Will current brand image/reputation framework survive post-truth era | Xavier Prabhu | TEDxMunnar

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[Music] [Applause]

[Applause]

[Applause] good morning it’s great to be here today

good morning it’s great to be here today

good morning it’s great to be here today in a stunningly beautiful place amidst a

in a stunningly beautiful place amidst a

in a stunningly beautiful place amidst a great audience like you I’ve spent 23

great audience like you I’ve spent 23

great audience like you I’ve spent 23 plus years in advertising PR and

plus years in advertising PR and

plus years in advertising PR and communication working for brands

communication working for brands

communication working for brands organizations nonprofits and

organizations nonprofits and

organizations nonprofits and governmental organizations it’s only apt

governmental organizations it’s only apt

governmental organizations it’s only apt that I speak about an insight that’s

that I speak about an insight that’s

that I speak about an insight that’s been gaining on me in this area over the

been gaining on me in this area over the

been gaining on me in this area over the last few years if you look at the slide

last few years if you look at the slide

last few years if you look at the slide there are two pictures it’s not just the

there are two pictures it’s not just the

there are two pictures it’s not just the colors that are contrasting but the

colors that are contrasting but the

colors that are contrasting but the contrast is also in the terms of the

contrast is also in the terms of the

contrast is also in the terms of the values and of the persona of the two

values and of the persona of the two

values and of the persona of the two people in focus in those pictures the

people in focus in those pictures the

people in focus in those pictures the first one has Mahatma Gandhi on his

first one has Mahatma Gandhi on his

first one has Mahatma Gandhi on his famous dandy saltmarsh a momentous civil

famous dandy saltmarsh a momentous civil

famous dandy saltmarsh a momentous civil disobedience movement that culminated in

disobedience movement that culminated in

disobedience movement that culminated in India’s independence how himsa based

India’s independence how himsa based

India’s independence how himsa based civil obedience movement that went on to

civil obedience movement that went on to

civil obedience movement that went on to inspire millions of people across the

inspire millions of people across the

inspire millions of people across the world on great icons like Nelson Mandela

world on great icons like Nelson Mandela

world on great icons like Nelson Mandela Martin Luther King to Barack Obama

Martin Luther King to Barack Obama

Martin Luther King to Barack Obama recently can you guess the other person

recently can you guess the other person

recently can you guess the other person in picture I can understand it is Justin

in picture I can understand it is Justin

in picture I can understand it is Justin Trudeau the youthful cool social savvy

Trudeau the youthful cool social savvy

Trudeau the youthful cool social savvy Prime Minister of Canada

Prime Minister of Canada

Prime Minister of Canada it’s a lovely picture of him waving

it’s a lovely picture of him waving

it’s a lovely picture of him waving while is on his morning jog at a group

while is on his morning jog at a group

while is on his morning jog at a group of students on their way to a prom party

of students on their way to a prom party

of students on their way to a prom party an image that went socially viral you

an image that went socially viral you

an image that went socially viral you may ask me what’s wrong about the

may ask me what’s wrong about the

may ask me what’s wrong about the picture it later transpired that the

picture it later transpired that the

picture it later transpired that the whole photo op was actually set up and

whole photo op was actually set up and

whole photo op was actually set up and well planned Trudeau’s official

well planned Trudeau’s official

well planned Trudeau’s official photographer had actually gone ahead and

photographer had actually gone ahead and

photographer had actually gone ahead and set up his equipment to capture this

set up his equipment to capture this

set up his equipment to capture this picture trust as all research and

picture trust as all research and

picture trust as all research and studies have pointed out is the biggest

studies have pointed out is the biggest

studies have pointed out is the biggest and the most important found

and the most important found

and the most important found block for any reputation perception and

block for any reputation perception and

block for any reputation perception and image building process as all these

image building process as all these

image building process as all these studies and research will now tell you

studies and research will now tell you

studies and research will now tell you we are at a point of time in history

we are at a point of time in history

we are at a point of time in history where it is at its lowest in what we

where it is at its lowest in what we

where it is at its lowest in what we call the post truth era now the natural

call the post truth era now the natural

call the post truth era now the natural question is we shouldn’t be here in the

question is we shouldn’t be here in the

question is we shouldn’t be here in the first place we spend billions and

first place we spend billions and

first place we spend billions and billions of dollars today more than ever

billions of dollars today more than ever

billions of dollars today more than ever in image building and communication

in image building and communication

in image building and communication building and brand building processes

building and brand building processes

building and brand building processes more than ever today we have

more than ever today we have

more than ever today we have sophisticated tools and platforms that

sophisticated tools and platforms that

sophisticated tools and platforms that allow us to communicate and build an

allow us to communicate and build an

allow us to communicate and build an image instantly to millions in a well

image instantly to millions in a well

image instantly to millions in a well controlled

controlled

controlled planned manner now is also the time

planned manner now is also the time

planned manner now is also the time industry when presidents prime ministers

industry when presidents prime ministers

industry when presidents prime ministers heads of companies and organizations

heads of companies and organizations

heads of companies and organizations feel so vulnerable against a small sniff

feel so vulnerable against a small sniff

feel so vulnerable against a small sniff or a snigger the natural question that

or a snigger the natural question that

or a snigger the natural question that arises is why we have come here because

arises is why we have come here because

arises is why we have come here because we treat the process of image and

we treat the process of image and

we treat the process of image and reputation building as a professional

reputation building as a professional

reputation building as a professional plastic one with scant regard for what

plastic one with scant regard for what

plastic one with scant regard for what is at the core or what is inside when

is at the core or what is inside when

is at the core or what is inside when what you project is farther from reality

what you project is farther from reality

what you project is farther from reality and the audience figures that out much

and the audience figures that out much

and the audience figures that out much later they head in two directions the

later they head in two directions the

later they head in two directions the first is they retreat into their own

first is they retreat into their own

first is they retreat into their own shells of mistrust and the second is

shells of mistrust and the second is

shells of mistrust and the second is once they figure out everyone and anyone

once they figure out everyone and anyone

once they figure out everyone and anyone is into it they also decide to play

is into it they also decide to play

is into it they also decide to play along and thus starts the Vizia cycle

along and thus starts the Vizia cycle

along and thus starts the Vizia cycle let me explain this to you better with

let me explain this to you better with

let me explain this to you better with an exercise and pardon my sense of

an exercise and pardon my sense of

an exercise and pardon my sense of vanity

vanity

vanity I called it Xavier’s image balloon

I called it Xavier’s image balloon

I called it Xavier’s image balloon exercise

here is a balloon that’s only filled

here is a balloon that’s only filled with air and I have a small pin in my

with air and I have a small pin in my

with air and I have a small pin in my other hand let me see what it is

other hand let me see what it is

other hand let me see what it is God now all it took was a gentle touch

God now all it took was a gentle touch

God now all it took was a gentle touch of this small pen for this balloon to

of this small pen for this balloon to

of this small pen for this balloon to burst there’s nothing that remains of

burst there’s nothing that remains of

burst there’s nothing that remains of this blown balloon with just air inside

this blown balloon with just air inside

this blown balloon with just air inside now let me take a similar balloon with

now let me take a similar balloon with

now let me take a similar balloon with sand filled inside let me do the same

sand filled inside let me do the same

sand filled inside let me do the same paint breaking that I did before and you

paint breaking that I did before and you

paint breaking that I did before and you see one more time one more time one more

see one more time one more time one more

see one more time one more time one more time one more time nothing happened the

time one more time nothing happened the

time one more time nothing happened the balloon stays intact and the reason why

balloon stays intact and the reason why

balloon stays intact and the reason why I did this exercise is to make the point

I did this exercise is to make the point

I did this exercise is to make the point that I was actually just stating before

that I was actually just stating before

that I was actually just stating before is that when your image perception

is that when your image perception

is that when your image perception building process has substance a task or

building process has substance a task or

building process has substance a task or has truth at its core then you don’t

has truth at its core then you don’t

has truth at its core then you don’t have to be worried against any attacks

have to be worried against any attacks

have to be worried against any attacks or net because it’s capable of standing

or net because it’s capable of standing

or net because it’s capable of standing those attacks by itself simply because

those attacks by itself simply because

those attacks by itself simply because it had substance at its core however

it had substance at its core however

it had substance at its core however when you don’t have substance and you

when you don’t have substance and you

when you don’t have substance and you only have air and you spend billions and

only have air and you spend billions and

only have air and you spend billions and billions of dollars in blowing that

billions of dollars in blowing that

billions of dollars in blowing that balloon bigger and bigger or that image

balloon bigger and bigger or that image

balloon bigger and bigger or that image and reputation bigger and bigger you are

and reputation bigger and bigger you are

and reputation bigger and bigger you are going to be wearing off

going to be wearing off

going to be wearing off even a small pinprick because it can

even a small pinprick because it can

even a small pinprick because it can just destroy that image in seconds into

just destroy that image in seconds into

just destroy that image in seconds into tatters like this balloon the other

tatters like this balloon the other

tatters like this balloon the other thing is that

thing is that

thing is that for us it was easy to blow air into that

for us it was easy to blow air into that

for us it was easy to blow air into that balloon but it took us much much longer

balloon but it took us much much longer

balloon but it took us much much longer time and it was more difficult to fill

time and it was more difficult to fill

time and it was more difficult to fill sand into this balloon there are two

sand into this balloon there are two

sand into this balloon there are two clear disincentives for brands

clear disincentives for brands

clear disincentives for brands organizations and governments to

organizations and governments to

organizations and governments to disregard this the first is that

disregard this the first is that

disregard this the first is that continuing with this current ineffective

continuing with this current ineffective

continuing with this current ineffective approach will only drive marketing

approach will only drive marketing

approach will only drive marketing branding communication costs up further

branding communication costs up further

branding communication costs up further the second is that how much of our you

the second is that how much of our you

the second is that how much of our you invest your vulnerability against any

invest your vulnerability against any

invest your vulnerability against any attack will only increase remember it

attack will only increase remember it

attack will only increase remember it all took a small pinprick and what

all took a small pinprick and what

all took a small pinprick and what happened to the balloon

happened to the balloon

happened to the balloon fortunately they incentive to change the

fortunately they incentive to change the

fortunately they incentive to change the current ineffective process is higher

current ineffective process is higher

current ineffective process is higher today the threshold of expectations of

today the threshold of expectations of

today the threshold of expectations of citizens consumers from brands

citizens consumers from brands

citizens consumers from brands organizations and governments are so low

organizations and governments are so low

organizations and governments are so low that they are willing to forgive you for

that they are willing to forgive you for

that they are willing to forgive you for your mistakes and errors when you admit

your mistakes and errors when you admit

your mistakes and errors when you admit to it candidly in fact it may even work

to it candidly in fact it may even work

to it candidly in fact it may even work for your brand or organization or

for your brand or organization or

for your brand or organization or government that they will end up

government that they will end up

government that they will end up preferring you over others because of

preferring you over others because of

preferring you over others because of your candidness your billions of dollars

your candidness your billions of dollars

your candidness your billions of dollars of marketing and branding now work

of marketing and branding now work

of marketing and branding now work better csr is a classic example when you

better csr is a classic example when you

better csr is a classic example when you build a large factory in a rural area

build a large factory in a rural area

build a large factory in a rural area where you are the largest employer don’t

where you are the largest employer don’t

where you are the largest employer don’t grow about building a school in that

grow about building a school in that

grow about building a school in that area as a favor because there are

area as a favor because there are

area as a favor because there are visible tangible benefits to business

visible tangible benefits to business

visible tangible benefits to business for you to be building that school in

for you to be building that school in

for you to be building that school in that area instead why don’t you try

that area instead why don’t you try

that area instead why don’t you try doing something beyond genuinely good

doing something beyond genuinely good

doing something beyond genuinely good that uplifts that community and see the

that uplifts that community and see the

that uplifts that community and see the credibility and trust for your brand

credibility and trust for your brand

credibility and trust for your brand really go up

really go up

really go up there is a larger benefit impact out of

there is a larger benefit impact out of

there is a larger benefit impact out of this substance driven get real approach

this substance driven get real approach

this substance driven get real approach it gets trust back into the system it’s

it gets trust back into the system it’s

it gets trust back into the system it’s not going to happen overnight

not going to happen overnight

not going to happen overnight considering how disillusioned most of us

considering how disillusioned most of us

considering how disillusioned most of us have become but it’s worth a try

have become but it’s worth a try

have become but it’s worth a try for millions of professionals like me

for millions of professionals like me

for millions of professionals like me across the world we’re doing amazing

across the world we’re doing amazing

across the world we’re doing amazing work in this areas this also provides an

work in this areas this also provides an

work in this areas this also provides an opportunity transform our role from

opportunity transform our role from

opportunity transform our role from being seen as mere gatekeepers and spin

being seen as mere gatekeepers and spin

being seen as mere gatekeepers and spin masters I am working on a framework that

masters I am working on a framework that

masters I am working on a framework that allows governments organizations and

allows governments organizations and

allows governments organizations and brands to navigate this better but more

brands to navigate this better but more

brands to navigate this better but more of that later thank you for being such a

of that later thank you for being such a

of that later thank you for being such a great audience

great audience

great audience loud being here thank you again