India Strategic

Communications Report 2015

INSIDE
THE CMOS
MIND

A Report by MSLGROUP, a part of Publicis Groupe

1

MSLGROUP in India

MSLGROUP

MSLGROUP is Indias No1 strategic communications

and engagement company. We are trusted advisors
and storytellers for the conversation age to 220+
clients, offering integrated communications services,
through four distinct brands: MSLGROUP, 20:20 MSL,
MSLGROUP SOCIAL HIVE and MSLGROUP CREATIVE+.
MSLGROUP in India, combined, includes 12 offices in 8
key cities, 550+ professionals and an activation network
reaching an additional 125 Indian cities. Our extensive
network, backed by our expertise, covers 8 speciality
practice areas. Our thorough understanding of these
areas, has translated into a proven track record of helping
our clients engage with their audiences, 24x7.

MSLGROUP is PublicisGroupes strategic

communications and engagement group, advisors in
all aspects of communication strategy: from consumer
PR to financial communications, from public affairs to
reputation management and from crisis communications
to experiential marketing and events. With more than
3,500 people across close to 100 offices worldwide,
MSLGROUP is also the largest PR network in Europe,
fast-growing China and India. The group offers strategic
planning and counsel, insight-guided thinking and big,
compelling ideas followed by thorough execution.

MSLGROUP in Asia
For 25 years, MSLGROUP has counselled global,
regional and local clients in Asia, helping them establish,
protect and expand their businesses and brands across
this fast-growing region. Today, communications and
engagement consultancy MSLGROUP has the largest
PR, social media and events teams in Greater China (12
offices and 700+ professionals) and India (12 offices and
550+ professionals) and is actively working to lead the
development of the industry with the regular publication
of whitepapers/reports and innovative Learning & People
Development programs to nurture talents. MSLGROUP
in Asia includes 35 owned offices and over 1,300
colleagues in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu,
Hong Kong, Macau, Taipei, Tokyo, Kuala Lumpur, Seoul,
Singapore, Mumbai, Delhi, Ahmedabad, Pune, Bangalore,
Chennai, Hyderabad and Kolkata. An activation network
of colleagues reaches an additional 125 Indian and 100
Chinese cities and a strong affiliate partner network adds
another 23 Asian cities to our reach. MSLGROUP in Asia is
widely recognized as an industry leader and was awarded
PR Agency Network of the Year for two consecutive years
in 2012 and 2013 by Campaign Asia, as well as Asia Pacific
Consultancy of the Year 2013 by the Holmes Report.
The MSLGROUP teams in Asia have also been
recognized as leaders by multiple industry groups,
including The Holmes Reports China Consultancy of
the Year. (MSLGROUP China, 2012 & 2009), PR Agency
of the Year by PRCA in India (2011), recognition as a top
Event Agency at Marketing Magazines Agency of the
Year for four consecutive years (Luminous Experiential
MSLGROUP), Forbes Chinas Innovative China SMEs
(Genedigi MSLGROUP, 2012), Top PR Agency of the
Year by CIPRA (Genedigi MSLGROUP, 2012), Taiwan
Advertiser Associations Agency of the Year in Taiwan
(2011). The teams have won more than 65 awards in the
last two years.
Learn more about us at: asia.mslgroup.com + Twitter +
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PublicisGroupe
PublicisGroupe [Euronext Paris FR0000130577, part of
the CAC 40 index] is the third largest communications
group in the word, offering a full range of services and
skills: digital and traditional advertising, public affairs and
events, media buying and specialized communication.
Its major networks are Leo Burnett, MSLGROUP, PHCG
(Publicis Healthcare Communications Group), Publicis
Worldwide, Rosetta and Saatchi & Saatchi. VivaKi,
the Groupes media and digital accelerator, includes
Digitas, Razorfish, StarcomMediaVest Group and
ZenithOptimedia. Present in 104 countries, the Groupe
employs 53,000 professionals.

www.publicisgroupe.com
Twitter:@PublicisGroupe
www.facebook.com/publicisgroupe

Authors
Ashraf Engineer,
vice-president, content and insights

Amrita Choudhary,
associate director, content

Nirav Khatri,
manager, research and insights

Research agency:
Leadcap Ventures

Table of Contents
Executive Summary

04

India strategic communications survey

06

Methodology

06

Budgets: Who gets what

07

Integrated communication

09

Where PR stands today

11

The future of PR

13

Recommendations

16

The need for a planning model

18

Towards an industry-academia partnership

22

Executive
summary
The 2014 edition of what we refer to as the India public relations (PR) report Public Relations in India: The
Impact of the Economic Downturn and the 2014 Outlook focused on the downturn and how agencies are coping
with it. The survey carried out across India focused on senior PR professionals and their views on how the
business was evolving.
One insight emerged loud and clear: PR as we know it is dead. We are in the age of strategic integrated
communication and agencies that dont evolve will die.
It is only fitting then that, in the midst of this change,
MSLGROUPs 2015 annual report on the state of the
industry changes too. Over the last three editions, our
research focused on industry persons. However, as
agencies strive to become central to the marketing
function and take the lead on brands, its important to
understand how marketing heads see it. Do they believe
new PR integrated communication has a role to
play? If yes, how important do they think it is? What would
they like to see in the strategic communication agencies
they turn to? How much money and time are they willing
to invest in them and how are they tying it in to their
business goals?
Our survey of marketing heads across India has been a
revelation. And full of hope.

budgets have grown one fourth in the past five years. One
of the reasons for the budgetary increase has been the
adoption of integrated communication by businesses.
With the PR industry making a decisive shift to this
model, the time is right to capitalise on this trend.
In fact, so important has this trend been that two thirds
of the respondents said they have already adopted the
integrated communication approach in order to achieve
higher engagement with audiences and greater visibility.
Whats a concern is that advertising agencies are being
seen as the ones adapting faster to the integrated
communication imperative. Marketers say they trust
advertising agencies to service their needs because
theyve delivered greater return on investment in the past.
Heres how PR has stacked up so far in their eyes.

While advertising continues to have the biggest share of

the annual marketing budget 45% overall marketing

ADVERTISING

PR

Objective

To create brand and

product awareness

To increase brand recall and strength

by developing relationships

Reach

Target large audiences

across mediums

Effective in engaging with

key customer segments

Interaction

Majorly one-way through

TV, online, print, etc

Two-way due to interaction with customers

through road shows, events, social media

Research data

Many agencies critically use

customer data to design creative,
campaign, target, etc

Very few agencies use data and insights

to develop content. This would be critical
going forward

Alignment with
brand and company

Have detailed understanding

of brand and company objectives

Not completely aligned with overall

company and brand objectives

For the PR agencies of today to become the partners of

choice tomorrow, they need to demonstrate how they
can add value and shift quickly to the integrated model.
Marketing heads were quick to assert that agencies that
did not adopt a holistic approach would fade away.

What emerged was a picture of a new age of marketing

that demands new answers. Can the PR agencies of this
age provide those solutions? The opportunity exists. Its
time to seize it.

Marketing heads also emphasised that data and insights

would play a bigger role in campaigns and overall
communications. Its no longer a capability to be invested
in for the future but a must-have now.

India strategic
communications survey
Needed now: Value-added communications
Our world is changing. The media landscape is altering.
Communication is evolving. Mediums of communication
are mushrooming. And the pace of evolution is staggering.
Recognising this, PR agencies are switching fast from
the traditional model to integrated communication. They
are investing in the tools and talent required for it and are
impressing upon clients why they are better equipped for
this age of engagement. The industry is striving hard to
become the lead on the overall marketing communication
function.
It was in this backdrop that MSLGROUP commissioned a
survey of marketing heads across India and across a wide
variety of sectors. The objective was to understand what
value they have placed so far on PR and whether they see
agencies transforming themselves to meet their needs.
As the integrated communication model takes root, it
is the marketing heads that our industry will have to win
over first. Proof of strategic value delivered and the right
investments will be the key to the industrys future.

Methodology

This time around, we focus on the expectations from

the industry rather than of the industry. Once again, we
partnered with an external agency to carry out a crosssector survey. Leadcap, a leading market research agency
based in Bangalore, surveyed chief marketing officers
across India to understand their views.
The sample
12
10
8

Automobile
Healthcare

BFSI
IT/Telecom/Consulting Consumer goods
Manufacturing/Textile/Heavy
Power
others

MSLGROUP launched its annual PR report in 2012,

hoping to create a platform for the industry to converse
and debate the challenges before it, and introspect on
the way forward. Since then, we have touched upon a host
of critical issues: from the changing face of media to the
economic slowdown and the talent crunch.

Budgets: Who gets what

If budgets are the acid test, then the PR industry seems to
be on firm ground. While it is still way behind advertising,
a majority of respondents said that their PR budgets
had increased over the past five years. However, even
now, respondents said PR accounts for only 15% of the
marketing budget. With advertising accounting for 45%,
PR has a lot of work to do if it intends to gain the lions
share of the marketing bucks.
How much of your marketing budget is allocated for
each of these services?

5%

10%

Events

Experiential
and activation

and they are focusing on downsizing and cost-cutting,

23% is a fair raise. Nandagopal Nair, head of corporate
communications at V Guard Industries, said that they
were not into active PR work over the past few years but
now their budget allocation for it has grown 100%. He
added: Considering that we are in the midst of the brands
relaunch, it becomes important to have a dynamic PR
agency to drive the build-up to the launch and afterwards.
As we have expanded base, its important to ensure that
local market initiatives get visibility too.
Has the budget allocation for PR grown over the past
five years?
20%

80%

15%

15%

Yes

No

If Yes, by how much?

PR

45%

Digital

28%

21%
18%

10%
12%

Advertising

Market
Research

The good news is that 80% of the respondents said that

the budget allocation for PR is rising. The industry has
evolved and companies are recognising its contribution
in their growth. Tina Pawar, assistant vice-president,
Everstone Capital Advisors, said: Our businesses are
primarily B2B, and there is a conscious effort to keep
updating strategy; for example, getting more involved
with the regional media. Were working hand-in-hand
with the business development teams, identifying their
needs based on business goals and building those needs
into our communication strategy. Were also using newer
tools. That explains why the companys budget allocation
for PR has grown by around 20%.
Respondents said that, on an average, their budgets
have increased by 23%. Considering that businesses
have been grappling with the economic slowdown

10%

8%

3%
Not disclosed
0%-10%
40%-50%
Above 50%

10%-20%

20%-30%

30%-40%

In our report last year, when asked to rank in order of

importance ways to grow the business in these times, the
respondents (all of them senior PR professionals) had
placed integrated communication at the top of the list.
Almost one-fourth of the current surveys respondents
shared a similar sentiment; 22% agreed that their budget
allocation for PR rose because agencies were evolving
from the traditional to the integrated approach.

Has the budget grown because of the adoption of the

integrated communication model?
22%

Given the evolution from traditional PR to the new model,

its no wonder that a majority of respondents 51%
confirmed that they would allocate higher budgets for PR
in 2015.
Will you allocate a higher budget for PR in 2015?
10%

78%

51%
Yes

Other reasons

Everstones Pawar said: As communication becomes

more real-time, the need for an integrated approach
is rising. These days, I see PR practitioners offering
internal communication, digital PR, as well as certain
digital marketing services (social media management,
for instance) as an overarching strategy. So, the PR and
marketing teams are beginning to work together, creating
messages and working out effective campaigns. The key
word here is together.
Prasun Aacharyya, head of marketing, Liberty Videocon,
believes that the PR industry has reinvented itself from a
low-profile tactical tool into a strategic communication aid.
Integrated communication, he said, is a conscious effort
to formulate a strategy integrating all the promotional
tools so that they work together in harmony. All these
tools work better together rather than in isolation.

39%

YES

No

Can't say

If yes, by how much?

52%

16%

18%
8%

Not disclosed
0%-10%
More than 50%

10%-20%

4%
20%-30%

2%
40%-50%

Integrated
communication
Its now redundant to say that PR as we knew it is dead.
Both, industry experts and clients, have been stressing
for a while on the need for agencies to re-examine
their role. Respondents are clear that they are willing to
increase their budgets provided agencies can meet the
dynamic needs of the market and work as a partner that
understands their business goals.

another said that it brings together customers, employees

as well as top management. When asked what integrated
communication meant to him, V Guards Nair said: It is
a holistic approach to communication covering various
mediums and touchpoints to reach out to the target
consumer effectively.
Why would you choose integrated communication?
(Select all that apply.)

As many as two-thirds (67%) of the respondents have

tried the integrated communication approach in their
organisations.

Higher
engagement
with
audience

Have you ever tried integrated communication?

Delivers
greater
visibility
Specialised
or niche
offerings

33%

Innovations
Others

67%

47%
Yes

43%

24%

16%

10%

No

The benefits are plenty: 47% said that integrated

communication provides higher engagement with
audiences and 43% said it delivers greater visibility. One
respondent said that it gives consumers an opportunity to
experience the brand through multiple mediums while

While everyone recognises its value, its still early days for integrated communication in India. Some respondents said
that one of the biggest challenges is adoption it is a long process, it could get expensive and it involves getting multiple
stakeholders on board.
Also, in a situation where there are multiple businesses, multiple products, multiple consumers and multiple outcomes
expected, it could get complex.
About 37% of the respondents said that if PR agencies were to offer integrated communication, it would increase overall
productivity, while 25% said it would result in better management; 22% said that it could save costs.
When asked about the disadvantages of PR agencies offering integrated communication, 22% said that there would be
difficulty in management, 18% said there would be internal conflicts and 16% believed that there would be a work overload.
PR agencies have lesser understanding of the brand. They have to prove themselves before offering integrated
communication, said a respondent.
If your agency were to offer you integrated
communication, what would be the business impact?
(Select all that apply.)

What would be the disadvantages if your agency offers

integrated communication? (Select all that apply.)
Tough to
manage
Internal
conflicts

Overall
increased
productivity

Better
management
of virtual
teams

25%

Seamless
exchange
of data

18%

37%

Greater
innovation
ability

20%

Others

Overload

Not much
difference
observed
Others

Saved
costs

22%

18%

16%

14%

10%

22%

Less
overload

18%

10%

10

Where
PR stands today
While PR is adopting a fresh approach, it still has a long way to go before it can become part of the marketing DNA.
Advertising continues to be the leader on this front. Even digital, which burst onto the scene relatively recently, has
moved ahead by its sheer ability to reach a larger audience.
A high 48% of the respondents ranked advertising as
their first choice for marketing communication. PR ranked
third. Advertising, said respondents, helps establish a
direct contact with the target audience. It helps establish
the brand, while PR comes in later to reinforce brand
recall. Unlike advertising, PR is not a mass medium and
therefore its efforts dont translate into sales, they opined.
Which of these is your tool of choice for marketing
communication?

48%

25%
21%

However, it isnt all bad news. The respondents batting

for it said PR continues to be a simple and cost-effective
tool, especially when it comes to establishing credibility. In
order to retain clients, it is important to build a sustained
relationship and PR helps achieve that.
Liberty Videocons Aacharyya said: Both communication
disciplines have their advantages and disadvantages.
Hence, the determination of the communication objective,
the target group and the message dissemination would
determine which discipline would work. However, PR is
increasingly becoming a key factor in corporate success.
Its being more actively discussed in the boardroom, it aids
in communicating the brand differentiators and drives
corporate social responsibility. The essential difference it
brings to the table is its capability to disseminate complex
messages and information, initiate discussions and win
endorsements from influential third parties. It is perceived
as credible and independent. There have been many
instances which have been pure PR successes without the
paid advertising intervention.

6%

Advertising

Digital

PR

Experiential and activation

11

About 60% of the respondents felt that more than half of

their expectations are met by their PR agency, while 20%
said that more than 90% goals are met by their
current agency.
But when it comes to return on investment (RoI), clients
still believe that advertising is a better bet; 65% said
advertising delivers greater RoI, while only 29% said PR
delivers greater returns. Sameer Kumar, head of press
communication, Volkswagen Passenger Cars India, said:
Opinion is split between the marketing communication
and PR teams The PR team believes PR is as effective
as if not more than advertising, while the marketing
communication team feels advertising is better. The truth
probably lies somewhere in between. Something like
a full-page ad in a newspaper like The Times of India
probably creates a bigger impact than, say, an editorialled story or car review in a smaller newspaper. However,
editorial-led content is likely to have a slow burn effect
and create longer-lasting impact than flashy advertising.
Internally, it is a never-ending debate. Most marketing
people dont see the PR effort as an alternative, but as
something that supplements the marketing effort.

What percentage of your expectations is met by your PR

agency?
20%

8%

8%

10%

10%

8%
6%

4%

20%

4%

2%
Not met 0%-10% 0%-20% 0%-30% 30%-40%
40%- 50% 50%-60% 60%-70% 70%-80% 80%-90%
90%-100%

What delivers most return on investment?

6%

29%

Elaborating on PRs RoI, another respondent said: For

B2B customers, the information needs to be detailed.
Advertisements wont be able to effectively deliver
messages.

65%

Advertising

PR

Cant decide/compare

12

The future of
PR
The singular theme that emerged from the survey was
that PR needs to demonstrate more value if it wishes
to become the tool of choice for marketers. By value,
respondents mean that agencies need to adopt datedriven PR, be strategic and have a long-term perspective
that takes into account the dynamic needs of the brand.
About 39% said that agencies should demonstrate
how they can add value to their businesses. About onefourth (26%) said PR should shift to the integrated
communication model immediately.
When asked what kind of agencies would survive five years
from now, Harshvardhen Daga, brand manager, Linc Pens
and Plastics, said that for agencies to survive they need to
have a strong digital presence not just in terms of blogs
and e-news but also apps.
About 58% of the respondents said that agencies that
did not offer holistic strategic communication would die.
About 43% continued to trust their advertising agency to
deliver integrated communication services, while 25%
believed their PR agency could do the same.
The research and insights function emerged as a clear
winner. Almost all respondents (98%) agreed that data
and insights would have a greater role in campaigns and
overall communication strategies; 88% said data and
insights would be a must-have for agencies to be selected
by clients. About 43% wanted their agencies to invest in
research and insights, followed by digital/social (39%) and
content (35%).

What would you like your PR agency to invest in?

(Select all that apply.)

Research &
insights

Digital/
Social

43%

Content

39%

Public
affairs

35%

Creative

29%

14%

Others

Crisis
Communication

12%

8%

13

What should PR do to become your tool of first

choice? (Select all that apply.)
Demonstrate
how it
adds value;
it has not done
so thus far

Are data and insights playing a greater role in the

campaigns your communications strategy?
2%

Shift to
an integrated
communication
Invest more model by
in talent
adding more
services
Lower
fees
Others

98%

39%

33%

26%

16%

Yes

No

14%

Can PR agencies that have not evolved into holistic

strategic communication firms survive?

Going forward, will data and insights become

a must-have in your choice of communication
agency?
12%

42%
58%

Yes

No

88%
Yes

No

Whom do you trust more to provide you integrated

communication services?
43%

25%
20%
12%

Ad agency

Promotion Agency

PR Agency

Did not specify

14

The perception seems to be changing. At this time, 49% of the respondents said, they rely on their agencies for media
relations. However, 47% said they also expect the agency to manage their overall communication. This is encouraging and
a sign that things are moving in the right direction.

What are your expectations from a PR agency? (Select all that apply.)

47%

49%

Media relations

Managing overall
communication of
the board

37%

29%

15%

Its in transit evolving from very basic

services to talking on more of the brand
communication function (design, insights,
crisis communication, public affairs etc)

Basic services such as

tracking share of voice, coverage,
press release distribution

Others

Integrated communication is emerging as the unifier for business goals, products and brands across different mediums.
Advertising and PR are the two biggest tools delivering brand messages, each with their unique strengths. While RoI
on advertising can be measured through increase in sales, RoI on PR is tougher to measure. A measurement system
accepted as the industry standard is the need of the hour.
For the industry, it is important to understand that PR is gaining credence as a strategic tool. The onus is on the industry
to make the right investments but, more importantly, to effect a change in mindset that is in keeping with the needs of this
new age of connected and empowered stakeholders.

15

Recommendations
As new PR asserts itself in the communications landscape, it finds itself at an inflection point. The surveys
respondents are clear on what their goals are and what they need from their communication consultants.
The survey speaks loud and clear on what the action points should be for the industry.

Marketing and PR CAN work together

Its no longer enough to look at data, understand
the audience and target it with sustained one-way
communication. Marketers need to reach out and have
meaningful conversations on the platforms that their
audiences are on. PR is best placed to achieve this simply
because conversations and engagement are what it
specialises in. If marketing and PR can arrive jointly at
ways to engage audiences, we can find ways to achieve
better RoI, innovate better and, ultimately, impact the
business positively.

Marketing would benefit immensely if it allows PR to take

the lead on listening and managing conversations.

Demonstrate strategic value

Marketers need to be convinced that PR agencies truly
understand and have migrated to the integrated
communication model. Not only will all the above
capabilities have to be demonstrated, the industry needs
a measurement-centric approach. Only if brands can
analyse business outcomes against PR efforts will they be
interested.

But how do marketing and PR synergise?

Dont stop thinking about the future

We are in the business of managing relationships

between brands and their audiences. Our job is to create
meaningful engagement through and trust.

Marketing is rapidly turning into a process of

optimisation based on research and data. This is
an opportunity for the PR industry to showcase its
ability to adjust key messaging, content and delivery
mechanism often in real time.

The audience needs to connect with the brand at

an emotional level too. You need not only good
messaging but a tremendous grasp of storytelling.
Marketing is unlikely to work without the narrative
ability of PR and its content capability.

Audiences are empowered, which means that they

come armed with knowledge and an understanding of
the brand before they even reach out to it. Marketers
must provide quality content and useful information if
they are to build trust. There is a need to understand
what content, messaging and delivery channels work.
PR consultants can the ones providing this listening
and the insights required.

Today, the traditional model has broken down due to the

changing media landscape, the social media revolution
and an immensely empowered consumer. We have,
consequently, discovered new techniques, such as digital
marketing and content but in time they too might make
way for other tools.
The industry cant get future-proof without constantly
updating its skills to cope with a changing world.

Invest in data and insights now!

Data and insights play a critical role in integrated
communication. Advertising agencies have effectively
used research data for years, which is why they are often
turned to for integrated services. For the PR industry, the
use of insights in developing content and creative will be
make or break. The industry must immediately use
research to develop key messaging, content, choose
platforms, etc.

16

Section II

17

The need for

a planning model
What emerges strongly from the survey is clients need for a planned, scientific approach to their account.
Advertising agencies have institutionalised such processes for decades; think Saatchi & Saatchis Lovemarks and
Leo Burnetts Humankind brand strategy framework.
In PR, however, most would admit that there is never any
planning. What we have had so far is a combination of
learnings from experience and very basic insights based
on even more basic research. The excuses are common:
there is no time, its too costly, our bosses and clients dont
want it. Its no surprise then that as an industry we are
getting commoditised.
However, the most effective communication managers
are those who incorporate research and planning into

their routines. Its clear from the survey and to industry

veterans that, going forward, effective planning will form
the core of strategic integrated communication. It wont be
enough to execute; we will have to understand what to do,
why we do it and also be able to measure its impact.
This is why, over the past year and a half, MSLGROUP
revisited its processes. We undertook a global perception
audit and asked ourselves what we should do next. What
are clients looking for?

LEADING THE CHAN

Execute what
clients want to do

Only 0.4% of
global population
accessed internet

Help clients to
re-calibrate business
strategy based on
results and feedback

1.9 billion internet

users; 29% of
global population

Evaluation &
re-calibration

3.5 billion active social media

users on the top 8 social networks
worldwide, which includes QZone
and Sina Weibo.

The first generation

iPhone was released

enGagemenT

Journalists
only

5.

Press is the
only channel

Unbound
channels
Only coverage
counts

One-way
communication

Conversation
driver

Facebook became the most

popular social media with
over 200 million users

1 billion internet users;

5.8% of global population

Creative
content

Various
influencers
involved

Two-way
communication

Big Data was

redefined and caught
marketers eyes

Creative
storytelling

18

From the audit results and the conviction that it was

time to change, MSLGROUP developed the I3 [IQube]
methodology. While there are other agencies that have
a planning model, I3 combines insights, integration and
impact to create a true framework of strategic intent.
Apart from the three Is, the process incorporates the
complexity and multi-dimensional approach to marketing,
communication and human connections making it a
complete go-to-market methodology.

One of the key reasons the PR industry has not been

able to attract healthier fees is because of its limited
or orthodox ways to justify why we are doing PR,
said Siddhartha Mukherjee, senior VP, Eikona PR
Measurement. What is the tangible or measurable
benefit that the client will receive? With planning
becoming a default function, the communication and
business functions will work in tandem. Expectations and
what is measurable will become clear. Remunerations too
will be healthier.

It achieves this through a six-step process:

Navigation

Strategic communication, by definition, is concerned with

long-term business objectives, brand evolution, audience
understanding, the business environment, policies, etc. It
necessitates an understanding of how the market and the
corporation will evolve. What crises should the brand be
prepared for? What digital strategy should be adopted and
what training would client CXOs require?

Discovery
Strategy
Ideation
Engagement
Measurement

The lack of such planning is one of the primary reasons

marketers choose advertising agencies even for their
integrated needs.

NGE

As Everstones Tina Pawar said: There is a dire need for

planning processes. One needs to plan in order to stay
ahead of the curve. With digital media and PR, firms need
to plan for all sorts of scenarios. One way to plan is to build
the messaging based on the clients business goals. Its
important to ensure that all communication whether
marketing, sales, stakeholder or internal is built into the
framework.

For this, the following skills become mandatory:

Real impact on business

and brands

Planning
Research

ent
ureM
s
A
me

1.

ImpAct

Gear towards
impact

Client workshop

Focus
group

naVi
gati
o

6.

Review feedback
from measurement

Desktop
research

Social
listening

Analytics

The ability to identify and make strategic
choices

Measuring effectiveness and effecting course

corrections when needed

Thats why, the introduction of any such model is being

complemented by the hiring of people with the right skills:
research, content, planning, etc. Thats precisely what
MSLGROUP, too, is doing.

idEa
tioN

Big ideas

nS

diScoverY

4.

i gh t

2.

i n T e gr a

Tio

Big data analytics and

micro-targeting

Rate
3 . st

MSLGROUP
Purpose Matrix

gY
Quantitative vs.
Qualitative
Analysis

Make choices

Study and
report

SWOT analysis

PR needs a planning model that enables it to make

decisions based on hard data and market intelligence that
combines learnings gained over time. Good planning can
ensure mindspace for the brands message and provide
business solutions.
Any planning model begins with an understanding of the
client objectives and the underlying business issues our
work will support, as well as the key areas affecting the
ability to meet these objectives. This will then be used
as inputs for making strategic choices. Areas we need
to understand include the client industry, competitors,
perceptions among target groups, industry trends and
projections.

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As MSLGROUPs I3 model points out, to create real impact

we need to engage holistically with stakeholders in todays
complex environment where change is the only constant.
The process needs to constantly measure, fine-tune and
re-calibrate to make sure results are being delivered.
Brand communication is supposed to aid the
organisations business objectives across corporate,
human resources, product, finance and other functions.
This automatically means that the communication
function has to be part of the business plan. Which
further means that as Step 1, the organisation is
supposed to create a holistic business plan. Step 2: In
discussion with the communication function, clearly
lay down its expectations. Step 3: The communications
function prepares and formalises its plan with clearlystated objectives and outcomes, said Mukherjee.
The communication plan must clearly state the input,
the output (measurable) and finally the outcome
(measurable). This requires advanced and detailed
planning.
The problem so far has been that the PR plan has faced
several hurdles. As Mukherjee pointed out, lack of access
to the top management means the agency is not involved
from the beginning of the business planning. As a result,
the communication plan has no concrete reference to
the context, nor does it have a well-defined, measurable
objective, Mukherjee added.
This is precisely why, like MSLGROUP, agencies need
to invest heavily in data analysis, engagement and
measurement. The data analysis methodology in I3

is the most robust one available in the market so far,

delivering sharper, more accurate and more insightful
recommendations. The engagement methodology is
unique to MSLGROUP, emphasising on an integrated
and real-time engagement. While all major agencies
have some sort of measurement mechanism, I3 connects
all actions and outcomes to the business strategy
from the first meeting with the client to the final impact
measurement.
This includes establishing two centres of excellence for
research and insights in Asia. Apart from ensuring that all
recommendations are firmly rooted in data and geared
towards generating business impact, it enables our
teams to create completely integrated campaigns across
multiple channels. The economic downturn in India put
tremendous strain on communication budgets, as a result
of which planning strategy in PR agencies could never
take off. However, if integrated agencies are to be viewed
as credible, they will have to place planning centrestage.
Its unlikely that, going forward, integrated programmes
will be executed or sold without a clear strategic
underpinning. Analytics and measurement will be integral
parts of this.
As mentioned earlier, the agencies of yesterday were
execution-focused. Which is why they suffered when
it came to their share of fees and the ability to retain
good talent. That will no longer do. For communication
agencies to succeed, they will have to embed planning
into their DNA. Else, they will fail.

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Section III

21

Towards industry-academia
partnership
MSLGROUPs 2014 report on the state of the Indian PR industry focused on the impact of the economic downturn.
Even amid the gloom, the industrys optimism on the hiring front was inspiring, with 54% of the respondents
surveyed saying they would increase their employee count. But, with an average industry attrition rate north of 30%,
the issue of managing talent is anything but simple.
Many respondents had agreed that the inability to pay
high salaries would remain a concern. While this has been
a perennial worry for the PR industry, respondents felt
that the downturn had exacerbated it.
Industry veterans have long pointed out that talent was a
make-or-break issue and that urgent steps are required to
attract and retain talent. Not surprisingly, more than half
had said in last years survey that investment in training
would be in the 2%-5% of revenues range, while 17% said
it would exceed 5%.
However, this investment needs a qualitative shift too.
It needs, alongside training, a true partnership with
educational institutions to ensure that the students are
employable and suited to the needs of the industry.
This ranges from joint formulation of syllabi to
regular participation in classrooms by senior industry
professionals, intensive internship opportunities and
students involvement in live projects.

Altering academics
The industry has been continuously evolving and the
changing role of the PR professional has generated
considerable debate. To keep pace with the changing
dynamics of the market, many educational institutions are
offering full-time post graduate courses and specialised
short-term skill development certifications.
Full-time PR courses are fairly new and unfortunately
tend to be restricted to theory. In fact, in most colleges,
PR is merely one module in a mass communication
course. This undermines the value that PR brings to the
table.

For instance, the Symbiosis Institute of Media and

Communication (SIMC), Pune, altered its PR course
significantly in 2010 to suit the needs of the industry. Over
the years it has added relevant subjects, such as public
affairs and PR research. Raj Patra, assistant professor
at SIMC, explained: The content structure has been
updated through industry and academic inputs. We try
to strike a balance between conceptual analysis, theory
building and practical application.
Xavier Institute of Communications, Mumbai, too has
successfully reached out to the industry. It consults
established PR professionals on its syllabus and has
a robust internship programme, followed by campus
placements.

Looking beyond the obvious

Changes in the curriculum alone will not help the
industry bridge the talent gap. We need specialised talent
for niche services from other fields. Rana explained:
There are streams from which we can source good
talent. For example, data analytics is very important for
us to gain actionable insights from the massive amount
of data generated across various platforms. A person
with a research and analytics background from a reputed
research institute would be ideal for us.
It is, therefore, important to acquire talent and experts
with domain knowledge. More importantly, new and
potential recruits should be given relevant raining in order
to ensure quality.

Sushma Rana, talent director at MSLGROUP in India,

said: From a plain vanilla service provider till a few
years ago, PR is now expected to deliver specialised
offerings such as content, research, digital, social media,
crisis communication and events. There exists a gap in
delivery as communication institutions are not bringing in
commensurate changes to their syllabi fast enough.
A few institutions have been quick on the uptake, though.

22

23

For more information on

what MSLGROUP has to offer, please visit our website:
india.mslgroup.com

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