Becomes first international brand to establish its presence in Bangladesh

I am writing to share some good news with you about Genesis Burson-Marsteller. This is not an advert for the firm but just information that would be useful to fellow public relations and marketing professionals.

Title: Concito PR is officially launched in Dhaka in May’09

Two weeks back we launched Concito PR www.concitopr.com. Concito PR is our exclusive affiliate for Bangladesh and a pioneer firm in the communication space in that country. It is an independent company owned by Cogito Marketing Solutions, which was set up three years back by Mehboob Chowdhury, the former Marketing Director of Grameen Phone, the number one mobile operator in Bangladesh. Mehboob is widely credited with taking Grameen Phone to the pole position.

With this Genesis Burson-Marsteller now has exclusive presence in Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Nepal. Christened the BMSAN (The Burson-Marsteller South Asia Network), the network offers a unique model of central planning with local insights and expertise in execution in respective markets. It is thus a compelling and a competitive proposition to companies with presence across these markets or those looking to enter these markets.

It was my first ever visit to Dhaka and the young people with an intense desire to excel, ambition to achieve and spirit to become entrepreneurs in their own right is THE endearing memory of my visit. Mehboob and his team of Razeeb, Moin, Maswood and Amit who worked round-the-clock to make a big bang launch of Concito PR. Boy! what a launch it was! It grabbed attention enough for Concito’s nearest competitors to put of adverts in the leading dailies announcing that they were still around! Guess that is what happens when Burson-Marsteller (www.genesisbm.in) (www.bm.com), the gold standard of the PR world combines with the best–in-the-business local public relations firm – Concito PR (www.concitopr.com).

Title: Ashwani speaking on Corporate Reputation

The launch day was full of action, I had the privilege of addressing the cream of the marketing and communication fraternity on the subject of “Corporate Reputation: the only sustainable advantage”. I made the case that today in the world where institutional trust has eroded, role models are few and far in between, internet creating the information revolution and the market place cluttered and littered with brands, the only way to stand apart is the “way people see you, feel about you and the respect they have for you and your work”. This is not a simple task of ‘good press’ but a ‘reputation is earned’ over time on the foundation of sustained performance and continued engagement of stakeholder; Public Relations forms that bridge between the stakeholders and the corporation in ensuring an open, transparent and sustained dialogue.

A member of the audience asked me “What is the difference between advertising and public relations?”

Title: Ashwani interacting with the crowd

My answer was simple “Where there is conversation without prejudice, then we are practicing public relations!”

This is my belief that public relations practioners need to go beyond How to say? and move to What to say? and finally to What to do? What do I mean?

Unless they have a seat on the decision making table of an organization and play the role of the “Chief Conscience Keeper” of the corporation at the board level, they will be remain the how to say and what to say ‘go to’ people. Clearly the recent events in business and politics have demonstrated the need for transparency, openness and most importantly the need to be engaged with your stakeholders to ensure that they are in your corner, not because they have vested interest but because they truly believe in what you are doing! Easier said than done but today there is no alternative but to pursue this path.

Dell, once said that there were only two kinds of companies “the quick and the dead” I say there are only two kinds of companies “the honest and the dead.”

This was message to the nascent yet growing public relations fraternity in Dhaka. I wish Concito team the very best and pray that the young industry learns from the west and its cousins in Asia and absorbs the best practices and sheds the mistakes they have made!

I remain an optimist.

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Tags: Affiliate Network, Bangladesh PR, Corporate Reputation, pr firm, Public Relations, public relations firm, South Asia Network