NEW DELHI: In a major communications overhaul, the Subhash Chandra-led Essel Group has decided to create a signature group under Corporate Brand Development Group (CBDG) for all the brands in the group as a corporate brand.
Ashish Kaul, till recently the corporate communication head of another Chandra company, ASC Enterprsies, would be heading this newly-formed group at the corporate level as well as for each brand as vice-president. Kaul, who was working with the Agrani group for over four years, has been transferred to Essel Group to lead this mammoth exercise.
This discipline is distinct from the marketing activity currently being handled by the marketing team of each business/brand. This function would be fully operational towards the end of July 2003. The brands that this group will handle will include all Zee brands, Alpha brands, Playwin, Zee Education, Essel World, Water Kingdom, Fun Republic, Essel Propack Ltd., and the Agrani group.
Considering the sheer size of the Essel Group and the number of brands and sub-brands that the group has, it is perhaps the largest communications overhaul exercise ever undertaken by a company of this size.
Essel Group has interests in old and new economy businesses ranging from packaging, theme parks, multiplexes, cable distribution, content/broadcast, telecom infrastructure, IT retailing, satellite infrastructure and wireless services.
Presently, a team is being put in place and preference is being given to nourish and upgrade in-house talent. "The theme of this exercise would be to reach a situation where my communications audit tells me that every individual in the entire group has become a brand ambassador of the group.
We would also strive to streamline the messaging systems of the group and our attempt would be to align the message with experience. This cannot be achieved only by effective external communication management but impetus will be given to developing internal communications in association with the various HR divisions of the group," Kaul told indiantelevision.com.
Corporate Brand Development Group would be responsible for external and internal communications of the Essel Group. The current arrangements of the group will continue till the transition is completed in a phased manner. Corporate Brand Development would access the needs of each brand and sub-brand within the group and deploy a person or a group of people to service that brand or group of brands. The representatives of these brands would be allocated to respective companies for administrative purposes and policy-wise the CBDG would report directly to Chandra.
In a career spanning about 10 years Kaul has been exposed to telecom, satellite infrastructure, chemicals and petrochemicals, media and IT sectors. As an assistant manager, corporate communications with IndusInd Media ( Hinduja Group ), Kaul has been exposed to various brands like the CVO Movie Channel and Gulf Oil. Apart from media management on national and international level, Kaul has been associated with event management on behalf of his organisations and has been instrumental in launching a Social Communications programme in Uttar Pradesh promoting Social Forestry schemes and Rural medical programmes on behalf of SVC Superchem.
