Radha Mukherji heads DDB Oman. A graduate in Statistics and an MBA from IIM Calcutta, Radha stumbled into advertising after an initial foray into Marketing / Market Research and Product Management. Advertising was obviously her calling as she has stayed put in the field ever since, for 25 years now.

Radha has worked with networks like JWT, Ogilvy and now DDB since 1996. Radha is also Regional Talent Director for DDB MEA offices. She has a special interest in training and regularly conducts ‘Springboard’ training workshops (DDB Strategy tools) for the region. She also teaches Marketing Communications to MBA students at the Indira Gandhi National Open University distance learning programme. Radha has been a Director on the Board of Indian Schools in Oman since 2003. She is also a core committee member of a voluntary Help & Support Group in Oman to help Indian workers in distress. Here, she speaks to Oman Vistas on the subject of Public Relations in an exclusive interview. Excerpts:

How important are disciplines like Corporate Communications, Marketing Communications and Public Relations in an organization, especially in the Oman context?

Communication is a very basic need for individuals, brands and organizations anywhere in the world and Oman is no exception. What varies between markets is the sophistication of the tools employed in developing communication.

What according to you is good public relations?

How do human relationships form and strengthen? By sharing information and experience, gaining confidence, building trust over a length of time. It is an ongoing process into which one continually invests if the relationship is important. Essentially that’s what PR too is all about. A planned, deliberate and sustained investment in enhancing trust between a company and various publics through sharing and dissemination of relevant information. The word ‘deliberate’ is key in PR, because opinions and beliefs get formed anyway, so taking charge of the process ensures it happens the way one would like it to, rather than fight to correct it later.

To quote Bill Bernbach, “it’s not just what you say that stirs people; it’s the way that you say it”. These are busy times and people are not passively waiting to hear all about a company’s corporate philosophy, vision, 5 year plans, international accolades, staff promotions and employees donating blood, unless it is presented in a way that connects and makes it relevant and interesting to them. Therein lies the art of PR and indeed all communication.

Do you think Public Relations has come of age in Oman?

Not yet. The role of Public Relations in the Sultanate is still limited to getting face time- press releases and interviews that are self serving. Media are happy to give this for ‘free’ against the promise of paid ads. Client, media and agency may be happy but that crucial connect with the public may not have happened. The process thus ends up becoming tactical rather than tactile.

In markets that boast of evolved PR practices, measurement and constant monitoring is key. Not just column centimetres but various quantitative and qualitative measurements against a pre defined set of parameters. These go beyond media audits to measuring message recall, monitoring its viral value and measuring the spread, and keeping a tight rein on content at all times never letting things spin out of control.

What is encouraging however is the emerging recognition of the importance of PR as an integral part of corporate communication in Oman. It is a promising beginning.

We see an increasing number of handouts being published in the daily newspapers everyday. The bigger advertisers seem to get more generous editorial space in the newspapers. How would the reader gauge the believability factor of such write-ups that appear in the newspapers?

How much space you garner by virtue of clout is irrelevant in the grand scheme of things. What matters is the impression you make. Never under estimate reader intelligence. We can all tell a press release plug from real news, which is what you pick up a newspaper or magazine for anyway.

It isn’t about believability - the credentials of these organizations are not in doubt at all. It’s about capturing interest and that’s where the art of saying it well comes in. Let me give you an example. Haven’t we all developed a blind spot to the countless press releases of luxury cars and jackpots being won, with smiling company officials and beaming winner in tow? As a reader, the truth is that if it isn’t me or someone I know, the information doesn’t interest me in the least. Try instead to give me a human angle, the perspective of the winner and what the win has done for him and you have me listening and cheering for him and the company.

What type of an organization can benefit with good Public Relations?

Everyone. From Governments to multinational corporations, from non-profit ventures to political parties, even ad agencies and media can all benefit from the effective use of public relations. Public Relations is a relationship building process, a platform to shape and mould opinions for greater good of individuals and society rather than just profiling individual achievements and company news. Sincerity and authenticity of purpose are vital in order to succeed.

What is better for any organization? Internal PR specialist within the organization or hiring of a professional PR company?

That would depend on the communication needs of the company. The scale and scope, the relative importance and desired intensity of activity. But PR must be recognized as a specialist skill that extends beyond hammering out press releases efficiently or eloquently. So whether it is internal or external, being professionally qualified is a must. The advantage of appointing an external PR company is the wide basket of services and skill set to handle different types of PR. Typically, PR agency services range from the basics of Public Relations like drafting PR communication (press releases, bylined articles, press notes, pitch notes, fact packs etc) and managing media relations to specialized expertise on crisis communications, issue management, use of digital media, public affairs, web and social networking and much more. Most important they ensure message homogeneity and synergy with other communication activities like advertising.

Ideally, the internal PR manager or the corporate communications team of an organization should work in perfect sync with the PR agency and look at them not as an external vendor, but an extension of their own team. This teamwork will ensure that the message that needs to be communicated is tempered by an external perspective of what’s important to the recipient and the best manner to deliver it, to ensure success.