PRmoment India
PRmoment India
Unveiling PR Mastery: Insights from Vandana Chopra of KPMG India
Ever wondered what sets top consulting firms apart when it comes to public relations? Join us as we uncover the secrets with Vandana Chopra, Partner and Head of Brand and Communications at KPMG India. Vandana dives deep into the changing landscape of PR, contrasting the comprehensive business solutions offered by consulting firms with the often narrow focus on media visibility seen in traditional PR agencies. We probe into why PR firms need to develop domain expertise and a nuanced understanding of business to truly elevate their role and justify higher retainers. Plus, get an insider's take on the surge of ex-journalists shifting to corporate communications and whether they're well-prepared for this transition.
Gain actionable insights from Vandana Chopra, as she shares crucial strategies for excelling in the PR world. Discover why clarity of thought, analytical prowess, and strategic planning are indispensable. Vandana emphasizes the power of data-driven insights and efficient time management, particularly within large consulting firms. Learn how to build a strong, reliable team and why delegating responsibilities is key to thriving in a corporate setting. Vandana's rich experiences offer a masterclass in leveraging domain expertise to sharpen communication strategies and deliver impactful business solutions. Don't miss this enlightening conversation packed with valuable lessons for PR professionals aiming to up their game.
Thank you for listening to the PRmoment India podcast. Follow us on Twitter @PRmomentIndia. Write to paarul@prmoment to be featured on the podcast.
Hello and welcome to the PR Moment India podcast. Today I'm very, very happy to have with us Vandana Chopra, partner and head of brand and communications with KPMG India, Also a very old friend and colleague from our TV journalism days. Welcome, Vandana.
Vandana Chopra :Thanks, parul. It's really wonderful to be a part of this and I have been reading, you know, pr Moment and tracking its growth and success ever since it started its inception, and it's really great to be a part of this podcast. Thank you for having me.
Paarul Chand:Thank you so much, vandana. My first question is that PR professionals and PR companies really look upon the consultancy business as something to emulate and learn from, because PR the way it is evolved, especially post AI, post social media, post data also want to be a business consultant to their clients and not just the person who gets some coverage in economic times. So what can we learn from the consulting business? What can PR folks learn on how to up their value?
Vandana Chopra :So, parun, it's been a great learning as a professional for almost 30 years in this profession. I started off as a journalist for the first 14 years of my career and post that I did make a transition because I felt that journalism has evolved and I wanted to see it from the other side of the table. So I made the switch to corporate communications where I helped build and set up the BMR brand. I have been with KPMG in India now for over 10 years. And one thing I find that big consulting firms you know they offer business solutions and input into the business strategies and you know the long term business transformation of their clients, while communication firms, the PR firms, very frequently you know they tend to focus on helping create those narratives that can be taken to media for visibility. So that's one big distinguishing factor.
Vandana Chopra :I've also seen that big consulting firms, you know the touch points are quite often the corner offices, the chairman, the MD, the CEO.
Vandana Chopra :You know the business heads of various business functions and the conversation that you have with each one of them is very, very different than what agencies have with the corporate communication heads of different corporations. And in most companies the communication vertical does not have a seat on the table and in many cases they're often the last ones to know. So that's again big, uh distinguishing factor between the two. Um, so having that seat on the table just makes it a lot more easier, uh, for them to have that deep understanding of the business and, um, you know, so they are, you know, because of this, able to demand that attention and they know what's really happening and they have a deeper understanding of the business. And that is why I also feel that PR agencies are not able to demand that higher retainer. And this will. And if this has to change, you know, the touchpoint in the corporate world has to change. Rather than just being the corporate communications head, it has to be deeper and more aligned to business.
Paarul Chand:So one could argue that it's really up to the communication firms to be at that touch point and to move from the lobby to the corner office interaction or from the cabin to the common corner office interaction. So some would argue that what is stopping them from also being a business solution provider? Is it the function of communication itself or is the rising importance of reputation, the role of reputation in preserving business stability and guarding against a business crisis? Is it being expected or is it something more that PR can offer in terms of business solutions?
Vandana Chopra :So PR can offer a lot more and I think that perception which businesses have of PR firms can change and is changing over a period of time.
Vandana Chopra :But I think for a lot of it to happen, the onus lies with the pr firms.
Vandana Chopra :Uh, for them to really raise their game by offering that high level intellectual inputs, uh, you know, into matters of concern, then just focusing on headlines and the media, uh, they will need to do a lot more to change the perception and it's only then that they will be allowed to charge higher fees. See, what happens is that consultants bring in domain expertise to clients, which very few PR consultants do. I've also seen that PR professionals do not have access to the top and they're most, like I said, mentioned earlier that they are dealing with the Copcom professionals. So their advice in that sense is also very linear and what they are saying or offering has very little impact on business. The third thing is that PR professionals they think media. Most times, you know, they don't think business and therefore they have a very little role to play in the larger way that businesses operate. So you know, if all this changes, I would definitely see a shift over the next couple of years on this rant.
Paarul Chand:PR folks typically argue. Professionals that typically argue that the client only expects coverage from us. They don't expect more. Is that true? Is there a chicken and egg? Or is it also that nobody's pushing to offer more?
Vandana Chopra :I think that perception is changing Parul Over years. I mean, business does see PR firms as strategic business partners, but quite often I have seen that PR firms are not able to live up to that expectation. Maybe it is the quality of people that they are hiring and they're putting up to business to handle key accounts. Also, I find quite often that very few PR professionals are really adept and really understand the complexities of business. Very few of them are able to understand beyond or go beyond narratives and headlines. So while the expectations of businesses are changing, uh, few, fewer PR professionals are able to match those expectations that's actually, I think, very interesting and very well.
Paarul Chand:Well put that. Uh, the core of it lies in having domain expertise and do a deep dive, like one does in journalism and other fields. If you're on that beat, you're expected to know a lot more. Otherwise you really can't do a story. Vandana, what is your opinion on a whole lot of ex-journalists, especially from the financial papers, joining as corporate communication experts? There is a lot of argument that they are not really equipped to move to the other side. Yet you see a lot of movement of this nature happening. So what is your opinion on this move of financial journalists to corporate communication?
Vandana Chopra :So I think some of them have done really well with the movement because they are subject matter experts and if you are looking at, say, a bank or an NBFC, and if they are able to hire somebody who covers that beat and has that domain expertise, it works very well for them as well as for the journalist. So it becomes easier for them to make the switch to the other side. We've seen several cases of journalists over a period of time making the transition and I think some of them have done exceptionally well. It is a win-win situation for both, for both business and the journalist, because we've also seen that in the last couple of years, especially in a post-covid world, uh, you know, news organizations have become much more leaner, uh, than what they were at one point in time and, uh, given the changing phase of journalism, I think it is, uh, the people who have made that career switch have been able to do that very, very effectively.
Vandana Chopra :Also, what I find is that, you know, if people are adaptable, that makes this thing. Not every journalist is adaptable and is used to making the switch on the other side of the table, because as a journalist, you are used to asking those questions and calling the shots and everything when you move to the other side. Uh, if you are uh not uh really adaptable or uh you're not able to adapt to the business or have a deep understanding, it's very difficult for somebody to make that switch after many years of being a journalist. So it really depends uh, people have done it very successfully. Uh, like I said, both business and journalists have, um, you know, adapted and they have learned and grown and we've seen the transition, uh, some very successful transitions in the last couple of years.
Paarul Chand:That's actually a very interesting and an endlessly debated topic. One final question Vandana, you yourself have had a very strong background in financial television journalism, and not only that Voice of America radio, a whole lot of other stuff. So what do you think that has lent or contributed to your current position? Yeah, Okay.
Vandana Chopra :So several factors Parul. When I decided to make the switch to the other side. I was absolutely clear in my mind that I've had my fill as a journalist, having dabbled in all three mediums, from print to television to radio, video, and I just felt there was really nothing more for me to really learn from the profession, having lived and worked in different countries, and it was really the right time for me. So one thing that worked very well for me was that I was quite clear in my mind that I needed to make the switch and do the switch now. The second thing which worked. So clarity of thought is, of course, very, very important. Second thing I felt was the analytical skills. You know as the, having worked as a financial journalist, you know the focus on data driven insights. You know, and adjusting my campaigns and tactics to you know what was what I would see worked really well in my case and that made it just easier for me to really survive and grow in this profession. The third thing was strategic planning. I made sure that you know we had a very robust calendar of communication activities at any given point in time. If there was negative news floating around, I ensured that you know we seeded the market with some positivity, deflecting attention to some of the other areas. So strategic planning, of course, again worked very well. Adaptability, of course I've spoken about it.
Vandana Chopra :Efficiency I think that again is a critical component. If you are able to efficiently manage your time, because what happens is when you work with the large consulting firms and you're dealing with 600 partners and heads of different businesses, you need to really efficiently manage your time. Most often, as a journalist, we are just filing one news story in a day and you know the work ends for us after we file that story. In a corporate environment, you are dealing with different businesses, you know. So efficiently managing your time to, and being attuned to different business needs worked really well. And then, of course, the staffing and the team structure. You know if you are able to.
Vandana Chopra :I think as a journalist, that's one key thing I have seen in most journalists is that they like to, you know, control everything and be totally in command. They are not able to, you know, give away a lot or, you know, delegate responsibilities. So, and you like to control. I mean, I was quite often like that as a journalist. So if you are able to delegate and have an efficient team who are as good as you and you know. Trust them and take them along. I think that again works very, very well. So few things which I've learned over the years which have worked very well for me and I think they are extremely important if you need to grow and survive in the corporate world.
Paarul Chand:With that. Thank you so much. Wonderful takeaways from this interview. I think my major takeaway is that it's the domain expertise that's really the heart of what you can do to up the value of communication strategy understand the business really well, offer a business solution and make the effort to deep dive. That was Vandana Chopra, partner and Head of Brand and Communications with KPMG India. Thank you, vandana.
Vandana Chopra :Thank you, parul. It's like I said, it's really wonderful speaking to you and really happy to be here. Thank you, thank you.