Why do you blog?

“Why do you write blogs”, asked a friend while driving on way to what I can call a long drive after quite a while. Had it come from someone who would have been ignorant of the pleasures of academics and writing, I would have avoided it as another off-the-cuff query. But knowing the fact that she herself is an addictive blogger and admittedly a competing writer, if not a better one and works with a leading media house was worth reading between the lines. It was not a normal query and I could read something in her sparkling and even more inquisitive eyes.

To the extent of my understanding of human behaviour, often being judgmental through the prism of Freudian psychology, the query was borne more out of an ideological and professional dilemma. Hence I felt the issue had the merit worth a serious introspection. It was all the more so since it seemed to me as if she herself is looking to find an answer. Writers, good bad or indifferent, are often the captive of their own make belief world where self doubt rules supreme.

I have always maintained that a counter question can not be an answer to a question, something that I often tell her too. And hence I had no liberty of choice but to resist the temptation of asking the same question back to her. Blogging, of course, is not as unusual today as it has been a couple of years back. Of late, the new tool in the form of Linkedin has also been flooding my mail box with all sorts of ideas on blog. This query, however, has not been on the innovative and often stupid ideas as to how the blog can be an effective tool in increasing business and how to increase the traffic on the blog. Another school of thought suggesting how blogging can add to your business too did not figure in my scheme of things.

Thus, there has been a simple query yet it led me to introspect as to why I spend so much time on blogging. Is it the pleasure of leisure that drives me to write blog? Or is it the absence of creative avenue to express that I find a solace in blogging? Well, in my case both the options were ruled out. While the process of establishing a communication consultancy company keeps me on my toes, I have also been doing freelance writing quite a bit. Added to this my advocacy and activism on various media outlets and associations are keeping me over occupied.

What instantly I could think of as an obvious reason that drives any blogger to waste his creative energy is his passion to raise issues and voice concerns. I suppose blog is the ideal platform to raise issues as per your own taste and wish. It is not something which is bound by the editorial policy or editors’ wish list. I believe the blogosphere is ideal for advocacy journalism since there is “no time, length or editorial constraints" and information is immediately available to everyone. “Hmmm…”, the friend agreed and wished “as if we all could have got such an ideal platform in the mainstream journalism where you make a living out of writing your heart out”.

We finally reached to a road side food joint for lunch, but a simple innocuous question forced into some serious introspection. The very purpose of life at one point in time that drove me into journalism, advocacy and activism, had taken the back seat over a period of time. It seems to have resurfaced yet again and hence this debate was the genesis of my initiative for such a media vehicle www.indianewsstreet.com, where we can practice journalism for analysis, advocacy and activism. TRACK2MEDIA is coming out with the dream project very soon, and till then it is blog blog….. and then, of course, this habit forming exercise too will continue.

When metaphysics defies rational explanation

“He looked into my eyes, uttered a few words and my heart started singing……”, it was early stages of my career in journalism that I wrote this intro for a satirical piece on a chance encounter with a fake astrologer. The heady dose of communism and socialism, something that I later renounced due to its inherent contradictions and hypocrisy, made me feel very proud of being rationalist. Discarding anything and everything that did not fit into the stated ideology was the in-thing and fashion during those days.

Coming out of the University with hot blood and activist mind, it was always ideology grappling for facts and figure and it never went the other way round. Therefore, astrology, metaphysics or occult science was something that was always a subject to despise. Over a period of time, some interest in psychology, followed by parapsychology and struggle of cruel fate in the fast lane of metro forced me into looking for so many developments which failed to give any rational reasoning. The failure of logic and the so-called worldly wisdom further led me to delve deep into metaphysics and the result: I got introduced to astrology in an attempt to find answer too many of the questions that otherwise would have remained unanswered.

Still, it was more to do with astrology and occult sciences as the subject of academic interest than a guiding force. Some of the wrong predictions amidst many right ones made me believe that astrology is not a prefect science. This was till the time I met Pradip Bhattacharyya, for whom it has been more than science; actually he studied the subject thoroughly to find out more about this to guide and counsel others.

This young Bengali astrologer in Delhi has a family tradition of astrology. But his fascination for the subject is so strong that he has become a perfect blend of astrologer, metaphysician, counselor and motivational speaker. He is all rolled into one, without probably himself realizing his all round area of expertise. A chance encounter through a common friend was filled with skepticism. And I must admit that I was determined to cross check his highs & depths, something that I normally do with astrologers without telling them how much I know about the subject.

It is here that I found Pradip Bhattacharyya to be different from the league. May be he is not professional enough to ask for money that adds to his charisma and persona. Even though some of my queries made him understand that I have some knowledge and command over the subject, the calm and composed astrologer had his business as usual. Of course, he admitted after convincing me and my queries that he had realized the amateur astrologer in me. Most of the practitioners in the trade today don’t have the required knowledge and depth over the subject and easily get agitated if ever get a client who is cross-questioning.

Pradip Bhattacharyya is different and was not agitated over once by the fact that there is somebody who is arguing with him over planetary transits and movements. He is the new breed of astrologers who has turned his childhood hobby into profession, something that he had never planned. But, as they say, stars have their own ways to determine the destiny of one and all. The young astrologer works as a content executive with a telecom company that provides astrology content to mobile companies.

In short, he is the man behind the SMS you receive in the morning predicting your future. And, mind you, writing daily scientific researched predictions in less than 100 words can be quite a challenging task. And convincing me has always been even more difficult, something that Pradip has done quite successfully. I am, no doubt, impressed. The question is whether you too believe in some stars and want to check out what is destined for you tomorrow. If yes, Pradip Bhattacharyya is the right person. Even if you are a so-called rationalist, try him out for once. Most of you won’t get disappointed.

Nurturing holistic development of children

Request by a journalist friend to meet an educationist working for kids and young adults was honoured by me like any normal invitation. To be honest, it was more to do with personal obligation than meeting or finding a platform to work for the social cause, so I thought. That is how I met educationist Chitra Awasthi and her organization, Rit International. Rit means truth in Sanskrit, and as the name itself indicates she set up this organization more as a cause and with a social purpose in mind. A strategic brand consultant in me never thought that it is not necessary to compete with the existing education in order to bring a meaningful reform. If there is a will, you can add value to the existing educational framework in the given society. What is all the more important is the fact that the society and educational institutions will be more than willing to accept and adopt you. A number of emerging replicas of this model is a testimony to the fact.

Of course, there has to be initial skepticism with many of the existing players feeling threatened. But the continued acceptance by the society only reflects the fact that there is absence of quality education in the country. More importantly, there is an urgent need to shape the young minds that are going to be our future. No wonder, the innovative approach in education management has driven Rit International to the forefront with various schools, institutions and children’s’ associations. However, and I must admit it honestly that as against the advice of TRACK2MEDIA as a strategic consultant, Chitra Awasthi has resisted the temptation to convert it into a business venture in the conventional term.

For Chitra Awasthi and her team of educationists Rit International has more to do with a mission than business vision. Actually, it was while working as consultant on various educational Programmes that she did realize the need to create a platform for the same purpose. Moreover, in a technology driven new India she also felt the need for an education management online programme to cater to the students, particularly the school kids.

In the kitty of TRACK2MEDIA it is interesting to have an organization where Vision and Mission Statement is derived from the social philosophy that every kid is special in his/her own unique way. And hence they believe in the holistic development of the child. More importantly, Rit International is a platform to provide academic and other creative avenues to each and every child, unlike some other platforms like the talent shows on various TV channels where it is meant for a select and privileged lot.

This is because Chitra Awasthi feels that unless we succeed in laying a solid foundation for all the children irrespective of the economic strata that they belong to, this sort of vacuum and demand-supply mismatch in education will always be there. The difference and the surprise package do not end here. Actually, in all their educational and other creative Programmes for the children and young adults, you will find a Brand Ambassador from the same age group only. Well, I am indeed impressed.

No bias towards Turtle Animations

When a journalist friend from Hindustan Times called me to suggest him some case studies for the Independence Day special story on financial freedom, frankly speaking I had very many options to suggest. The newspaper had planned story on the young professionals who were dissatisfied with their day-to-day lives and hence took the initiative to foray into something meaningful and thus got their financial independence. A couple of clients, a few friends, even TRACK2MEDIA itself, it seemed to be a problem of plenty. Actually, this was going to be your story, my story and everybody story, so it seemed to be.

As professionals we all have come up in life like that only. In the given scenario my initial thought was that there is nothing extraordinary about any of them to be suggested. But on second thoughts I realized there is a difference among all of us who have been at the end of professional grinding before opting for this sort of financial freedom. And it is here that I vouched for Turtle Animations to be incorporated in the 15th August special story. I knew very well that I was doing it at the cost of annoying some clients and few friends who were overlooked. But then the professional in me vehemently argued in favour of Turtle Animations.

As a matter of fact, most of us have opted for entrepreneurship and financial independence out of the need, often compelling need. To be honest on professional grounds, had it not been forced by the destiny, TRACK2MEDIA was designed to take shape after another couple of years. It may have been conceptualized thorough professionally by me and some of my journalist friends, but chicken and egg syndrome was putting a brake on the execution. However, destiny has its own script that often takes us of our feet. The same goes true for many of other companies that I regularly deal with. An unpleasant experience, sudden flow of money from somewhere, family or peer pressure, growing expenses and need to survive, one or many such reasons have been the genesis of most of the start-ups and then they grew as a successful venture.

And it is here that Turtle is different from all of us since the promoter Sanjay Banerjee had no such compelling need. Turtle Animations is a case study of the urge, and not need, of a talented artist who preferred a career over taking over reigns of the family business of the largest pharmaceutical company in the Himalayan kingdom of Nepal. Coming out from a palatial bungalow to the dingy by lanes of South Delhi, he took up a job in one of the television production houses, worked overtime, and in between continued advance course in animation. How many of us have got courage and guts to do this?

Today Turtle Animation is a “Brand” in the true sense of the term with NASSCOM award in its kitty, Tata NEN nominating them as a hottest start-up and Hollywood Studio, Columbia, showing interest in their masterpiece conceptualization Angelina-joe-lee. No doubt, my conscience voted in favour of Turtle Animations to be figured in the Hindustan Times, even if it costs me a few annoyances. After all, we all work for some sort of satisfaction and a feeling of pride in whatever we do. I was not ready to sacrifice my “Creative Independence” on the day of country’s independence.

My lazy Saturday morning of the holiday on 15th August was cut short with a number of phone calls, mostly talking about the HT Business lead story even before I had actually opened up the newspaper. At least I had never received that many phone calls for one specific news item, neither as a journalist nor as a PR professional. Sanjay Banerjee called up to say that this coverage will remain as the best among whatever I have achieved so far for them. Though personally I don’t agree with this and feel that TV coverage on ET NOW has been the best of the lot. Others called up with appreciation and clubbed it up with their wish list too. With a profound sense of satisfaction I feel TRACK2MEDIA has a reason to feel proud. And an assurance to one and all, it is not bias towards Turtle Animations rather merit that works in their favour.

Turtle Animations broadened my horizons

When a client from animation studios shared his wish to foray into education sector, at the first instance I just dismissed the idea. You should not distract focus from your core competence area, I said firmly. This was despite the fact that I could see the determination in the eyes of Sanjay Banerjee. I have known Sanjay Banerjee as a friend first and then as a client now who believes in certain level of perfection in whatever he does. During the course of our journey I have also realized that it is often his gut feeling that has brought Turtle Animations to where it is today.

From a mere another start-up venture a few years back, Turtle Animations has seen the professional heights to the extent that some Hollywood studios have now shown interest in their masterpiece work Angelina-joe-lie. Not that the recognition has came from oversees only. They have bagged the NASSCOM award for the said project and even the Tata Nen nominated them as a hottest start-up venture in its very first year of existence.

All that credentials added with the fact that I know the man and his mission in Sanjay was not enough for me to give my consent for the education foray. And TRACK2MEDIA being the strategic communication consultant to them, unlike other Indian PR agencies meant for mere press relations, it was imperative for Turtle to get the communication agency convinced. They reminded me of the fact that only a couple of months back another client from the real estate sector had ventured into education and TRACK2MEDIA went gaga for them.

Still not convinced I reminded them that there is a difference between an established realty player and a first-generation animation business. However, I was reluctantly dragged into the business venture meeting for the proposed institute. And now I will not shy to admit that my business world view had been a bit myopic. While I have always maintained that education is a recession proof business, the fact of the matter is that many existing institutes are just minting money today without offering anything substantial.

It may look from outside that the Animation business is cluttered in the market with biggies like Picasso, Big Animation, AAG, MAAC, and others getting the lions share, the fact of the matter is that they are just better positioned in the market be default. Turtle Animations is going to set the differentiator with its in-house facility functioning like a simulated production house complete with real world infrastructure and headed by a team of highly experienced industry experts.

Moreover, the new venture is also going to initiate Industry Academia Interface (IAI) under which it will sign with a few universities to give its students an exposure to the production environment and also an opportunity to interact with key industry players. The institute will also tie-up with one of the universities for accreditation of courses. The response of the companies offering JV partnership has overwhelmed me. It seems there is always scope in any given market provided you fill the vacuum in that given space. And I must say that Turtle Animations has taught me this lesson.

Social Media over reliance reflects strategic PR dilemma

July 17, 2009

Recently in the wake of a bad press, a large corporate house handed over its crisis management to the PR agency which suggested the exclusive social media solutions, since the target audience has been net savvy. This made me introspect as to whether the social media is fast taking over the prime time or there is a strategic PR dilemma which is leading to over reliance on this new age medium. As a practitioner of brand management I am also a proponent of social media, often speak endlessly before the client to convince as to how social media is valuable. But the role of social media is effective only when we make use of a prudent media mix, including the traditional media, television and social media.

Unfortunately, what is happening is that like in the early days of Web design, SEO, PPC, email, and banners before it, there’s too much swooning and not enough thinking about social media right now. PR professionals are so engrossed in “how to use it” that they often don’t even think “why to use it”. The philosophy of relying on the exclusive use of social media under the pretext of the target audience being net savvy is in my opinion an anti-thesis of branding. This is because the very ethos of branding suggests that the brand is built by audience far greater than those who actually use the product. But at times such quick-fix solutions seem to be a win-win situation for both the agency and the client, since this agency also quotes the least price in the competitive pitch.

It seems the US Presidential elections and the emergence of the Social Media President in Barack Obama has made the public relations professionals across the world vouch for the use of new age technology to spread the awareness campaign. In almost all the competitive pitch where we have presented our PR plan, I feel we are not just obsessed but also suffer from obsessive compulsive disorder as far as the use of social media is concerned. While it is true that the American President’s use of the social media will go in the folklore of the PR history for the participation and communication with all American citizens, the question remains: can every PR campaign or brand recreate this kind of two-way conversation in every society?

The question becomes all the more critical in India since there have not been very many scientific studies to understand the audience’s concern which is always critical to the success of any PR campaign. As a practitioner of the trade, my understanding is that it was the overall PR strategy and not mere social media tactics that was critical to the success of the American President’s campaign. After all, it is the PR strategy that defines the success or failure of any brand or campaign and Barrack Obama’s success has been no exception.

Public Relations strategy is all about the process of identifying what is top of mind in a community and relating your brand, product, organization or campaign to what is most relevant to your community. That process is really all about listening to your audience and making what you have today relevant to their concerns. PR strategists have to first of all become true marketers to understand that what consumer wants, what they get, where are the gaps and how their product can fit into that gap. The same logic goes true for the foot soldiers of PR who deal with the media on a day-to-day basis.

Many of the PR practitioners today would lead you to believe that social media is ready for prime time and that you should forsake all other forms of publicity. That is probably a wishful thinking which is too ahead of its time. While consumers clearly want to engage with brands in social media, the number of social media users, though growing fast, is not yet overwhelmingly large. Moreover, the fallacy of “we’ll engage with our customers and let them do our publicity for us by telling their friends” reads well in a marketing plan, but is exceptionally difficult to execute unless your brand is compelling in a way that most simply aren’t.

What has become fancy but unavoidable today is that more for our own convenience than any strategic reasons we often try to convince the clients for the use of social media. This saves the agency from the dirty job of dealing with the journalists who belong to the traditional media. Social media channels can be highly effective public relations tools, but they can't replace traditional media entirely. Successful public relations programs meld social media and traditional media with other communications tools and techniques.

The best part in the business of branding is that there are no rules for a successful path. What worked for Barack Obama may never work for you or me. So, don’t be shy to get back to the old-fashioned PR ways of laying down your ideas on what to do in order to get people to learn about the brand, how to identify business with your brand, how to create awareness, how to create a viral campaign, how to interact, and how to manage a crisis (when someone talks bad about your company or product).

Social Media has the potential to penetrate deep into the target audience but it is finally PR Professionals who have to position themselves as the best qualified to oversee the extent of social media mechanisms an organization uses to communicate with its stakeholders. This is essentially because public relations puts a high priority on the whole organization-stake holder relationship than marketing or advertising does.

No UGC, No MCI, No Bar Council; Minister to have his own way

Strange are the ways of functioning in the power corridors, so it seems. Instead of curing the disease, its symptoms are treated more often than not. When the issue of the capitation fee in medical colleges erupted in the media, suddenly the powers-to-be wanted to be seen in the media with their own wish list. Not only an ambitious blue print for reforms in the higher education mooted out, it was conveniently leaked to the media as well. The moot point here is what was the need to have a super regulator in the first place.

This attempt to remote control the academic institutions is nothing but an anti thesis of democracy, where the jurisdiction of independent bodies is being curtailed. After all, democracy is the art of decentralization of the power and not to decentralize it. If there are reports of corruption in states, should it mean that the centre should take charge of the states as well? What is the guarantee that the proposed super regulatory authority will be corruption free?

The basic tenet of democracy and the conventional wisdom suggests that power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. If there has not been a fool proof system in the admission procedure of medical colleges despite of so many regulatory bodies playing their role, how will the new super regulator do it without any check and balance mechanism.

Actually the whole business of getting into independent bodies is borne out of the desire to control the institutions. Not very long ago, the then Union Health Minister A Ramdoss tried his best to control the All India Institute of Medical Sciences by curtailing the wings of then AIIMS chief Dr Venugopal Rao. The move failed, thanks to the apex court intervention. And now is there another move to take control of the independent bodies, like the Medical Council of India, the University Grants Commission and the Bar Council of India. However, conventional wisdom would suggest that the centralization of power only adds to more corruption, but then probably wisdom has no place in the megalomaniac society.