In 2001, investment banking firm Goldman Sachs issued a report predicting global economic power gradually shifting from the G7 nations toward the developing world. Jim O’Neill identified Brazil, Russia, India and China – coined “BRIC” – as countries with enough economic growth to become major players on the world’s industrial power stage. South Africa was later added as a viable power to observe. A decade later, these countries continue to be watched and discussed by the media for their potential. And as the media pay attention to the BRICS group, so do public relations and advertising professionals seeking to enter or strengthen their organizations’ presence in these markets. As such, the Cision Navigator presents a new four-part monthly series offering insight into the culture and atmosphere that can impact your communications efforts in these nations. Journalists and industry experts share their first-hand experience working in these countries, in addition to advice on hot topics, major industries and the most effective means of pitching and promotion. Whether you’re engaging in business in the BRICS nations or considering an overseas position as a journalist, this series aims to provide you with useful knowledge as you pursue opportunities abroad.
Working in Mumbai for a year now, Darius Razgaitis, a PR professional and participant in the Daniel J. Edelman Global Fellows Program, saw India as an important piece of the Edelman network and a leading growth location with a palpable sense of opportunity. He also identified India as one of the few places in the world where the media industry is actually expanding.
The expansion of media mirrors the overall expansion of business in the Hindustan republic. While recent economic setbacks have caused investors and analysts to reexamine the country’s ranking among BRICS growth, business interests continue to land in India with an eye on the nation’s consumer and enterprise potential. Business and media in India go hand in hand.
At the forefront of the country’s world stage presence is India Inc., a common term the media uses to refer to India’s corporate world and formal government sector. The name speaks to domestic companies as well as multi-national corporations (MNCs) with sizeable stakes in the country, and can be a good or bad name depending on whom you ask and when.
“Media coverage of India Inc. tends to be seasonal,” explained Razgaitis. “When the economy is growing and the government budget is being set, India Inc. is showered with praise as India’s hope for the future. But when a scandal or controversy is uncovered (regardless of size), India Inc. is used as an almost derogatory term. Given the size and scope of the Indian economy, many companies get unfairly lumped into the India Inc. category in those times, but some have managed to transcend the term and stand alone on their reputations.”
Speaking of seasonal, a noteworthy effect on Indian business and culture is the country’s multitude of public holidays, a total of about 16 days throughout the year. While certain days such as Gandhi’s birthday and Republic Day are more reserved commemorations, holidays such as Diwali, Ganesh Chaturthi and Holi are euphoric jubilations that garner commercial significance and huge marketing campaigns.
“The big holidays, while rooted in religion, have gradually been commercializing with sales, parades and parties. PR people who recognize the change can look to see how their clients are impacting and shaping these trends, but it’s important to maintain sensitivity around religious traditions and political influence,” Razgaitis said.
The journalism field can be seen as somewhat akin to that in the U.S., with what Razgaitis called similar ingredients in the hunt for a story – numbers, scoops, predictions and strong opinions. Business reporters, especially, have tight deadlines, are highly competitive and hate being contacted by PR people who haven’t done their homework. It means that there’s a scramble for reporters, putting a lot of fresh talent in the market. Reporters are often right out of school and hungry to build their network of contacts (and also to make a name for themselves).
But the PR profession is seen as budding. A 2012 report from PR network MSLGROUP outlined stumbling blocks in the industry, namely budget and leadership talent shortages. An earlier report released by The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India found a general lack of understanding of the practice. Razgaitis has experienced this firsthand.
“Since PR is a relatively nascent discipline, we often end up working with marketing and brand managers who’ve been assigned to oversee PR. This can mean it takes a little extra time to gain acceptance for some of our more advanced techniques and philosophies,” he said.
In the wake of the western world’s great digital migration from print journalism, India remains – for now – steadfast to turning pages. While major national dailies and business newspapers have online editions, regional language publications only available in print still claim the vast majority of readership. This speaks to the works in progress of building broadband availability in the country’s various states and developing local language content.
That’s not to say online news consumption doesn’t have a place in India. In the world’s second most populous country, roughly 70 percent of people have mobile phones. This reality makes both journalism and PR ripe for change in the sphere of digital transition and, in particular, social media.
“Anecdotally, electronic media is pervasive. I’ve seen cane juice vendors checking Twitter on their smartphones. Autorickshaw drivers check cricket scores on theirs,” said Razgaitis. “The affordability of mobile technology means that electronic communications can more easily reach a wider swath of audiences in India.”
While print media still reigns supreme, and is what clients seek, Razgaitis said he has come across clients who are willing to look at digital campaigns, and are seeing a shift in how people consume media in India.
As an example of how Indian audiences are making new friends while keeping the old in terms of media consumption, Razgaitis found in an informal poll of a dozen of his Indian PR colleagues that nearly all of them turn to Twitter for news during their morning commutes. Yet the same group starts their day by first picking up the pile of newspapers delivered to their doors every morning.
Does India’s myriad of regional languages have any bearing on news intake and PR? Yes and no. Of India’s top 10 daily newspapers, only one, The Times of India, is published in English. The rest are in Hindi or regional languages like Malayalam or Marathi. Thus translations are a must for news that is of interest to local and regional audiences, as is local language media monitoring. Business dailies, on the other hand, are in English, and sharing press materials in only English is seen as sufficient for those outlets.
Whether for business or pleasure, Razgaitis takes foreign language in stride as a communications professional making the most of his time overseas. “The majority of the work I’ve done in India has been in English, and someone working at an MNC could certainly survive and thrive with only English. However, I’ve found it to be a much more enriching experience as I’ve learned more and more Hindi through online classes and informal conversations with colleagues, clients and strangers. I feel more connected with my colleagues and clients when I can catch the punch-lines of their jokes or place an order at a roadside dhaba (truck stop). Understanding some of the language exposes you to additional layers to what happens in life and makes it more enjoyable.”
Whether seen as stumbling blocks or growing pains, India’s adaptation to PR and modern media is not a detriment to its opportunity and potential. In this land of contrasts and diversity, there is a business and media pulse to take heed of, and its expansion continues to be a sight to behold. When elaborating on media and opportunity as part of the appeal in India, Razgaitis added, “There is incredible opportunity to have a real impact in India. In a relatively young PR market with hundreds of daily newspapers in dozens of languages and an exploding social media scene, it will be a huge privilege to learn how media relations work in this new environment.”
This is the third in five part series on media perspectives in the BRICS nations. To read the previous installments, click below:
Part One: Near Sights on the Far East
Part Two: Treading the Digital Tides in Brazil
Contact Information:
Darius Razgaitis, Daniel J. Edelman Global Fellow, Edelman
@mrdarius
