Advertising and Public Relations: The Un-identical Twins

Eventually, I have started the new act of ‘blogging’ after a prolonged period of thinking and laziness. I would like to appreciate and say thanks to those who actually dared to read my previous article `Social Media – an Evolving Trend in Public Relation’. By not spending much time on thanking speech, I am proceeding towards the epicenter of this post, i.e., how Advertising differs from Public Relations (PR).

Missing Past, Present Perfect!!

The feeling of homesickness is awful. The speechless emotions tell the entire story through the wet expressive eyes. The situation when nobody around you matters much except the ones, who is waiting for you at your home.

When one arrives in the state of ignoring one million important tasks to be present in her own virtual world proves the syndrome right. This condition often occurs, but today’s busy circumstances don’t let you feel such. However there are times when you just can’t resist and that is worse.

The good old time that I spent with my sisters, parents, cousins and friends, enjoying the scorching Delhi heat, excessive winters, reluctant monsoons, broad lanes, all the Vihars, Puris and Paths, I miss them all. Hope that there was a time-machine sitting in which I can move back and forth between past and present and enjoy all that is good in both the worlds.

This feeling of missing people around is just more than what I can overcome. Yes! You get it right. I am going through this syndrome of homesickness.

She

# Written in April 2010
Heard – Life changes
But HOW was the question mark!
She brought us up
She made us walk
She played with us
She taught us
She scolded
She loved
She laughed with us
She cried with us
She made us human beings
She taught us to be humane
And when the time came to pay back
We lost her.
Yes! Life actually changes.
Yes! Life actually changes drastically,
However, this is going to be the way, had never imagined!

SOCIAL MEDIA – AN EVOLVING TREND IN PR

#Cross-posted from Vichar Vahak

Early social networking websites started in the form of general online communities such as “The Well” around 25 years back. These early communities focused on bringing people together to interact with each other through chat rooms and share personal information.  This was much before blogging actually started.

The increase in the use of social networking sites by various brand masters to advertise or to do businesses is under constant observation. The competition in turn has transformed into close and aggressive form as we are moving on with latest technologies in hand. Social networks connect people or brands to their target audience (TA) efficiently and at low cost or sometimes free. This is why it is beneficial for entrepreneurs and small businessman looking to expand their contact base through online mediums.

Retrospectively, not every brand excel in this online medium, for example Rasna had experimented with the online medium two years ago and spent Rs. 50 lakh for space on some of the popular sites like Yahoo. But the experiment didn’t succeed, as Rasna has decided to stick to the traditional advertising space (source: Business Standard August, 2009). Despite of the above case, most of the agencies are more willing to support online Public Relations or advertising in today’s scenario.

As far as Public Relation(PR) sector is concern, the Indian PR industry has about 1,200-1,500 agencies with total manpower strength of 30,000 to 40,000 and is tend to double itself by 2011 from current $3 billion due to increase in competition rate among numerous PR agencies. Besides IT, Corporate and FMCG clients, the Public Sector, Environment and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) are amongst other potential clients who show huge area of growth for both the agencies as well as for the clients.

For Online PR, the results are yet to come out, as we are riding high on the ladder of the digital or new social media. Functioning of PR is not that advance with online mediums, primarily in tapping the right TA for every brand. Most of the agencies are still following the traditional form of doing PR, which consumes more time, money and manpower. However, online PR is in the nascent stage; for that matter it will have to nurture further more to be successful in providing PR solutions to its clients through Web 2.0.

Conclusively, the aim was to give you a general awareness on PR in India. Nevertheless, 90% of the masses have no idea about the term  “Public Relation”. Watch this space to know more about PR coming soon from my pen.

Pune Mathur Association’s Summer Dhamaka

Mathur Association, Pune organized grand Summer Dhamaka for all the Mathurs residing in Pune on April 16th at Ivy Studio, Viman Nagar. All the members with their families were invited to attend the function and were engrossed by captivating cultural activities, games and dinner.

The program started very aptly with “Meet and Greet each other” and then the crispy evening went ahead with excellent performance of Ghazal and Geet. It was extremely good to watch a dance performance by a young upcoming artist on a medley of songs. The highlight of the function was the glamorous “Fashion Show”, a ramp full of lights, music and smart participants- from kids to senior citizens. The fun-filled evening was full of games and of course Tambola. The Dhamaka concluded with a prize distribution ceremony and splendid dinner with yummy desserts.

The association wants to pay gratitude to all the members who made the evening so wonderful by gracing the occasion and making the event a grand success. This is one of the biggest and most interactive Mathur Association’s functions in the city recently. The aim of the association is to involve more and more young and energetic youths in the committee for greater achievements in the future.