Wednesday, February 10, 2010

India's PR industry full of paradoxes: PRWeek

“Few people tire of pointing out that India is a country full of paradoxes,” Arun Sudhaman writes in his indepth article on India in PRWeek. “This also applies to the country's PR industry, where pockets of dazzling sophistication co-exist with the most time-honoured of media relations techniques.”

“Often described as undervalued, India's PR market remains difficult to gauge accurately,” adds Sudhaman.

“The ICCO World Report classes India as a 'fast emerging market' and points to energy, healthcare, retail and telecoms as some areas with strong growth prospects. Specific practice areas that are expected to grow include consumer marketing, financial, public affairs and technology.”

On the paucity of talent, Sudhaman says, “Talent remains the critical commodity, with high turnover levels particularly evident among younger PROs. He quotes Genesis Burson-Marsteller CEO Ashwani Singla as saying, “It is the most significant issue both in terms of availability and cost.”