The Lok Sabha polls have brought the smiles back on the faces of public relations agency bosses, who were splitting hairs over sagging businesses and thinning margins till recently.
As more and more politicians turn to these firms to brush up their images in the run up to the elections, business seems to be looking up.
With their experience in interacting with the media and marketing, these PR firms are tutoring candidates on what to say, how to say, and what not to say. Many agencies in Punjab and Chandigarh are busy in designing posters, pamphlets and other handouts for political candidates contesting from the region.
Talking to FE, a PR professional based in Chandigarh, who has been canvassing for BJP, said, ?Our firm is offering an array of services ranging from media interactions, preparing speeches, slogans and organising press conferences. We also provide professional advice to candidates on how to conduct themselves. We are reaching to the youth through online social networking sites, blogs and even canvassing at popular youth hang-outs. We are using SMSes and popularising our candidate through audio-videos CDs.?
And the money poured into the exercise could be anything from a few thousand rupees to lakhs per month.
Manish Tewari, national spokesperson of the All India Congress Committee, who is contesting from Ludhiana, says it is important to hire a professional PR agency to draft press notes and ensure timely distribution and publication.
?We have a Delhi-based company which is handling centralised PR activities and is taking care of our campaigning,? he added.
It is very important to study the personal profile of a political candidate to give positive spin to his performance, says Narvijay Yadav, director of Chandigarh-based Specttrum PR agency which is taking care of the campaign for BSP candidate Harmohan Dhawan, contesting from Chandigarh.
?We have hired two media professionals recently and a proper strategy has been chalked out to capture the attention of masses,? he says. ?By carefully studying the performance of our political candidate, we are able to highlight his positive work among people which helping improve his brand image among the public.?