Are you wondering too?

When I went home (a place called Bhilai in the state of Chhattisgarh) after finishing my studies and pursuing a career as a PR professional in one of the mid-sized media relation cum marketing firm in Chennai, people there used to ask me what does PR mean or what did my job require me to do. After explaining in detail, some would stare at me blankly with raised eyebrows or some would enthusiastically conclude that my job requires me to organize and conduct press conferences. Though I would squirm and undergo a sinking feeling in my stomach, I used to wonder why can not people understand the meaning of 'Public Relations' and why do they underestimate as well as limit it to press conferences only.

Till now, the only satisfactory answer I could come up for this unique disposition has been that, since most of the work done by PR professionals is 'behind the stage', the common man does not get a clear picture of what we do. We hardly acquire any share of limelight, though our job is to ensure that our clients enjoy the full glare of limelight. I have also observed that the misinterpretation of PR is not just limited to small towns. Even in cities, people who are not related to media, marketing communication, HR, etc also find themselves at sea when encountered by a PR professional.

In a way, PR professionals themselves might have contributed in certain ways to build up such a reputation for themselves. If one observes the gamut of the 'so called' PR agencies, one will find that many of them (mostly the small and newly sprung up agencies) will be mainly organizing and conducting press conferences. Though I personally do not see anything wrong in that, but wonder arn't such agencies limiting themselves to the tip of the iceberg?

Though PR is still in the 'infant' stage in our country if companies (as well as PR professionals) prefer to limit PR to just media relations, then we are all losing out on opportunities to use multiple vehicles for reaching out to the target audience. Organizing press conferences is an integral part of PR, no doubt, but we (PR professionals) should also incorporate in-depth and thorough research of our clients and their respective sectors, develop branding opportunities for them, develop their brand identity and communicate it consistently to the target audience, reach out directly to the target audience (using Consumer Touch PR), brief and prepare the spokesperson of the company, apt placement of articles, undertake crisis management and to top it off have good and strong media relations.

All these are not individual verticals, but are infact integrated and constitute the building blocks of an entity that is - Public Relations.

Priya M. George

Account Executive