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A new breed of image-makers

By Our Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI NOV. 19 . It is a totally new breed of image managers that candidates in Delhi seem to be banking upon. No, they are not the dedicated grassroots workers who are in regular touch with the people, but young boys and girls from public relations companies who are just carrying out their master's orders.

Gone are the days when dedicated workers or partymen frequented newspaper offices to ensure proper projection of their leaders. In this fast-paced world it is the image-makers and spin doctors who call the shots. And for the public relations companies that have taken over the process of drawing up the strategy for the battle of the ballot, it is nothing short of a windfall.

There is a sudden boom of such companies that are going all out to woo the candidates. In the world of intrigue, suspicion and political machinations, there is a tendency among politicians not to trust even their own partymen. This is where the PR companies and ad consultants have stepped in and are raking in the moolah.

No longer are familiar faces from political parties carrying press notes and photographs seen in newspaper offices.

The baton has been passed on to the spin-doctors who have deputed "specialists'' to impress media persons about the winnability of their "client''.

In the past, political activists visited newspapers offices and depended entirely on their personal rapport with reporters to ensure coverage for their party candidate.

For the reporters, such party workers used to be a good source of feedback on what actually was happening in a particular constituency and also provided an insight into the ground realities. But with the entry of the PR companies and ad consultants, things have changed drastically. Their common refrain is: "Our client has a very good image and high winnability factor.''

Interestingly, these companies are charging hefty sums from their political clients and it is not known if these would be included in their election expenses. For a candidate contesting for the first time, the expenses are on the higher side and could range from Rs. 60,000 to Rs. 1,00,000 which would include good media coverage in a limited number of newspapers throughout the campaign period. In fact, in some cases the contract extends only to English or Hindi dailies or both as the case may be. But for the second timers, the price tag ranges from Rs. 50,000 to 70,000.

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