Dear Tushar,
Am happy to see your mail and am delighted to have someone on the same wavelength. There are some basics that we forget here.
Indian professionals have proven to be equally competent and even more competent in almost every aspect of professional life and mere extension of that logic means the same must be true of PR. So the real challenge is not the competence of the person but other external factors around. Which there are and which constrain their capabilities or potential.
The second is that our “Gora” fixation is a continuing paradox which though waning is still significant.
The third is the lack of depth on all sides of the table in
Fourth is the Indian pricing syndrome. We go to Taj and Oberoi and pay 2500/- for a lunch which can be had for 50/- in another place nearby and is called food. But in PR to pay even a significant differential is a Herculean task. This attitude of global quality and Indian pricing is the bane of being able to invest which affects the end quality of delivery.
Also, having worked with global PR firms, done global media training and having spoken overseas at industry events, can only tell you that if provided the right inputs and ecosystem many Indian professionals can far exceed our global peers.
Finally, like a friend of mine once told me, Indians are generally more smart and talented. But lack discipline and focus. The same is true of our talent. But being soft skills it is changeable with inputs and training which is the dire need today.
And let us not forget there is world class work happening out of India right here amidst all these constraints.
Regards,
Xavier Prabhu
From: prpoint@yahoogroups
Sent: Tuesday, August 11, 2009 11:22 PM
To: prpoint@yahoogroups
Subject: Re: [prpoint] Another debate - How do we compare on global benchmarks?
Thank you for sharing your 'eye opener'. I am sure your experience must have been very different from what you might have ever had from agencies here. I have reasons to believe that and at the same time have a point of view to share with you.
The answer lies in history of our country. The creative businesses (ad/pr etc.) in markets like US &
Are clients in
Tell me buddy, would you ever accept similar '360 degree' suggestions by an Indian agency and pay the kind of fees you must have paid to this American or British agency? Don't you always ask your agency to get your MD's photograph in The Economic Times? Don't you always feel happy when your company's news appeared the way you wanted and your MD or CEO pats your back? Our world revolves around getting the news in
I have worked closely with many big & small international advertising & PR agencies and with professionals right from CEOs to AEs. Definitely their approach towards PR is little different than what you find here, but it is more to do with market requirements rather than professional competencies. Many Indians are providing leadership to them in their own markets and I have worked with many of them as well. One thing I can assure you is that if you work with 'real' PR professionals in our country and they are as competent as their colleagues in the west.
If I look realistically, our industry has learned much faster than those guys. Our markets and requirements are different. We do not do few things does not necessary mean that we don't know how to do it. We don't do it because there are not many takers around. I have many personal experiences to share, which will surely act as another eye opener for you. May be we can discuss those when we meet next.
Please accept my apologies if I sounded little offensive but it really hurts when something like this comes to fore. I do understand and acknowledge that we have problems in the business and talent is difficult to come by, but it does not really mean that we don't have capable professionals in the business, who can't provide you with similar or even better experience. It is just a matter of being as professional and as open as we are with those from overseas.
@ Shanthi: Thank you for sharing how you approach business, I don't see any difference than what a good agency in
Take care.
Tushar
From: Sanjay <sanjaym@mastek.
To: prpoint@yahoogroups
Sent: Tuesday, August 11, 2009 5:10:49 PM
Subject: [prpoint] Another debate - How do we compare on global benchmarks?
We recently engaged with a leading PR agency in the
The problem I guess is the quality of talent and that may be linked to the kind of investments that are made to train fresh talent.Perhaps also we do not get the best to join this field.
Sanjay Mudnaney
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