One of my friends always say that – I love to read whenever I am not thinking, and I love to think whenever I am not reading! Well my dear friend, even reading requires thinking and don’t you think that I am capable of doing both? Just like many humans, I can even write, read & speak on different subject than ‘the one’ I am thinking about.

The idea is not to talk about me or my capabilities, but to create a background for what we are going to discuss today. Recently, I came across an editorial titled ‘Advertising Industry Manifesto‘ by Tim Love, Vice Chairman of  Omnicom Group in ‘The Internationalist’. While I was reading this, I started thinking about PR. The clear correlation of advertising and public relations emerging from what I read. What one needs is to replace word ‘advertising’ with ‘public relations’ and you will have a ‘PR Industry Manifesto’.

Well, some of you might agree to disagree with me and I think it’s indeed a good sign. That shows that even you are thinking! And, that’s what exactly we need in our business. We need thinkers. We need innovators, and above all we need doers. We need people who can act and not distribute downloaded ‘gyan’. I still remember how in one of my previous employer’s place the word ‘download’ was used as frequently as ‘swine flu’ and ‘Jinnah’ are being used by Indian media these days! I came across many such butterfingered people with so called ‘panache’ in our business occupying high-back leather chairs vomiting google brand knowledge at every presentation and receiving fat paychecks. People like you and me knows that how hard it is to be a successful PR person. You really need to get your hands dirty, my friend. Not all agencies can afford to pay for your ‘panache’.  My advice. Just be there. And, I am sure you will.

Recently, I was witnessing the global debate where some creative directors, art directors, copy directors and all other suits from the advertising creative business were debating who should be the real winners of creative awards.  The argument was that the awards received by the agencies for the creatives should go to people who execute the campaigns and not to those who seed the ideas. The ‘ideas’ team was demanding to know that, how the hell without their ‘big idea’ executers can even do a job – forget about winning an award! The debate is still going on and I am sure it would die its natural death, because deep within their hearts they know that they both need each other to continue winning awards.  The only issue they need to sort out is, how to take care of super ‘egos’ of people who claim the ownership of awards from both ends.

Let’s come back to our discussion. At the end of the day, all communication disciplines have only one objective to cater to – help client sell more. As long as we are able to understand the consumer and develop the ability to influence her buying decision in favor of client’s products or services, our job is done. She needs help in deciding that she is buying the right stuff, and if we as communicators can help her do so – I am sure we are doing the greatest service to the mankind.

So, what do we need…

I might be repeating Tim’s words, but let me do it anyways! We need new ideas. We need talented people to execute these new ideas.

We need passion. We need love and above all we need belief. And I believe in you…

Take care.