

Why you cannot fail as a PR professional

2007-09-20T03:14:00.001-07:00

One can never fail in Public Relations. This is something that occurred to me when I actually looked at the various campaigns I have handled in the last 3 1/2 years as a professional. Some campaigns may be very successful, some may be moderately successful and some may be not so successful. But I haven’t come across one that can be called a “failure”. Failure is a misnomer. I think this is simply because PR is about human beings. And one cannot say that dealing with other human beings, trying to understand them and persuading them will ever be a total failure/ waste of resources. There are always some takeaways, some learnings, few insights which are unique and at the end of the day, justify all the efforts that go into planning and executing a campaign.

A total failure turned out to be the biggest lesson
The first PR campaign that I ever handled in my life was for a well known Hyderabadi restaurant which was launching its Bangalore branch. Armed with very little knowledge of PR, and few contacts I took this assignment (much before my Ogilvy days) with the confidence that was totally misplaced. On the D Day, as I was waiting for the journalists to turn up for the press meet; I started to get cold feet when no one turned up for the press meet. The client was a gracious gentleman, who just asked me to “follow up” and keep him in the loop. I was humbled, and analysed the whole affair thoroughly. It occurred to me that everything that I had planned – right from the day, to the venue, the journalists I had invited, the press release were all wrong. This was one of the biggest “failures” that I encountered in my professional life; but one that taught me so much about the business of dealing with people, a big lesson in humility, a bigger lesson about building good contacts, and the mother of all lessons – planning a campaign. In many ways, this “failure” paved way for so many successes later on.

PR is about human beings
No matter what theories we come up with, and what ever grand strategies we invent; PR is all about understanding human beings and learning how to communicate with them and also to persuade them to think and behave in a certain way. This calls for observing people, dealing with them on a regular basis, forming models of behaviour in one’s mind, understanding what motivates people, what kind of incentives work with what kind of people. PR is applied social psychology at its best. Not only is a PR professional required to understand groups of people who matter to us, but we are also required to influence them in ways which are benefical to us.

Learnings while planning and executing campaigns
Some learnings that come from the fact that we are dealing with human beings and not machines. Thank god we are in PR and not sitting and writing unintelligible codes behind computers all day long !

- Long term orientation : Thinking about how communicating and engaging with the “publics” with a long-term relationship building perspective is the only way out. There are no short-cut ways to persuade or people. That would amount to conning people and that is not good PR anyway !
- Selflessness : Helping our clients, and their customers with advise, information and contacts
- Honesty : Without honest communication, no individual or company can build a strong reputation and a healthy brand.
- Courtesy and Customer Service : Dealing with clients (some reasonable and some not so reasonable) instills in one the values of courtesy and customer service. Observe the best PR person in your surrounding, and I can bet that he/she is also the most courteous and well-mannered person around.
- Concern and respect : Without concern and respect for others, one cannot persuade them. Though most of the time, we are persuading people towards making commercial decisions for our clients benefit; but the bottom line is a total regard for their wellbeing and also respect for their individuality.

What this means for you….

PR is ultimately about connecting with people; human beings, who are a bunch of emotions, values and assumptions. Our effectiveness and success depends largely on how we decipher the often complex behaviour of other fellow humans.

If one is sensitive to others needs, their desires, ambitions and how they operate, one would be a super-star PR professional. But even if one is not too good at this game, one can learn each day. And this I believe is the reason a lot of us are doing what we are doing. For the thrill of understanding others and sharing our understanding with others. And in this, one can never be a failure…it is a lifetime of learning and applying what one has learnt.

Customer service and PR....

2007-08-02T23:20:00.000-07:00

Customer service and PR – the inextricable link

I am a hassled man. The last ten days have been one of the most frustrating for me, having to deal with my internet company which has possibly the worst customer care service in the whole world. The same applies to my credit card company. And did I forget my phone company ? Think of bills arriving late, and a lot of times not arriving at all; unless I kick a fuss about it. This causes a lot of angst and unnecessary mental agony. And of course a lot of negative word of mouth for all the three companies involved. My case is not an isolated one; infact, one of my colleagues is facing a similar situations and we have gone on a war footing to let these customer service guys know what we think of their service and also dissuading others from signing up with them. All of this, I believe is having some impact on their image and hence their brand equity.

Imagine the size of disgruntled customers going up. Imagine if there are a few thousand people in a city like Bangalore who are dissatisfied with the services or products of a company and how it could impact the company. Also, imagine the reverse situation; when thousands are supremely satisfied with a company. This I believe is a strong case of customer service and PR linkage. With internet and its various channels (websites, blogs etc...) all it takes is the will to shame a company. An angry customer can do irreparable damage these days without much effort.

The end user, the customer is a “public” to any company and it better be treated well. If not, they are going to make a hue and cry and cancel the service or shift to other competitors ( unless it is a monopolistic market). In any situation, the way the customer is treated makes a huge impact on the loyalty of the customer and needless to say impacts the image of the company on a day to day basis.

Customer Service Management, Word of Mouth and PR - the inextricable link…
I believe strongly that the kind of word of mouth that a company generates for itself (positive, negative or neutral) depends largely on the Customer service that it offers. This in turn builds the perception of the brand in the consumer’s minds. The link is simple yet most companies don’t tend to get this fact right or choose to ignore it. While they gloat about the kind of network that they offer, the great facilities that are available etc...many companies don’t have a good redressal mechanism to take care of complaints. There isn’t any mechanism to reward or punish the erring employees or the department.

This only leaves gaps in service which are glaring at times and can damage the reputation of the company in question.

Dubai, Thailand – shining examples of great customer service

My first visit to a country outside of India was to Dubai on business. The only thing I can say about interactions with each of the people (right from the buggy driver at the airport to the taxi driver who took us on the desert safari, restaurant manager, the shop keepers to the corporate communications manager of my client) is fantastic! The same holds true for Thailand. Bangkok is a city which sees a huge influx of tourists and the city is geared in every way to accommodate the visiting tourist, with world-class customer service at every touch-point. Despite being a poor country ( GDP much lesser than India), the country has managed to put together a culture of superior customer service which is just pleasing to say the least. It assures the traveler that the people in the country care and that their well-being is important.

What this also translates into is great word of mouth. I speak highly of both these countries – its Airlines, the people and their way of conducting business. And personal experience is the greatest way to form perceptions. Thai Airways, Dubai Free trade zone and even the modest taxi service company which operates tours to the desert safari are shining examples of what the will to please a customer can achieve.

Action plan – managing perceptions through customer service
Some action points on how companies/ individuals can deal with managing the perceptions about their entities. Most of it is basic common sense and not rocket-science.

o Have a good complaint registering system with a next action guideline
o Empower the customer to take action and report bad work
o Reward customers who bring notice to bad work being done
o Be honest in all communication with customers
o Reward good performance and punish sloppy work

All in all, managing perceptions can be a difficult task for anyone. There can be demanding customers, difficult ones too; but the bottom-line is that one can do all that one can in one’s power to ensure that laziness and sloppy work is not getting in the way of creating the right perception of the brand. I believe it is upto the customer service managers/ front line managers in many cases to save the company’s face in difficult times. And in the best of times, with the right kind of service being given – they can actually build a great case for the company and of course brand loyalty of the best kind !

Blonde moments and some insights...

2007-08-02T09:09:00.000-07:00

I had a blonde moment today ( sorry for being politically incorrect)....on my way to office. I saw my colleague walking on the pavement, close to office and offered to drop her by slowing down the bike and what she said to me quite baffled me...so i carried on without thinking twice....

I actually heard her say " I am waiting for my chopper ( heli-copter) "...where as she meant " I am actually waiting for my cobbler".... ( her shoe was broken)....

This very blonde moment demonstrated how what is said is not so important....but how one hears it..... what really changes when the message is not interpreted as it is delivered....a big big lesson for a PR guy - that too early in the morning :) I wasnt the one to miss that one.....

Just think of how much we hear and dont listen.....how much we hear our partner ( or spouse) complain about so many things; but we dont care to actively LISTEN and get an insight into what is ACTUALLY bothering him/ her..... How much we hear clients scream at us...or complain and dont do much to LISTEN carefully ...and get some insights into the problem

This woke me up....and i promised myself to listen more actively to what is being said and never to assume anything.....

If one wants to conduct business smoothly and have caring relationships; one has to have the patience to actively and lovingly listen.... one big lesson from a "blonde" moment today

Biographies/ Autobiographies as strategic PR tools

2007-07-18T22:00:00.000-07:00

Biographies as a PR tool

In the last two weeks, I have read two biographies. The first was “ICON” about Steve Jobs, the founder of Apple and the second was “It happened in India”, about Kishore Biyani, founder of the Future group, a large retail chain in India. What struck me after reading both of these books was not only that both these books gave an insight into the personalities of those written about; but also threw light on the organization culture, its values and more importantly the vision of the entrepreneurs.

Walk into any bookstore and you will find at least two or three biographies/ autobiographies in the best sellers list. While the intent of the books is to tell a good story and entertain; the PR potential cannot be under-estimated.

The case for Biographies/ Autobiographies as strategic PR tools

1) Books have longer shelf- life and are credible
While the brand image of a company is built on so many intangibles, including the experience of the customers; a book dedicated exclusively to a person/ a company gives a larger than life image. Especially if a celebrity writer/ journalist has been commissioned to write it; it adds the much needed credibility to the effort. Books by nature have a longer shelf-life and are likely to be read more than newspapers/ magazines and will last longer. Besides, if someone is investing in a book (which is more expensive than a magazine or a newspaper, he/she is more likely to read it). This makes the case for a book very strong.

2) Helps position brand very clearly – amidst all the clutter
A book can get into the depths of how the company/ individual started off, the driving force, the organization culture and everything concerned with it in a way that no other medium can. Consider newspaper articles. Most often, they are short, crisp and unless written by a seasoned journalist; shallow. A newspaper/ magazine article cannot really give in-depth information about the company simply because there is dearth of space in most publications. The clutter is unbelievable if it is a national media. With everyone fighting for those column centimeters; it makes sense to have 500 dedicated pages to build one’s case.

3) Reach
Books can offer a reach to the serious readers. Those customers/ critics who take things seriously and those will make/ break your brand. A display across bookstores/ university libraries and other points of contact with serious and engaged customers can offer unbeatable reach to the company/ individual in question.

4) Employee motivation and engagement
Intuit, a financial software products company gives away a book about the company called “Inside Intuit” to every employee who joins the firm. This is a terrific way to motivate employees to learn more about the workplace and also to engage them in a meaningful way. If the story of the company is appealing and emotional; it can help build a very strong connect with the company. Consider Apple for example. The story of the rise of Apple and especially its founder Steve Jobs is full of drama and adventure. The story has all elements to make it a roller-coaster and a gripping saga of a company rising from being nothing to the top, falling and rising all over again.

5) Engaging the customer
Books engage, they entertain and inform. How many times have you cried while reading or have gone back to a particular book because of the way it makes you feel ? I am sure there are at least half a dozen books that you have read in your lifetime which have touched a deep emotional cord and you would like to read them again and again. Similarly, a well written book of non-fiction has the power to engage the customer in a way that is both rational and emotional.

As PR consultants, we are expected to gain insights about customer behaviour and consumer behaviour and advise our customers accordingly. While the task is to differentiate our clients amidst the clutter, it is also important that we do it in a way that builds the credibility of the brand in a way that is distinct and has a lasting impact. A biography/ autobiography from the founder of the company or a credible writer definitely serves this purpose and I believe it must be embraced by every company which has achieved something of considerable note.

Publicity man or strategic thinker ?

2007-06-21T03:08:00.000-07:00

While Public Relations is relatively a new industry in India, and is attracting a lot of attention and is growing at a tremendous pace; not many people seem to know what this business of PR is all about. Most confuse it with just Media relations and think it is just about pushing articles to the media. And the greater part of the curiosity when it comes to this field is the qualifications and the aptitude needed to succeed.

So what exactly does one need to be a successful PR professional ? What does it take to make a ‘dent’ in the field and leave mark behind ? What does it take to create PR campaigns that stick in people’s mind and leave an indelible mark ?

What is PR?

Public Relations is about creating influence. Influence for our clients. The much abused term essentially is about creating a brand image for a client by firstly identifying who the target for any communications process are, what are their modes of thinking and getting “under their skin” to reach them and create meaningful communication messages which have an impact.

So you think you are a PR guy ? Check if you have the following attributes necessary to be a good PR man/ woman.

Common Sense : Do you have the commonsense to recognize what the brand/ company is all about ? Are u clear in your thinking about recognizing situations and also forming a clear picture of what exactly is the problem and how can you go about solving it ?
Are u good at knowing what people want : Are you able to guess what is it that people want ? How will people react to your messaging? What is going on in people’s minds ?
Can you predict future trends : Communication is about the future as much as it is about the present. Are you able to guess what the market is going to look like in the future ? What are your insights into the future trends ? How tuned in are you into the market dynamics ?
Do you have an insight into what motivates people : Understanding the people for whom your messaging is intended for is equally important. Much before one designs or plans communications, one must clearly define who one is talking to, what drives him/ her. What is their mindset ? What is the cultural context ? Wht is the consumer context ? What are we trying to accomplish ?
Are u good at research : Sometime research in to the business or industry can provide valuable insights into consumer behaviour which will help you decide the most effective strategies for communication. For example,
Are you a good story teller ? : A lot of communication messaging is about telling a good story. A new product being launched,. A new service which will change your life. All these are stories which need to be told effectively and with clarity. Are you a good story teller ?
Are u a good listener ? : Being a good communication strategist also means being a very good listener, to listen to what is being said and also to what is not being said. Do you have the ability to read between the lines and glean the information that is helpful ?
Are you good with people : A good PR person has to be a very good people person. Are you naturally inclined to know people, to socialize with the objective of knowing others genuinely ?
Do you have personal charisma : Charisma helps. And everyone likes to be around a charismatic person. Are you charismatic enough to sell your story ? To make your case clear ? Or do people see you as a push over ?

Are u persuasive enough : Persuasion is a quality which cannot be over-rated. One has to be a very persuastive person, to be in the field of PR. Not only to sell your ideas, but also to ensure that one hears you out before dismissing you outright.