Media Kit

Media kits had been around for ages and is a standard procedure in most media briefings. Though the online media kits are pretty convenient for computer-savvy journos, but nothing beats the stuff that anyone would love to carry back home.
During my days as trainee reporter in Delhi, I would love those fancy folders and jackets at the press conferences for the neat package of information that one could find handy, there were those from public sector undertakings, that stuffed anything and everything from annual reports, to brochures, to product literature, the CEO's messages, and lengthy typed out press releases running into several pages, and it used to be a real effort to search out the desired information. That of course was the time in 80s when there were only typewriters and bulky smudgy xerox machines.
Today the media kits are much more fancy and we have already moved on from floppy drives, to CDs, and now to small pen drives containing the entire information, photos, data, can be neatly organised and distributed.
There had always been innovative media kits that some of the organisations do experiment with, especially the real estate, and entertainment industry. The recent 3Idiots release carried a small 'guide to being an idiot' with usual merchandise, while Taare Zameen Par had a notebook with scribbles of the child character Ishaan.
I still remember when one of the real estate developer wanting to sell his housing project in Himachal, created a media kit shaped like a book, with cutout inserts inside containing a bottle of perfume that smelled like deodar trees, had neatly packaged leaves of a tree, and a cassette that described the project with ambiant sound of a forest in the background.
A good media kit, however, always is useful that helps strengthen the brand and its recall value. However, one can avoid stuffing the information that may not be of much use, or can be supplied on further enquiries.
A good media kit for a press briefing session should have :
a. A usable news release with contact details;
b. A translated version for the vernacular media (or in languages of the media expected to participate)
c. Hi-res photographs, corporate logos, and photographs of the product being talked about;
d. Brief profile of the spokesperson/CEO
e. Separate sheet indicating the name/s of the persons on the dais (in case sitting order is known in advance) for giving out to the photo journalists and tv-crew.
f. FAQ sheet and other background information
g. Corporate/product literature relevant to the press conference;
h. Writing pad and pen inside the docket will always be a welcome addition.

CJ, CorePR

Sleeping with the Enemy

This is the first speech to Rajya Sabha by newly nominated member, Mr. H.K. Dua, Editor in Chief of The Tribune Group of newspapers. It's a must read. Click here.

PR-e-Sense on Education Loans

With hundreds of students aspiring to study abroad, the current ezine from PR Point throws new light on Education Loans.

India Vision Group and ezine PR-e-Sense have set up a Task force with many eminent people as Advisors to create awareness about the Education Loan Scheme among the poor and deserving students.

Download the ezine here.

The Revised Model Scheme of Indian Banks' Association

PR, a Dying Art?

Every new book on social media considers PR as "dying art", the new book, "Putting the Public Back in Public Relations" by so-called "thought leader" on the web world, Brian Solis, is no better. The socialisation on the web has become the buzz world and panacea for every product, service, or organisation in the world to "succeed".
Unfortunately, the book having been written by an internet buff, and not a public relations practitioner, who has just peeped through the 19" window of the computer screen to sermonise on the profession, considering the Web2.0 as the ultimate solution to corporate crisis communication, has not done any justice to what the author feels as the "dying practice".
Public relations is neither media relations nor the online relations, and the 'public' here is not a teenaged geek passing comments on each and every issue, but a group of serious consumers who, not all of them, sit in front of their computers to understand the brand. They are out there in the market place where they feel, taste, breathe, see and touch the products and services and create the brands for an organisation.
Public Relations is all about people and nothing else. Web is a mere tool, and Twitter, Facebook, Orkut are the new set of screwdrivers added to its kitty which the practitioners are deploying to their best use depending upon the need, and yes, the nev-savvy 'public' is proactively engaged in this exercise.

The Difficulty of Being Good

As India vies to occupy the centre-stage amongst the leading economies of the world, the fundamental power of moral values for which the country is known across the world, is somewhat on the wane. The decaying moral fabric especially across the three pillars of democracy, administration, executive and judiciary is making the life of a common man miserable. When the British Library in Chandigarh announced that Mr Gurcharan Das, the author himself would be coming to the city to launch his latest book published by Penguin India, I was there to check out his take on the moral decay that is eating into the vitals of our country.
This treatise has come at the right time, when all of us are grappling with the moral issues whether at the government level or the corporate levels with 'Satyam' episode just behind us.
Gurcharan Das says " Mahabharata is about the way we deceive ourselves, how we are false to olthers, how we oppress fellow human beings, and how deeply unjust we are in our day-to-day lives."
"The Mahabharata is about our incomplete lives," writes Gurcharan Das in the Prelude to the book, "about good people acting badly, about how difficult it is to be good in this world."
Addressing the who's-who of the city which thronged the CII Convention Centre's conference hall, Gurcharan Das dressed in simple cotton kurta pyjama and Nehru jacket, lamented the fact that though "prosperity had begun to spread across India, but goodness had not," and called upon to upgrade the level of governance which should be accountable and transparent so that the common man does not suffer.
Can this happen in India? someone asked. The book perhaps is a must for the administrators and all people in power to take lessons from 'Mahabharata' and not simply take it as an epic for entertainment or profane chit-chat over cocktails.
"The Difficulty of Being Good" also provides interesting insight on variegated concepts of envy, duty, status anxiety, war, reenge, eil, remorse, non-violence, altruism, compassion, etc. and how these impact our lives. And it also underlines the fact that 'dharma' or ethical living is possible, and we can definitely learn lessons from 'Mahabharata'.
Gurcharan Das quotes directly from Mahabharata, interprets the situation and illustrates effectively with modern day incidents and case studies. Just go for it.
'The Difficulty of Being Good' by Gurcharan Das.
Published by Penguin India
Pages: 488
Price: Rs.699

Public Relations: Truth and Beyond

Dichotomy of public relations profession is that it is still dogged by over 500 definitions. The communicators have still not been able to find one single definition for a profession which works for the organisations and seeks, at the very outset, their value proposition.
What is the value proposition for public relations? And who actually are the public relations practitioners? Spin doctors? Manipulators?
In the current information age where transparency, social responsibility, and integrity are again being looked into with seriousness, public relations practice is one such profession that can help organisations remain socially responsible, and responsive to its stakeholders.
When I informally discussed the topic of ethics and spirituality in public relations that Global Forum for Public Relations invited me to speak on at Mt Abu on 13th September, during the national roundtable on the Golden Triangle model evolved by Dr. C.V. Narasimha Reddi, the response was skeptical and lukewarm. Ethics and PR do not go together if you have to survive and keep your job intact, was one strong opinion.
Last year, at an international public relations forum, one of the practitioner openly admitted "we lie for our clients".
Yet, I have always differed on this issue having been a firm believer in the ethical practice of public relations.
"Public be damned" was the credo in late 19th century when propaganda, press agentry thrived and resorted to hyperbole. Early 20th century saw the emphasis on responsible Public Relations with recognition of the fact that every stakeholder (or 'public') is important, initiating "public be informed" period in the evolution of this profession.
All along, whatever name that may have been attributed to the practice of public relations, it remains for me "the art and science of managing communication"
If we trace the etymology of the term "communication" to its Latin origin, "communis", it meant establishing oneness.
Public Relations builds, and strengthens "relations" with various "publics" through effective communication.
If that be so, can anyone think of build a strong, meaningful, positive relationship based on untruth or dishonesty? Can you think of a relationship with your customers or vendors which is founded on dishonest or false communication? The entire practice of public relations, therefore, revolves around truth. Truth is not, and has never been, a substitute for public relations.
And as a strategic management function, public relations helps organisations, in turn, adopt ethical means of doing business and truthfully manage its operations. Truth, honesty, integrity, credibility are some of the key attributes of successful public relations practice...and these are the key elements of spirituality or ethical human behaviour.
Considering public relations anything but ethical is a misnomer. However, the key question comes here, that whether we are able to incorporate the ethical values into PR practice today? Largely no. Yet to truly professionalise the practise of public relations it is necessary that we integrate ethical and spiritual values in our conduct.
For any profession to be credible it requires two major core strengths, i.e. competence and character. Competence comes from professional knowledge and experience, and its constant upgradation and skill enhancements. Character is what our own personal values are. Is our character impeccable? Are we honest in our dealing with our clients? or with our organisation's stakeholders? Are we truly the conscience keepers for the organisations that we represent?
The Golden Triangle concept comes at the most appropriate time. And with the support of Global Forum for Public Relations, we do hope that PR fraternity shall rediscover the most significant spiritual aspect of their lives. Yes, we are talking about fortifying the ethical behaviour that comes through spiritual practice, of understanding one's purpose in life, and also the direct impact that our life's work and decision has on the lives of the people around us.


Copyright September 2009 C J Singh . CorePR . Chandigarh . India