Interesting topic! The Indian general elections, as all of us know, is the largest PR exercise in the world!! 543 constituencies, 670 million voters as TG etc etc.,
Now, the question about PR professionals and whether they are equipped to handle it. The exercise calls for a massive logistics support. In fact, it's a logistics nightmare! Just take the example of a PR handling just one candidate of a leading political party. The kind of machinery that is put into this exercise is worth reporting here....six people at the ground support level alone! Strategy planning and media monitoring and peripheral support is altogether different.
Indian election machinery is still awaking up to the need of PR in a professional way. Gone are the days when the candidates could befriend couple of journos and get their message/s put across. Now the entire election campaign reporting has become commercialized! Startling? Yes! Media houses too are demanding their pound of flesh. Some even say this is one of the best means to recover from recession. To this extent, PR professionals' job becomes simpler since they know their "target".
I know for sure that many PR professionals and agencies are equipped and experiences in handling road-shows. The only difference here in the elections is that we handle road shows in the strict meaning of the expression – shows actually on the roads!!
hi
It is a nice topic for debate. Since, I move closely with both corporates and politicians, i have observed that the political communication is entirely different from the corporate communication. Though I do not handle political parties, I spend lot of time with the leaders to understand their way of communication.
Now from this election onwards, we find two types of voters. (1) the traditional voters and (2) the new generation young voters with tech skill. Probably, PR Agencies having some expertise in social media can handle the new generation voters.
But when it comes to normal and traditional voters, it needs a different skill. In a political communication for traditional voters, all the corporate funda type of messages will not work. More connectivity is needed. Many factors like caste, community, language, will have an impact. I have found many of the uneducated political leaders are good communicators.
I quote an example of a pr agency handling a candidate for the current MP elections. After the announcement of election notification, the ground rules apply. Candidates distributing cash or kind were issued notices by the Election commission. One candidate, who has engaged a PR Agency, distributed financial support to the poor people of that constituency through the charitable trust run by the candidate. One of the eminent persons of the state was also invited. Like the corporate style, the event was covered well in all the media with pictures.
The trouble started there. Complaints went to election commission and they have issued notice. When the senior political leaders themselves run away from being photographed when they give money, here is a case of a candidate giving cash or kind openly before the invited media.
While suggesting the strategies, the agencies should study the rules. The same candidate spent lot of money in providing 'tree guards' with his name embedded. That was also asked to be removed by the Election Commission. The negative impact was also picked up by media. If the agency was prudent enough, they should have advised the candidate not to indulge in such activities. I am not sure, whether it was the strategy plan of the PR Agency itself to get a mileage/media coverage, which has landed the candidate into trouble.
I request members to share their views.
srinivasan
94440 50273
On Thu, Apr 23, 2009 at 3:17 PM, Narendran A <naren_vna@yahoo.com > wrote:
Friends
I wish to raise a question, we are all engaged in corporate PR. Political involves more of reaching out to mass directly and needs understanding of people mind set, understanding of locals, messaging will be different in different areas etc etc.
Are corporate PR agencies are we capable to take up such activities..
best regards
Narren
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BNK
Call: CDMA: 93210 48332
93200 48332
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B N Kumar
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Concept PR - Winner of "Agency of the Year 2007" award from PR Council of India
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