Good and Bad PR: Google is best place to work in India but our political leaders have another bad week

Economic Times is out with its 2013 study “India’s Best Companies to Work For”, in partnership with ‘Great Place to Work for Institute.

Google tops this list .The No. 1 top ranking, is bound to feed some more into the near mythic stories about Google as a place to work. The study reveals that all potential Google employees have to pass the ‘Airport Test’, i.e. be able to talk interestingly to a complete stranger while stuck at an airport!

Notably, the top 3 companies are American MNCs ­- Google, Intel and American Express. Home grown companies make an entry at No. 4 with NIIT. NTPC is the only PSU in the top 10 (at No. 6). The top 10 list is also dominated by tech or tech driven companies; such as MakeMyTrip.com.

Studies have repeatedly shown that places with happy employees are more profitable. As per the ‘Russell Investment Group’ in US, companies featured in the list by ‘Great Place to Work Institute’ and ‘Fortune’ magazine, consistently outperform major stock market indices.

Asterix comics may soon have an Indian outing with Gandhix

Asterix, Obelix, Getafix, Cacofonix and now Gandhix? Asterix comics have long been a hot favourite with children in India and many adults as well, before satellite TV came along. Much loved Asterix comics titles are still available in lending libraries and bookstores. Inspite of this popularity, Indian characters and themes were few, the last I remember is Watziznehm, from ‘Asterix and the Magic Carpet’ (could we get more clichéd!).

Now, the comic strip’s new author, Jean-Yves Ferri, -his first Asterix comic is due in October- says that future stories may soon feature an Indian character named Gandhix, based on Mahatma Gandhi.

It’s a smart way to revive interest in a market that has always loved Asterix-perhaps even more than Superman and Spiderman. With the other favourite, Archie Comics, already featuring an Indian character-Raj- it’s now Asterix turn.

But, brace for the inevitable, nit-picking by the self -appointed culture police who is bound to swoop in with cries of misusing the name of the ‘Father of the Nation’.

Bad PR
 

Insensitive Behaviour by Political Parties over crisis relief even as Indian Army, Airforce performs heroic rescues

As the scale of the tragedy in Uttarakhand unfolds, with the death toll estimates crossing 800 and rising, with thousands still stranded, political parties have made matters worse with blatant politicising of the horrific tragedy.

While Narendra Modi’s dash to the area and claims of rescuing 15,000 people were derided as was his reported focus on evacuating Gujaratis’, the absence of Rahul Gandhi in the first few days of the crisis and then flouting a home ministry directive for VIPs not to visit the area was equally criticised. ().

While the media has covered the plight of those stranded, the families who have lost members in one stroke, the environmental damage and the truly heroic efforts by the Indian Army and Indian Airforce to rescue people at a cost of their own personnel; a part of the story focuses on the personal behaviour of Modi vs. Gandhi and their colleagues who rush in to defend them. In that context, I won’t even mention Congress Party spokesperson, Renuka Chowdhary’s, ill-advised haircut comment!.

For some biting cartoons on the issue, check out Satish Acharya’s cartoon page:

This is election year, after all and the actions of the two main rivals will be under intense scrutiny. The nature and scale of public gaze has changed dramatically with the social media and is critical of any perceived political posturing, that too in the context of such a massive human tragedy.
As the old Hindi song says, the public looks through and understands everything.

Have you seen any great or even bad PR?

Write to Paarul Chand at paarul@prmoment.in or tweet @PaarulC or @PRmomentIndia throughout the week and we’ll happily credit you for your trouble.