'HEADLINES' 18 years on and going strong

If Public Relations is about managing reputations, perceptions and establishing good relationships with key stakeholders, it can be considered the key weapon in the armoury of Corporate Communications and Reputation Management," says Chairman Headlines PR, Anusha David.

Having established Headlines, the country's second dedicated PR agency 18 years ago, David is strong in relationships and passionate on results. Having propelled some of the country's leading brands into the minds of the public, David has remained fiercely independent and proudly Sri Lankan, having refused several merger and take over offers, including one from the world's largest ad agency.

According to her, Public Relations is essential for effective brand positioning. "In layman's language, public relations experts are hired to make an organization and its products / brands, popular among the masses (Target audiences) .

David says that the three main reasons for choosing to invest in PR is that PR builds brands, PR can generate awareness fast and PR isn't just press anymore.

Brand-building is essential and Public Relations efforts could produce what is known as earned media, which refers to coverage by publications that choose to write about the brand not because they are paid to do so, but because the company or its product is interesting and the organization has a compelling story to tell.

"In terms of generating awareness through PR that had never been more true than today and there is a direct correlation with the brand building power of PR done right. Thanks to the Internet's connecting people of the world as never before and the explosion in usage of social media, it is now easier and faster than ever for individuals to connect with one another and to share their opinions on virtually every topic (and company) imaginable."

On any given day, Headlines handles a range of Corporates whose areas of business include IT , railways, the automobile industry, the construction industry, the healthcare sector, education, the banking sector, high fashion and sports.

"Public Relations 'crafts' the face of every organization, whilst working hard towards saving and maintaining an organization's reputation and image," says David. "Indeed as Reputation is the key capital, PR could be considered the most effective element to help coordinate other elements of the communications mix."

As to the secret in continuing to keep her clients in the 'Headlines', David avers that it is the personal touch and attention to detail that had been the cornerstone of her success.