How a PR manipulates (A tip)

I remember an instance, when long ago I had messaged the editor of Mid-Day's film supplement Hit-List for a story on one of my PR clients, Pakistani actress Meera. When I followed up, the Ed curtly messaged back, "Mid-Day won't carry the story." I was irked by that statement, as the editor was only the editor of Hit-List... and not all of Mid-Day. To me, the statement also smacked of typical media arrogance, which once used to be a part-and-parcel of the attitude of old-school media persons. There and then I decided, this had to change, or at least, I had to be an exception.

That evening, I contacted an on-the-ball News Desk journo friend from Mid-Day and offered two separate scandalous scoops with exclusive pictures to support. These two scoops were an offer in return for pitching and pushing the Meera story for nothing less than 'Page 1' of Mid-Day. I had added a current affairs angle to it to suit the main paper and did not mention that I had pitched the same story to the Hit-List editor earlier in the day.

The journo loved the story and the carrot of two huge scoops. He asked me to be patient — as two days later, his senior had a weekly off — and on that day, maybe he could push the story. I was repeatedly assertive about it with the journo and then waited the wait. The story finally appeared on Page 1 with an elaborate continuation on an inside page.

That morning, I messaged the Hit-List editor about it, with a rejoinder: "Sher ke mooh mein haath daloge, toh sher kaatega toh sahi." (with a wink emoticon in the end). Though later, I felt a bit bad about that message (though not about the manipulation). Aisa laga, ke thoda zyaada ho gaya.

BTW: As a bonus, instead of the promised two scoops, I gave my journo friend three controversies to cover for the next fortnight. He was thrilled.

Moral of the story: Only media-fearing PRs can be put in place, not the ones who understand spin. After all, PRs aren't called 'spin doctors' for nothing.

Takeaway for PRs, budding PRs and BMM students: A publicist has a whole world of print, television, radio, internet media and even citizen journalism via social media in his/her scheme of things. If the PR really decides to play the game, there is no way any media person can stop a spin doctor from doing what he/she wants to do. Just decide to be unstoppable and the possibilities are endless.

Note of caution: PRs can create upheavals like nobody's business as they can plot, plug and plant stories or rumours in trade or any media. So they must always remember, that with great influence comes great responsibility. Stay nice. Be ethical.

About the Author:

Dale Bhagwagar is a PR specialist with branding, image consultancy, strategizing, media manipulation, crisis management and mentorship for media students. He has handled the publicity for more than 150 Bollywood actors and 30 movies, apart from being a spokesperson and publicist to 20 Bigg Boss contestants.

RIP: My tribute to Gunjan Kapur

Tears are rolling down my cheeks, as I begin to write this as a tribute to the wonderful person Gunjan Kapur, who lost her life this evening, battling for it in the ICU for almost a week.

A degree from London...

I first interacted with Gunjan over the phone in 2009, when she was studying in London. She did her dissertation for her M.A. Degree in Public Relations at the University of Westminster, London, with me as her guide for it.

The topic she chose for her thesis was, ‘How Shilpa Shetty became an iconic brand’ during and after the Celebrity Big Brother show in UK, which catapulted the Bollywood actress to international fame. The purpose of this study was to explore how the blend of strategic PR and branding, contributed in creating Brand Shilpa Shetty... and I have to say, Gunjan covered the subject exceptionally well.

Making me proud...

Returning to India after her graduation, Gunjan worked at a PR agency in Delhi, and quit that job and joined PROP (PR Orientation Programme), a 20-day workshop, which I conducted with around 10 students at my office in Mumbai in 2010.

When I had asked her, why she quit a full-fledged PR job, to join the workshop, she'd said, she wanted to learn more about PR. After the 20-day workshop of 3 hours a day, Gunjan gave me a great compliment. She told me, "I learnt more at PROP than what I learnt working at the PR agency in Delhi." I felt so proud hearing that.

At PROP, Gunjan was always a sparkling and smiling student and would listen to the lectures and talks of all the speakers including me, with unwavering concentration. She would also ask some very intelligent and thought-provoking questions in the Q&A sessions and had good team spirit.

After the workshop, I didn't get to interact with her, except on Facebook where she would like or comment on pics and status messages at times.

Meanwhile, Gunjan changed a few jobs and cities, and one day messaged me that she was starting her own PR agency in Mumbai. She had given me another reason to feel proud. The girl who did her thesis with me as the guide and learnt more from a workshop conducted by me, was now going to have a PR agency of her own. Sometime later, I learnt that Gunjan stopped working as an independent publicist, to work for the reputed Zee group's music division.

Around two weeks ago, Facebook intimated me about her birthday and I sent her birthday wishes on WhatsApp. Next day, I spoke to her and helped with an issue regarding her past phone number. In her brief chat, she told me she was happy working with Zee Music and that she had a great time celebrating her birthday a day ago. I was happy for her. The newbie I'd guided in whatever little way in PR, was now on her own feet and growing amazingly.

And then... suddenly...

And then... suddenly... after a few days, I got a call from one of my PR friends Pritam Sharma (who was a speaker at PROP) saying, he read a newspaper report stating Gunjan had an accident. My friend Akshaye Rathi too (who was also a speaker at PROP) got to know about this and we were so shocked and pained to hear about it. I managed to speak to Gunjan Kapur's friend and namesake, Gunjan Wathodkar, who gave me more details.

Apparently, she had fallen from the 4th floor of her apartment, which did not have a protecting grill, and landed on a car parked below. It sounded horrific and disturbing to think of... kind of stuff we only see in the movies.

Raw deal...

I googled and read the news in the Mumbai Mirror tabloid, though later, her family informed me of discrepancies in the report. Also, I found no mention of the incident in any other media. The very media she catered to on a day-to-day basis as a PR, seemed to have given her a raw deal in her time of suffering.

Surprisingly, (and as per statements to Police) none of her friends present at her residence while this happened, saw her falling.

I visited her family at Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital & Medical Research Institute, where they were going through a tough time. Felt great pain and helplessness to see them going through the trauma of their daughter's state.

She was in the ICU... was declared brain dead by the doctors... but was breathing on ventilator. I was also told about some delays and indifference of some hospital staff which made matters worse for the family in agony.

For her friends, Friendship Day will never be the same again...

Gunjan's mom, father, brother, her colleague Neha Titus and some friends were there. I sat with them for a while, sometimes discussing, sometimes in silence, and sometimes thinking about how smart and intelligent Gunjan always was.

Today (Friendship Day) evening, I got to know that Gunjan is no more. Life is strange to some nice people. One moment its showering blessings. Next moment, it takes them all away.

A life of learning and achievement...

As the days and years pass by, life will go on for her family and friends... but the pain of life being cruel to a wonderful 27-year-old person will stay forever.

Gunjan lived a short life, but from whatever I knew of her, I can say that she lived a life of constant learning; a life of achievement.

She took off like a bird, flew high in her profession and has now flown speedily to God. May His company give her peace now and forever.

-Dale Bhagwagar

Celebrity PR clients need even better hand-holding and guiding

The PR spectrum is continually changing and expanding, but some entertainment publicists are not changing with the times. They seem to be ignoring the dictum: Evolve or perish.

Traditional PR tactics are phasing out, and making way for professional handling of crisis management on web and mobile space, even if it requires guerilla tactics.

Bollywood celebrity clients need even better hand-holding and guiding in this changing world of public relations.

Contemporary PRs need to understand this, adapt and adjust... and real quickly. It's a new mindset taking over the industry; demanding a paradigm shift from publicity professionals.

Best Bollywood PR

Public Relations on a roll

From what a PR gets, he might make a living. But from what a PR gives, he might make a life.

PR's have been media kings from quite some time. Almost from the time I gave this interview three years ago.

I entered PR sixteen years ago after being a journalist for eleven years prior to that (since my school days). Then, I shifted from journalism to PR mostly because PRs are better paid than journalists.

Journalism v/s PR

This is because journalism is a profession, while PR is a business. But mind you, not all PRs are able to make good monies. Many who are not able to adjust and adapt to changing times also fade away. There are also many journalists and editors who have entered PR from time to time, but haven't been able to sustain.

This is simply because the profession is extremely demanding. It takes a lot of passion to stay put. Some think PR is a lot of stress and builds anxiety like no one’s business. True to an extent! But a great PR also learns how to handle that and treat his work with media like a game. Once that feeling sets in, PR is cakewalk and the passion for delivering impacting service, peaks. And then, he plays.

What it takes to be a great PR

To be a successful PR, one has to have a combination of at least the following -- intelligence, knowledge of market, intellect, street-smartness, contacts, connections, shrewdness, manipulation abilities, writing abilities, scheming techniques and tact and flamboyance to spin. And these are only the basics.

There's lot more to PR including spokesmanship, legal knowledge and mass perception management, psychology and even basic knowledge of psychiatry! Yes, you read it right! There are times, a PR has to double up almost like a psychiatrist; advising and guiding some clients who could be jittery about controversies and scandals that crop up in our gossip-hungry media.

So basically, a great PR is like a magician; building, promoting and protecting celebrities.