Pawan J. Mehra, our Co-founder and Principal, recently presented “Speaking to Diverse Groups: Successful Strategies in Multicultural PR” at the 2012 PRSA International Conference. The presentation shed light on the reality that companies are comfortable with approaching the larger homogeneous market segments, but it becomes challenging when they start venturing into culturally diverse segments. Using Comcast as a case study Pawan demonstrated  how a Fortune 500 company has effectively communicated to media and consumers from more than 14 different ethnic backgrounds.

Pawan presented the main challenges that PR practitioners face when trying to implement multicultural public relation efforts. When reaching out to smaller ethnic groups, PR practitioners can not approach the media as they do general market media. Collecting, monitoring and measuring releases is also a challenge. Due to the limited mass media outlets, smaller ethnic groups have multiple outreach options that are vital to communication efforts. Understanding these challenges and rising up to them sets the foundation for a successful PR campaign.

Pawan also explored the subject of “Translation vs Transcreation.”  This topic captivated the audience, as it has many of our clients, that question when it is appropriate to translate material and when one should create brand new material to really resonate within that community.  By providing the difference between the two methods PR professionals in the audience obtained a deeper insight as to when one method is more appropriate to use than the other.

The future of PR entails professional to be able to venture into culturally diverse communities and strive to reach, influence and build lasting relationships. Click here to download the complete presentation!

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