Investment in The Coconut Industry by Nancy Cheruiyot
Hanmer MSL SOCIAL KONNECT JUNE 2011
1. Volume 1 Issue 2 June 2011
THE NEW
VALUE EQUATION
New Age Views:
Opportunities for the
industry
8 9
What’s your favourite Six Stages of
game? Social Media Maturity
A child today is growing up in a most exciting world The framework is rooted in one important insight:
today and he knows it. Going out in the sun to play? when asked what their social media strategy is, less
What in heaven’s for sir and what really is the point mature marketers tend to talk about tools and
of playing a serious sport if you don’t want to make tactics, whereas more mature marketers talk about
a career of it, or if you don’t happen to be very good integrating platforms, ograms and processes.
at it?
3. FOREWORD
Here’s to the second issue of Social Konnect. I hope many of you
went through the earlier one to understand our objective for this
initiative. We intend to become a sort of mouthpiece for the PR
and Digital Industry. To bring to the fore best practices and
catalyze knowledge of the industry.
Speaking of which, at least here in India, PR and particularly Public
Affairs has been under the regulatory lens and the law of the land,
a direct consequence of which is, no one asks me what I do
anymore. In fact, now people look at PR professionals with
fascination, imagining that we too would be part of some multi-
billion wheeling dealing. But jokes aside, I think the time has come
to start defining this part of the practice for what it really is, and
the value it adds to society.
Lobbying is an acknowledged legal way, in most developed countries, to raise
real issues with the elected representatives. The concern being how do the
constituents further their issues in a democratic process? Establishing a
defined path of course is what the Public Affairs practice helps catalyse. To
create a constructive dialogue regarding key issues between people and the
powers that be. And to arrive at a solution or a way to go about things.
Actually, in the day and age of civil societies, this role has become even more
important in the area of filtering out the real issues and creating a debate. The
conclusion or consensus thus arrived at, also needs to be transmitted to a
larger audience, and who can do that better than a PR agency? All this finally
results in better governance and more accountability. In a very concise
manner, this is what a Public Affairs practice is all about and this is precisely
the pledge we put forward for a transparent Public Affairs network like it exists
in most parts of the developed world. Food for thought, anyone?
Best wishes
Glenn Osaki
President
MSLGROUP Asia
4. TRENDS
PR in the age of
Continuous Partial
Attention (CPA)
Consumers
# 1 Launch your campaign with a page comprising 500,000 consumers
social object that people can attach discussing You “2” whacky twin
themselves too stories. The community of 63 pair of
twins met at a Nokia Twin Carnival
#2 Use several mediums to create a where the dual sim was launched and
conversation around the social object press got some
#3 Having established your
presence across adequate
mediums move to be
AMAZING
Amrit
#4 Launch your
campaign
using press
We are living in an age of consumers and spread
who suffer from what I call a the message
‘Continuous Partial Attention” – a term across
that describes consumers who are communities
surrounded by a world of screens of and
various sizes. They watch television, conversations
but are checking email or messages that AMAZE all
on their phone, have a laptop
switched on to chat with their The recent launch
friends….the messenger is taking of the Nokia Dual
time to upload the chat so quickly Sim campaign has
check what are the latest tweets, been a great
Facebook status. So, how do brands example of
engage with consumers in a CPA state engaging with CPA
all the time? How do they get their consumers. The
message across in a world surrounded campaign kicked off
by hash tags, 140 twitter characters over radio, inviting
and gibberish Facebook messages? twins to be Nokia
brand ambassadors
As a PR professional there is no other for a day and further
way but drive a campaign that is directed them to sign
omnipresent across all mediums. The into a Facebook page.
most successful companies, products, Conversations and
and brands have figured out how to competition got kick
become the most of something — started across twins of
not just adequate, but downright several age groups as
amazing. Brands become amazing they came together on
when they catch the attention of CPA a Facebook
SOCIAL KONNECT | 02
consumers across mediums. Some
thumb rules
5. great photo opportunities and sound mensch," and that has to do with amount of experience can buy that.
bytes. Radio and television what we call character. To be Those are things of the spirit." To be
extensively covered the campaign successful means to have developed totally engaged with all clients,
and captured soundbytes from the character. You should be looking for brands and consumers, first engage
twins. the joy, the struggle and the yourself and answer a simple
challenge of work. What you bring question – Am I a mensch who can
The overwhelming response in Delhi forth from your own guts and heart. succeed in engaging with CPA
is now getting Nokia to take this The happiness of hard work, no consumers?!
campaign across other cities in India.
What I learnt was how a simple idea
could result in downright amazing
engagement with consumers. So PR
professionals, do not think column
centimeters but step back and think
how do I engage with CPA
consumers? What do I do to be
present across various mediums to
catch their eyeballs? The toughest
task is to get your clients to believe
and buy in exploring diverse
mediums and move away from just
column centimeters.
PR pundits are often struggling with,
will this campaign get me enough
mileage and how will I measure if I am
successful? – well there is a difference
between engaging brands and being
engaged yourself in your profession.
First engage yourself in the profession
and take pride in being a PR
professional. Very early in my career I
had a mentor who grew up around
Yiddish language and in Yiddish there
are about 1000 words that mean fool.
There's only one word that means an
authentic human being: mensch. My
mentor would say, "You've got to be a
As a PR professional there is no other way but
drive a campaign that is omnipresent across all
mediums. The most successful companies,
products, and brands have figured out how to
become the most of something - not just
adequate, but downright amazing.
SOCIAL KONNECT | 03
Authored by Amrit. She is a PR consultant who loves the field of communication and story telling. Passionate about technology, its impact on society. VP at 20:20
MSL. Also blogs on technology on Techconverse
6. TRENDS
Social
Awakening : C2C
“We didn’t start the
fire… It was always
burning….Since the
World’s been turning”
- Billy Joel – Singer, Songwriter,
Pianist
At 8.27pm, on Saturday, April 23rd, 2005
something amazing happened. At the
San Diego Zoo, a young guy called
“Jawed” was watching some elephants
go about their mundane cud chewing
lives and commenting languidly about C R Vinay
how long a trunk was.
And the lives of millions changed.
On Nov 4th 2008, the cradle of before. It can’t be faked”!
democracy witnessed the most eventful There’s a spark at every corner of our A snapshot of you and your family
political event in recent times and may world. People have wanted to break enjoying a summer holiday on the
be of all times in American history. free since the dawn of civilization and banks of an idyllic river and the video of
Barack Obama became the first black not because Freddy Mercury said so! your kids splashing on that river’s banks
president of the United States. We’ve simply lit that spark and it’s a for the first time in their lives, caught on
And the lives of millions raging fire today! The fire as I see it is your mobile phone. Threads of
changed…..forever. simply the explosion of Human Beings expression and conversations that make
ie. us, wanting to express, share, engage us smile, laugh, empathize and exclaim.
And in January, a young woman from and sieze the day with one and other. Threads that weave the network called
Egypt vented her frustration on the Carpe Diem. Indeed! Social Media have changed our lives….
Internet to her friends “I’m going to forever.
Tahrir Square”, Today we have the medium and
environment, sans geographical Let’s get some perspective now.
The frustrated cry that resonated in boundaries to say what we want to say,
Egypt was an update put up on to be heard and be what we want to be. Over 50% of the world’s population is
Facebook! As is said in the famous Clue Train under 30 Yrs and 94% are on Facebook!
Manifesto…People of Earth….. The average Facebook user has 130
And the lives of millions lives A powerful global conversation has friends. People spend over 500 billion
changed……forever. begun. Through the Internet, people minutes per month on Facebook.
are discovering and inventing new ways YouTube receives more than 2 billion
On that languid evening in San Diego viewers per day.
to share relevant knowledge with
“Jawed” shot a small video of the
blinding speed. As a direct result, Businesses today are engaging with
elephant behind him and posted it on
markets are getting smarter - and their customers and consumers.
this new video sharing website called
getting smarter than most companies. Promising to make their lives a better
YOUTUBE. It was the first video ever
These Markets are conversations. Their one and promising to make the world a
uploaded on YouTube, Jawed had
members communicate in a language better place. But we as modern humans
things to say, and found people who
that is natural, open, honest, direct, are not listening…we don’t care! life is
wanted to hear it.
funny and often shocking. Whether too short and social interaction today is
SOCIAL KONNECT | 04
Barack Obama’s Campaign was explaining or complaining, joking or only spawning that idea that Life is too
significantly driven on the Internet and serious, the human voice is short and we need to live it.
especially so on Social Media. No other unmistakably genuine.
World Leader had so effectively done so And in this idiom lies the Holy Grail of
7. Social CRM. It’s not about Business to Volkswagen commercials after being advocating experiences emanating
Business, Its NOT EVEN about Business uploaded only 3 weeks ago, have from products, brands, activities etc.
to Consumer. It’s all about Consumer to garnered over 7 million views. He or she is your best advocate in the
Consumer. social media space. Let loyal customers
If music be the food of love, Play on : spread messages easily. And in doing so
Customers are rapidly moving up the 20% of all You Tube uploads are music, they relate to us intherently and
Technographics ladder, and marketers which is universal, knows no demonstrate their loyalty to us. And in
need to be cognizant of which part of boundaries, is one of the most powerful this scenario we need to ask ourselves -
the ladder, a bulk of their consumers lie, human expressions. The classic case of Do we really think they care about us as
Forrester Research recently published a paper on the hierarchy of the Social Media calling it the
Social Technographics Ladder. Shown below:
• Publish a blog
• Publish your own web pages
• Upload video you created
Creators • Upload audio/music you created
• write articles or stories and post them
Groups include Critics • Post ratings/reviews of products or services
• Comment on someone else's blog
consumers • Contribute to online forums
• Contribute to/edit articles in a wiki
participating in Collectors
at least one of • Use RSS feeds
• "Vote" for web site online
the indicated Joiners • Add "tags" to web pages or photos
activities at least • Maintain profile on a social networking site
monthly • Visit social networking sites
Spectators
• Read blogs
• Listen to podcasts
• Watch video from other users
Inactives • Read online forums
• Read custome ratings/reviews
• None of the above
and hence customize marketing much as we care about them?
strategies to build and nurture the Businesses today are Ther answer lies in the next question -
community. engaging with their “Are we Loyal to our Customers and
customers and consumers. Consumers??”
Customers today are expressing actively
and willingly across touch points of an Promising to make their lives Here’s what it will take – if we want to
enterprise. How can some of our a better one and promising succeed in the Marketplace - the Market
enterprises leverage across business: place of Conversations as so aptly
to make the world a better propogated in the Clue Train Manifesto
Product Launches: A company today place. But we as modern - we have to enter the world of our
unveils and launches your favourite humans are not fellow consumers and customers and
products and services using a social breathe the same air they’re breathing.
webcast, create fan pages, integrating listening…we don’t care! Life
We have to Listen, Engage, Energize,
with social games and video virals. The is too short and social Motivate, Share, Laugh, Empathise and
latest product commercials are on You interaction today is only Serve. We have to trust as much as be
Tube and companies are even creating spawning that idea that Life trusted. We have to Love as much as be
content specific to the social channel. loved. We have to relate as much as we
On the other hand addressing customer is too short and we need to
seek a relationship. There in lies the
queries & grievances regularly by being live it. truth.
in the environment where they thrive is
so much easier and more exciting for an a country singer, as a disgruntled We have no choice but to adopt the
Enterprise. customer who used YouTube and C2C idiom or be left out…forever
Extend the life of your very expensive Twitter to spread a music video
detailing United's mishandling of his Authored by Mr. C R Vinay. He is the Founder & MD
TV commercials : Also, with the of Customer Centria and has nearly 14 years’
$3,500 guitar and the company's
convergence of TV and the internet, and experience as an advertising and marketing
subsequent refusal to compensate him.
the sky rocketing rates of television professional. His penchant for customer
The song was called "United Breaks
“prime time”, increasingly the channel of management coupled with his strong
Guitars." Within one week it received 3
choice for all advertisers is becoming background of technology-driven marketing
SOCIAL KONNECT | 05
million views – and the reality was he
the internet – the buzz that the helps him achieve his goal of developing
sang about it, rather than talk about it.
superbowl commercials created, were Customer Centria into a globally competent
seen almost instantaneously. The Customers are talking to each other and Customer Management company.
8. COVER STORY
THE NEW VALUE
EQUATION
Pascal Beucler
The changing relationship
between PR and Marketing, in
the context of the social media
turmoil, is undoubtedly the top It should now be clear for everyone
that social media is not just "another
question which all Boards are channel", but something which has
addressing these days. This is “completely changed the way
organizations and people interact and
what Paul Holmes, during a communicate with each other."
recent « ThinkTankLive » we had How big is the change, and why
does it matter so much to
in Prague, calls "the most us, PR agencies?
significant shift in the way Social Intelligence & Design
SOCIAL KONNECT | 06
people communicate since the These are the new boundaries of the
Conversation Age, as Marc Zuckerberg
inventing of the printing press". underlined it during the recent e-G8
9. we organized in Paris: « People being Purpose + Participation + Profits: this consistency, continuity, creativity and
empowered to share whatever they exactly is what we believe is commitment accross the board.
want is THE trend for the next decade determinant today for our clients, at
Why are we still talking about
: that’s the core social dynamics ». We MSLGROUP.
channels, when people should be at
are in the age of People and
Communities : « Real people from real Brands need to be built from the the centre of our conversation? Brand
communities, engaging in a collective inside out. and Reputation are more and more to
social discovery », as the founder of be managed at the corporate level,
In order to make brand (re) building a
Facebook summarized it. This is our which requests a far higher level of
success in the Conversation Age,
business too, as PR people (« PR » is integration, on the client side, as well
nothing is more important than to
for us « People Relations », not « as on the agency side.
engage with employees first. This is
Public Relations », dead concept) : CMOs want to stop wasting time and
the cornerstone of every company's
helping our clients engage with real
ecosystem today. See the new HP money with too many suppliers. It's
people & communities, to spread
positioning and campaign, which both a question of efficiency and
word of mouth about the brands and
was first shared with all employees, effectiveness. It is even more obvious,
issues they care about. We are the
with 70% of them engaged within given the fragmentation of audiences
experts of the « earned media » : word
of mouth, the most trusted source for two days. It incredibly helped spread- and channels. This is the main topic of
purchase decision, peer to peer out outside the company through conversation for global CMOs, and
conversation and opinion building.
Trust is in peers, not in
organizations.
This clearly is a key issue for
everybody, in a world where 8 people It should now be clear for
out of 10 say they only trust their
peers, not advertising. The distrust everyone that social media is
equally affects every form of top
down communication. not just "another channel",
Organizations and brands are no
longer determined by what they say but something which has
(people do not care about it that
much), but by what people say about
them in the on-going conversation
“completely changed the way
(and this is what organizations should
care about). In other words, it's all
organizations and people
about audiences targeting you, not
you targeting audiences. interact and communicate
Performance with Purpose is the
new frontier. with each other."
Having an articulated expression of
what you stand for as a business is
fine, but it's not going to suffice.
A clear, strong AND social purpose is
today mandatory for all organizations Facebook and other social media, they have started to reorganize
and brands. And it is crucial for with over 10 million (yes, ten million) around this. Agencies and networks
companies and brands, to (re)define people engaged in less than a week. should better act quickly too! Indeed,
their purpose in a highly "interactive" Social media force collaboration in all siloed oriented approaches and
or "co-creative" way. It cannot "just" areas, and reputation is closely mentalities must die, leaving the
come from the Board, or from a group depending upon it. place for Value Creation Partners.
of consultants: it has to come from all
stakeholders, it has to be shared, it "It takes two to tango".
must be social squared. New Marketing and PR MUST work hand in Authored by Pascal Beucler. He is SVP & Chief
consumers touch points evolve very hand, if they want to maximize the Strategy Officer, MSLGROUP. Pascal has 25 years
SOCIAL KONNECT | 07
fast: values and sense of purpose of experience in strategic consultancy, image &
expected impact. This is not an option speech analysis, consumer marketing, corporate
matter to the majority of them. if you want to reach the right level of communications & PR, branding & design.
10. TRENDS
What’s your favorite game? I asked my
10 year old?
Black Ops you say??
Funny, I thought it was cricket!
you don’t want to make a career of it, world. Did someone say gaming was
or if you don’t happen to be very not competitive?
good at it? Remarked yet another 12
Parallel worlds are now real:
year adult.
Psychologists always told us that
Playing performance sports as against children live in parallel worlds, the
what I call recreation sports is at an original premise for the birth of super
inflection point. By playing heroes and toys. Hero figures that
performance sport, I mean sport children would make fly with their
which can be later played at a hands. Well, now the make believe is
professional level with some financial for real, thanks to the kind of
upside. More and more children (and I immersive and almost real worlds that
have spoken to a few) believe that gaming creates.
sport should be played seriously, and
Sanjay Sharma New environment, old audience:
they mean seriously, with a coach,
All recent data suggests that the
classes, proper training, or not at all.
moment a child has access to gaming,
Given this situation some key trends his consumption of TV dips
The next time you go looking for your are emerging and marketers and substantially. Since limited time is
kids when they are out playing, you social media experts would do well to available he would rather play than
need to look no further than perhaps study them and utilize them for “watch”. This has opened new
your living room. Chances are you will creating stronger Brand Engagement. channels for brands to communicate
find them there or maybe in their own Gaming is moving to playing: to this audience. It’s a very focused
pad. Welcome to the new playground. With the revolutionary Wii and the medium and a very attentive
Your own living room. And the new gyroscope in the iphone, gaming is audience. Of course, creating
games, “virtual sports” which take no longer the static state we used to compelling engagement between
various forms, many a times violent, believe it was. Jumping, waving, brands and this audience is material
and are delivered out of a multitude moving in
of consoles both, handheld and impossible
stationary. Enough to keep children Well ask any typical child today and he will dismiss
spaces is the
occupied for a few hours if not for the your claim as pure humbug. A child today is growing
new cool and
entire day. up in a most exciting world and he knows it. Going
it has added
So when did all that change? the much out in the sun to play? What in heaven’s for sir and
Remember when we were growing needed what really is the point of playing a serious sport if
up, we used the first excuse to run out “physical” in you don’t want to make a career of it, or if you don’t
of the house, get hold of our friends gaming and happen to be very good at it?
and using whatever primitive sport now our
equipment we had available, children are
embarked on an enthralling few really playing albeit not cricket in the for another article.
hours of pure sport with nature as the sun, like we used to. As you can imagine, ‘catch them
audience. Sure we do remember. But young’ is easier said than done in the
Friends are back:
those were the “good old days”, were new emerging age of technology. The
Thanks to online game play
they not? great Bob Dylan sang a few years ago
technology evolving, all your friends
Well ask any typical child today and “the times, they are a changing”. And
are available to play with you in the
he will dismiss your claim as pure since this song is still on top of the
living room virtually. Why waste time
humbug. A child today is growing up charts , guess what ‘the times, they
travelling huh? All games now come
continue to change’
SOCIAL KONNECT | 08
in a most exciting world and he knows with IM built in. No more lonely
it. Going out in the sun to play? What children you see, whatever we may
Authored by Sanjay Sharma, Senior Strategy
in heaven’s for Sir and what really is believe. And of course, they all share Counsel, Hanmer MSL
the point of playing a serious sport if playing scores with the rest of the
11. THE NEW WAY
Six Stages of Social
Media Maturity
integrating platforms, programs and engaging fans and followers in the
processes. short-term, they fail to exploit the full
potential of social media. Most
Stage 1: Let’s create a campaign
marketers are still in this stage, but
microsite
some are ready to move beyond.
This fascination with tools can be
Stage 4: Let’s integrate social into
traced back to the days when
our web platforms
marketers created flash-based
campaign microsites to support After much speculation that the
advertising campaigns. These Facebook Page might replace the
microsites were heavy on experience brand website, sophisticated
but light on content and had the marketers are beginning to view the
same shelf-life as the TVC (typically website as their social hub. Marketers
eight to twelve weeks), after which are integrating social into web
they were either preserved for award platforms by adding content creation
entries or taken offline. I’m relieved to features like blogs, wikis, photo-
Gaurav Mishra see that most marketers have moved sharing and video-sharing; content-
beyond the campaign microsite. curation features like commenting,
voting, reviews and ratings; and
Stage 2: Let’s create a Facebook /
connection features like profiles,
Over the last six months, I have led Twitter page
groups, activity streams and
more than 50 social media strategy
When Facebook and Twitter become leaderboards. Marketers are also
workshops with more than 1500
mainstream, marketers rushed to integrating websites with Facebook,
marketers across six countries in Asia.
create a Facebook Page or a Twitter Twitter and LinkedIn by adding social
These workshops are often Profile, without really thinking about sign-on, sharing buttons, profile
challenging because participants what they will do with it. Even when boxes and activity stream widgets to
have different levels of experience marketers increased the fan count on their websites. Some marketers like
with social media. Some participants their Facebook Page by buying ads, Dolce Gabbana
wish to know how they can start small the fans rarely engaged with the (http://dolcegabbana.com) and the
social media experiments. Others brand. Even as the first wave of CP+B Group (http://cpbgroup.com)
would like to start using social media marketers are seeking ways to are even reimagining the website as
more strategically. Still others want to increase engagement, the next wave an aggregation of their social media
benchmark themselves against the of marketers are still setting up their activity streams.
best in the world. social media presence.
Stage 5: Let’s integrate social into
Over time, I have found it useful to Stage 3: Let’s do a Facebook contest our marketing programs
structure my workshops around the / Twitter influencer program
Some sophisticated marketers are
six stages of social media maturity
As marketers seek to increase beginning to realize that their
framework. The framework is rooted
engagement on social media marketing programs are most
in one important insight: when asked
platforms, they often start with tactics effective when they don’t only use
what their social media strategy is,
that are specific to the platform, like a social platforms, but also become
less mature marketers tend to talk
SOCIAL KONNECT | 09
Facebook contest or a Twitter social at the core. As a result,
about tools and tactics, whereas more
influencer program. While these marketers are moving from TVC-
mature marketers talk about
tactical programs are successful in centric 360 degree campaigns to
12. THE NEW WAY | Six Stages of Social Media Maturity
community-centric 360 degree
campaigns. PepsiCo is leading the
way shifting the focus of its marketing Over time, I have found it useful to
“from moments to movements” and
creating path-breaking multi-year structure my workshops around the six
community-centric marketing
programs like Pepsi Refresh Project stages of social media maturity
(http://refresheverything.com) and
Mountain Dew Dewmocracy framework. The framework is rooted in
(http://dewmocracy.com).
Stage 6: Let’s integrate social into
one important insight: when asked what
our business processes
their social media strategy is, less mature
The most sophisticated marketers
know that social media is most marketers tend to talk about tools and
effective when they leverage it for
doing the right things, instead of tactics, whereas more mature marketers
merely saying the right things.
Companies like Dell, Starbucks and GE talk about integrating platforms,
are using social media as a tool for
business transformation by programs and processes.
integrating it with their sales, support
and innovation processes. Early
experiments to crowd-source
innovation are particularly promising, platforms in the incubation stage I have found that this simple
with Dell Ideastorm might be different, but the six stages framework helps marketers not only
(http://ideastorm.com), My Starbucks of social media maturity still remain contextualize their own experience
Ideas (http://mystarbucksidea.com) the same. In China, for instance, both with social media, but also plan for
and GE Ecomagination Challenge consumer brands and corporate strategies to extend their engagement.
(http://challenge.ecomagination.com) brands tend to focus on creating Sina Begin by asking yourself which stage
being the most prominent examples. Weibo pages and running Sina Weibo of social media maturity you are at,
I have also seen some interesting KOL programs in the incubation and plan for platforms, programs and
trends across geographies and stages. processes to move to stages 4, 5, 6.
business context. While consumer While most companies go through
brands tend to focus on Facebook the six stages of social media Authored by Gaurav Mishra
pages and contest apps, corporate maturity, they realize meaningful Director of Digital and Social Media,
and B2B brands tend to focus on MSLGROUP Asia. Gaurav Mishra helps global
results only when they move beyond brands benefit from Social Squared, the
Twitter profiles and influencer tactical experiments in stage 1, 2, 3 intersection of social as in connecting people and
programs in the incubation stage. and integrate social media into their social as in benefiting the society, as Director,
Digital and Social Media, MSLGROUP Asia. Read
In specific markets, the social platforms, programs and processes in more articles from Gaurav on
stages 4, 5, 6. www.gauravonomics.com.
SIX Stages of Social While consumer brands tend to focus on Facebook pages and contest
Media Maturity for apps, corporate and B2B brands tend to focus on Twitter profiles and
corporates influencer programs in the incubation stage.
4 5 6
Let’s integrate Let’s integrate Let’s integrate
Integration social into social into our social into our
our platforms! programs! processes!
2 3 Let’s run an
Incubation Let’s create a
corporate profile influences pro-
on Twitter! gram on Twitter!
1
Let’s create a
SOCIAL KONNECT | 10
Inaction campaign
microsite
Platforms Programs Processes
13. VIEWS By Mahima Kaul
GOI’s
Social Skills
There seems to be these waves of imagination
and creativity passing through the Indian
government, especially when it comes to the
internet. But it will have to trust its people,
and it will have to trust its own ability to
respond to the people. Governments need to
learn from private companies who have
employed social media to connect with their
users and strengthen their brands. Otherwise
this system is going to crash.
Those of us in the digital So, at a conference called "The Power to a BJP youth meet where Advani
inclusion/innovation space have of Social Media for Governance" in was speaking, and to my surprise he
understood the crucial need for e- New Delhi, March 2010, a new did not answer a single question
government. We're not alone, the dynamic emerged. It was called the asked of him or even address the
government has realized it too and 'Gov2.in' forum. Social media, we all topic at hand but gave a speech
many states are making a direct play know, can be employed to create about the first time he saw a cell
to turn dusty old files into online knowledge networks, disseminate phone and then basically said what
folders. This intention has been information and keep track of the he wanted and left. Contrast that to
further solidified by the first draft of world around you. Twitter is a better what we see online today, with
Electronic Delivery of Services Bill, source of news than any newspaper politicians actually answering
2011, which has proposed that all homepage can hope to be, and individual questions online, with the
ministries and government Facebook is an interactive address safety net of being measured if they
departments will have to deliver book. Social media allows strangers to want, because they can type, delete
services electronically, be it through connect over a decidedly neutral and retype before pressing enter.
the internet or mobile phones. platform and talk about issues. Sure, Tharoor, of course, ended up on
Digitizing the internal processes of people get nasty, but there is the national TV in (for the most part)
government departments, or else, distance of a computer screen retarded "scandal" after "scandal" and
digitizing the front-end delivery (mobile) to save you from any social media was perceived as
system have for the most part defined unnecessary facetime. something "serious" politicians
e-government projects. This is The first time any government official should not do. However, there were
typified by projects like Bangalore really engaged with people online signs of positive influence as well. The
One, MP Online and so on, which offer was probably Shashi Tharoor's twitter Ministry of External Affairs’ Public
citizens a way to pay for utilities, book account. LK Advani's homepage had Diplomacy Division set up a Twitter
tickets, get certificates and even created a lot of buzz during the last page to let people know about what
SOCIAL KONNECT | 11
renew passports from offices littered elections but it wasn't quite as chatty the ministry and diplomatic missions
across the city. as Twitter can be. In fact, I was invited do. At the time they were focusing on
14. VIEWS | GOI’s Social Skills
government departments to social the reasons why the government has
media, because it seemed, in his banned them. The person asking
mind, it would go the way of TV News. drew the comparison to books and
The way TV news picks up a topic and said; we all know which/why books
wages war against it has clearly left a are banned. IT lawyer Pavan Duggal
lot of politicians burnt, and it seems also pointed out that state
Sibal was looking at FB and Twitter governments have a lot of power in
(and other social media which we use blocking sites and in the case of non
next) as a device by which campaigns national interest reasons, they must
against the government will be disclose what the reasons are. (There
waged, and complaints made even has been an indication from Kapil
more public. He chose to, instead, Sibal that he is open to revising these
focus on simple delivery mechanism rules, but the statement came after
e-gov stories, which kept the much protest from internet activists).
narrative simple. "I build software, you What all of this is adding up to is that
save time = less corruption". there is a divide between the
The panel that followed, which government's instinctive reaction to
promoting India's soft power (even *not* trust people with the kind of
included many bureaucrats, was more
within the country) by creating freedoms the internet’s intrinsic
encouraging. These were IAS officers
goodwill among people. The whole nature allows them, and harnessing
who had taken steps to engage with
theory turned on its head in the light this power/potential goodwill to
the public, specifically, using social
of events in Egypt and Libya, where become a better democracy and a
media to complement e-government
the MEA actually had a Twitter more responsive government. They
work.
account set up, with MEA officials seem to say: we want to adopt e-
manning it, and they were able to The takeways were simple enough: government because “technology” is
save lives through the technology. although there is criticism, however, if here to stay, but we are wary of
MEA officials themselves were taken you respond to it then social media blogs/social networks because
aback as individuals users came to users will also come to your defense. citizens can offer direct and public
their twitter site and updated them And even if the technology seems opinions, and the tide may go against
about their (or relatives) whereabouts alien to you, if you keep at it, you can us.
and asked them to help them exit the really bring people over to the side of
countries. And the MEA had to give governance. Perhaps the most There seems to be these waves of
real time responses. The entire important was: if you don't have a imagination and creativity passing
experience has changed, in a sense, team in place to deal with all the through the Indian government,
the functioning of the MEA. questions/comments/complaints that especially when it comes to the
come your way, people become very internet. But it will have to trust its
Other government departments were people, and it will have to trust its
impatient and think your department
experimenting too: Delhi Police's own ability to respond to the people.
is lazy. So, all in all, its not easy to *just
Facebook page which helped citizens Governments need to learn from
begin* but as someone noted, if you
turn in photographic complaints private companies who have
are not in it, you are out it. Sounds
about violations and give traffic employed social media to connect
simplistic, but being out of it will cost
updates, the MCD’s online FB page with their users and strengthen their
a lot.
that focuses on garbage disposal, brands. Otherwise this system is
India Post, which helps people track However, there is also the IT policy to going to crash.
parcels through Twitter etc. Now keep track of. The draft amendment
imagine being able to converse with to the IT act places intermediaries
any and every department, finding responsible for content. For example, Authored by Mahima Kaul. Mahima is a ICT4D
out about electricity issues, passport now that bloggers have been called professional and a consultant with the Digital
Empowerment Foundation, New Delhi.
issues and having someone get back intermediaries, they will be
to you the same day. responsible for comments on
their blogs.
However, these experiments are
And because of these changes,
personality driven and only a few
the government can then shut
government departments have
down blogs and sites because of
warmed to them. At the Gov2.in
concerns, none of which they
conference, Kapil Sibal, Minister for
are really concerned about
Communications and Information
spelling out.
Technology, gave the first speech.
During the conference this
SOCIAL KONNECT | 12
I was immediately struck by the
question was asked twice: is
reluctance Sibal had in opening up
there a list of banned blogs and
15. VIEWS By Aravind G Shivkamal (Columnist)
PR / Advertising
sector fails to tap
government as a ‘market’
It is surprising to note that top PR and advertising
firms of the country have failed to treat
government as a ‘market’ though enterprising
,
ministers and officers are willing to explore tie-
ups with PR firms and advertising agencies.
The Karnataka government organizes advertising firms of the country have These reforms are not just restricted to
a cultural festival, Hampi Utsava, every failed to treat government as a ‘market,’ citizen-centric services of the
year in the ruins of Hampi, North though enterprising ministers and government agencies, but the entire
Karnataka, with a budget of Rs 10 officers are willing to explore tie-ups administrative machinery and the
crore; similar events are held in other with PR firms and advertising agencies. allied functions. The reforms mandate
important places of tourism interest The only government-related event the government organizations to
like Dharwad, Davanagere, and that has generated considerable adopt the latest and best practices /
Mysore, with budget of each event interest among the PR agencies is the communication tools in reaching out
being not less than Rs. 1.5 crore. annual Bangaloreit.com, aimed at to the intended audiences.
However, a glaring omission at such attracting investments in the IT sector. Many of these organizations have tried
high profile events is organized PR Major Opportunities the external PR model by hiring
activity and advertisements-based Bangalore can be the main market for Bangalore-based agencies. However,
promotions, which result in poor PR firms looking for business with wide gap between the expectations of
response from the sections of government departments or agencies. these organizations and those
audiences / business communities A number of departments are in the delivered by the PR agencies, proved a
concerned. modernization mode and reforms are major hindrance for PR agencies to
The government PR machinery – in place. For instance, utilities like pursue such contracts.
Information Department – is tasked Bangalore Electricity Supply Company Bescom and Bangalore Metro Rail had
with the job of handling PR and (Bescom); Bangalore Water Supply and hired local PR agencies in the past;
advertisements relating to such events Sewerage Board (BWSS); Bangalore however, the contracts were not
and programs. The government Metro Rail (Namma Bangalore) and renewed because of lack of expertise
officers, who have limited exposure to Bangalore Metropolitan Transport among the PR agencies to handle such
PR, media and the advertising world, Corporation (BMTC), which have clients. Even now, Bescom and BWSSB
SOCIAL KONNECT | 13
invariably end up disappointing the borrowed from leading financial seek external PR support for specific
event organizers. institutions or World Bank, as a rule, events. In 2008, the World Bank
It is surprising to note that top PR and have to undertake reforms. implemented a special program
16. VIEWS | PR / Advertising sector fails to tap government as a ‘market’
makers, when it comes to finalizing PR
contracts, always face paucity of time.
It is for the PR agencies to convince
officers, particularly those open to
ideas, to try the external PR model.
Some of these officers in key agencies,
such as government-owned
Boards and Corporations
(PSUs) are empowered
to take decisions
independently even
without seeking the
consent of the
government. The state
PSUs, by themselves,
constitute one huge chunk of
market within the government.
Bangalore may be the major market
for PR agencies to tap business
opportunities, but beyond
Bangalore, there are greater deals.
through the BWSSB on creating accountability. The In Mysore, every year, on the
awareness on water-related health government departments routinely occasion of Dasara festival
issues. Shockingly, the funds allocated place advertisements in newspapers, celebrations, the government
for PR activity, Rs 10 lakh, went especially linguistic dailies, seeking PR organizes various cultural, sports and
unutilized because of flawed rules. support during the beginning of fiscal literary events, running into more than
year. Rs. 25 crore. Similarly, in the northern
Paradigm Shift Required
tourist town of Bagalkote, the Tourism
The PR agencies need to keep a regular These tenders appear to be
Department organizes a cultural
tab on various government cumbersome. For, the PR agencies
expo, which is attended by cultural
departments and organizations, interested in applying through the
czars and Bollywood celebrities.
particularly those that regularly tender model should quote their
However, these events hardly receive
interface with the people (customers). pricing; specify media plan and predict
any importance, both in terms of
Only experts can understand the the outcome.
media attention and commerce.
processes and procedures of Unfortunately, such advertisements go
The average size of the market from
government organizations as they are unnoticed by leading PR firms, as they
the government sector alone
complex in nature. The PR agencies appear more in the linguistic
constitutes more than Rs. 10 crore
need a paradigm shift if they have to newspapers. Consequently, PR
each year in Karnataka, taking into
emerge successful in bagging agencies that neither qualifies to
account the budgetary
important contracts from the service the clients nor have the
announcements. If the private PR
government. requisite expertise bag contracts for a
sector is successful in taping just 10
The government sector rules deviate limited period. In the process, poor
per cent of this market through
from those followed by the corporate servicing of the clients leads to early
appropriate strategies, the returns are
world. The government agencies and termination of contracts.
immense.
departments follow a typical rule to Creating Awareness
partner with external PR agencies. The awareness about external PR Authored by Aravind Gowda. With more than 13
Unlike the private sector, the focus is years of experience in diverse segments of the
support or the understanding of the media, Aravind Gowda is a columnist, who writes
not on series of meetings, PPT PR world is pathetic in the corridors of for reputed newspapers on Current issues. He has
presentations or examining proposals. power. Many top officials in the worked for premier media houses like The Times
of India; Business Standard; The India Today
The government organizations follow government are of the impression that
Group;and Deccan Herald. He has also
the archaic ‘tender-based’ model to PR exercise means just generating contributed to international publications, such as,
invite participation from the PR optimum media coverage for the The Khaleej Times (West Asia); Global Sources
agencies. It is not that they deliberately departments or the campaigns they (Hong Kong); and EE Times (Europe). He is a
SOCIAL KONNECT | 14
lead. Communications & Content Consultant for
pursue this model, but government
various MNCs. He has also featured in award-
rules compel the organizations to The IAS / IPS officers, the key decision winning TV documentaries.
follow it in view of transparency and
17. TRENDS
In bed dreaming
different dreams
heard. (A little embarrassment, which appropriate infrastructure to teach all
is eased by kind editors of the day these subjects, are conveniently
who were my once my juniors.) But it overlooked when the mad rush for
affirmed yet again the trend I have admission in a “good college” and in a
been noticing: the vast majority of course with “good prospects” is driven
students in graduate and post by extra-mural considerations on all
graduate courses under the university sides.
scheme of media studies are not
This is largely why any kind of media
dreaming to be journalists. They
practitioner – the fancy colleges at
would much rather be in public
least try to have guest lectures and
relations. From what I deduced
send students to intern – will find
talking to her,
varied levels of disinterest in his/her
this kid who is doing a BA with an
area of work in a classroom and is
alleged media orientation, would like
flummoxed by the contradictions in
to be a marketing communication
aspirations which he/she dared to ask
professional. Can she? Yes, if she is
John Thomas as a way to fathom what and how
trained right. (She has the personality
much to teach an apparently bright
and the background, going by what I
lot of students. Yet some determined
know of her family and schooling.)
ones from this cohort will manage to
Therefore, at issue is the make contact and get into the PR
The other day I made a courtesy call
catch-all media studies industry (as also to Journalism and
at the editorial of a prominent English
courses into which all kinds of Advertising) and how well they do or
daily in Bangalore where I had
tinsel ingredients are tossed have done is the burden of my thesis:
commended a media student from a
to attract all kinds of confused What if they had been given the
renowned city college for summer
children at inordinately high requisite grounding and training
internship: to thank the editor under
fees compared to other before they came seeking a job?
whom she’d be working and to check
bachelor’s and master’s How comfortable the wonder
on how things were. What I heard to
degrees in these colleges with years (for both sides) would
my dismay was the editor concerned
diminishing glamour value. have been and how better and
telling me how unprepared this kid
Clearly, there is a demand for higher the young ones would
was for the practical experience and
media courses. But to do what, have grown!
media industry exposure the college
is the question.
in its wisdom had made mandatory Professionals (industry
for her to acquire during the vacation. One can point to lack of suitable practitioners) suggesting
What was worse was to hear the career guidance and aptitude a customisation of the
editor recounting what she said on assessment. But peer pressure syllabus
being given some reporting work, which parents and children face,
“But ma’am, I can’t write.” negates any sensible advice. handed down from
Questions about the the university’s inner
Having been in the role of mentoring
academic or professional sanctorum is
trainees in my journalist years and
competence of the teachers abhorrent to
SOCIAL KONNECT | 15
having since taught in colleges,
to teach what’s blandished in the academicians who
including the one this student is from,
curriculum or the availability of place greater
it didn’t shock me to hear what I
18. TRENDS | In bed dreaming different dreams
value on academics than on
employability of their wards. But
there is no reason why the PR
industry should not find volunteers
Therefore, at issue is the catch-all media
with the aptitude for teaching to try
getting a foot in the door of colleges
studies courses into which all kinds of
from where there has been a supply
of talent. Alumni provide the best
tinsel ingredients are tossed to attract
access for this effort. It’s a way of all kinds of confused children at
talent spotting and talent-grooming.
The PRSI and PRCI can campaign to inordinately high fees compared to
create trainers for this outreach work
to sustain the growth of the industry. other bachelor’s and master’s degrees
Even training those in employment is
essential for the health of the industry in these colleges with diminishing
to face the challenges of quality and
standards that come with expansion glamour value. Clearly, there is a
through globalisation. Some PR
companies can also venture into demand for media courses. But to do
training as a CSR activity for the good
what, is the question.
of the profession. and confused protagonist mentioned
There may be more examples of earlier may well turn out to be) and
individual and collective training ensuring a steady supply of talented
ventures in journalism because news and qualified professionals to stay
operations have been around far committed to excellence.
longer and staff demands are many
times more than public relations. But Authored by John Thomas. He has work
what stops the PR industry from experience that spreads over 34 years and six
stepping up? It’s a choice between newspapers in India and two top news agencies
abroad. He currently holds the position of Dean at
making do with stragglers into the team.i - a media institute focusing on event
profession who may or may not turn management, public relations and advertising.
out to be geniuses (as our diffident
SOCIAL KONNECT | 16
19.
20. For editorial queries, feedback, suggestions, advertisement
and other queries, write to socialkonnect@hanmermsl.com
