When "lobbying" becomes "fixing", it is no longer PR

NANDITA LAKSHMANAN, SUBROTO BAGCHI

So says Nandita Lakshmanan, founder of the Bangalore-based The PRactice, in an interview with Subroto Bagchi in Forbes India (February 11).

In the wake of the Niira Radia spectrum scam tapes controversy, Bagchi asks Lakshmanan, who has managed the Infosys account for ten years now, to tell him where the line must be drawn between PR and deal-fixing. The answer is enlightening:

When lobbying becomes ‘fixing’, it ceases to be in the domain of public relations. Many PR firms do cross the line; they hire former bureaucrats in the telecom or the retail sector — people who know the ‘right people’, who know how the ‘system’ works. PR can secure meetings with ministries, advise the client what to say, follow up, but there is a line. In India, as in many parts of the world, that fine line between influencing, advocacy and deal making is often trespassed.

Lakshmanan also explains why business must know about PR:

Every company should treat public relations seriously. A conscious corporation puts its reputation among its stakeholders above all else. It may not necessarily be the most visible in the media, nor [does] its recall need to be high in the larger community. Ironically, I have come across many successful companies, with greater market-share, stronger balance sheet than their competition, but they feel weak in public relations because their competitors are more visible in the media. Good PR need not mean constant, high visibility in the media.

And when Bagchi tells her that people think PR is all about managing the media, Lakshmanan's response will give all those thinking of a career in public relations an insight into that PR is really all about:

Media engagement is critical, but it is merely one aspect of PR and it must be used judiciously. PR can enhance your relationship with the financial community, help become a part of the local community, highlight issues to help change policy or behaviour. It can assist in managing and enhancing employee relations, pre-empting and preparing for crises and therefore mitigating their impact on your business.

PR cannot completely subvert a negative impact — if you’ve done something wrong, you have to suffer the consequences like in any relationship. And remember, a relationship is two-ways. You build it irrespective of whether times ahead are going to be good or bad. Sometimes, you need a relationship particularly when times are bad.

Read the interview in its entirety here: "The thin line in public relations".

• THE COMMITS CONNECTION: Nandita Lakshmanan has taught PR at Commits, and Commitscion Shane Jacob (Class of 2005) is a top executive with The PRactice. The agency has also taken many interns from Commits over the years.
• Photo courtesy: Forbes India