Bengaluru International Airport Limited, (BIAL) is located in the city’s suburban area. In May 2008, it replaced the old HAL Airport which was located within city limits. Although it was on par with the best of international airports, the new airport initially faced flak from anti-BIAL lobbies, the public, flyers, sections of the media and others with vested interests. In the middle of this anti-BIAL blitzkrieg, The PRactice was brought on board to improve perceptions and establish a positive corporate reputation for the client. We studied existing conversations in parallel forums and realised that most of them were based on half-truths. We advised the client to launch a communication campaign which debunked the myths and half-truths. We launched a simple, yet credible Strategic Media Relations program, ‘Seeing Is Believing’, as part of which, influential bloggers and journalists were offered free trips to the airport, to have a first-hand experience of BIAL. What resulted was that bloggers and journalists started writing about the positive experience. Myths were shattered, and the truth emerged. When the airport was inaugurated amidst much fanfare and support from the media and public at large, The PRactice was acknowledged as a key facilitator, by the client. We went on to partner with BIAL and build the client’s reputation through a Digital Engagement programme for many years. Leveraging our rich experience in Public Relations, we effectively managed BIAL’s reputation as one of the most professionally run private-public partnerships in the country.
