In a city like Mumbai, talent is abundant. Walk down any street, and you are likely to encounter individuals who can sing, dance, or act with remarkable skill. So, how does one stand out to casting directors, producers, filmmakers, financiers, celeb management agencies, music producers, and other key decision-makers? The answer lies in building a strong personal brand on the internet. PR could serve as the branding iron that shapes and defines that brand. While talent may open the door, it is not the sole determinant of success. What truly sets apart the stars from the struggling artists? What makes some shine brighter than others? ?Ç£PR can be likened to planting a seed. Consistent nurturing, akin to maintaining a strong media presence, allows it to grow into a robust and enduring brand. Many artists mistakenly view PR as an expendable cost, something to cut back on during tough times. This is a critical error. PR is the fuel that propels a career forward. Neglecting it is akin to driving a car with an empty tank,?Ç¥ says Bollywood publicity professional Dale Bhagwagar. Dale Bhagwagar, often referred to as the Father of Bollywood PR, pioneered the first Bollywood PR agency, Dale Bhagwagar Media Group, bringing organization and structure to entertainment PR in the 1990s ?Çö a time when the industry was fragmented with independent publicists. With a proven track record of transforming unknown artists into celebrities through strategic PR, crafting compelling narratives, and securing consistent media coverage, he has become an industry leader.Having handled more than 300 celebrities over an almost three-decade-long career in PR, Bhagwagar has cemented his reputation as a master of the craft. He has been quoted in most Indian media as well as international publications like The New York Times, The Guardian, and The Washington Post, making him Bollywood's only PR guru. He also runs BollywoodPR.in, the premier authoritative PR website of the Indian entertainment industry, and consistently influences the industry's best practices and approaches. According to Bhagwagar, familiarity breeds favour in this industry. People are drawn to credibility. "Online media coverage isn't just about getting your name in the news; it's about building trust, establishing authority, and becoming a name people recognize and respect," explains the Bollywood publicist. Some of his clients refer to Dale Bhagwagar as a "luck magnet," but Bhagwagar dismisses this notion. "PR does create opportunities where none existed before. But it's not luck; it's strategy," asserts the PR expert. ?Ç£See, Bollywood PR opens doors to stardom, but strategy with a vision is always the key,?Ç¥ he specifies. In current times, an individual's online presence serves as their calling card. Failing to dominate Google search results means losing out on opportunities. PR is not merely about curating perceptions; it is about controlling your narrative and owning your online space. ?Ç£The reality is stark; talent alone is insufficient. In the current market, having no brand often equates to having no work. PR is not about self-promotion; it is about creating a powerful and enduring brand that commands attention,?Ç¥ remarks Bhagwagar. True that! In a world where everyone is vying for attention, PR acts as a megaphone. Used wisely, it can propel a career to new heights. Ignored, it can lead to obscurity. The choice is clear. Dale Bhagwagar, Father of Bollywood PR, Bollywood?ÇÖs only PR guru

Gregory FCA, one of the top 40 largest public relations firms in the US, has acquired BackBay Communications, a specialized financial strategic communications agency with offices in Boston and London. Based on O'Dwyer's 2024 ranking of financial PR firms, the deal creates the country?ÇÖs sixth largest financially focused strategic communications firm.The BackBay acquisition is part of Gregory FCA's broader growth strategy and its third acquisition with minority investor Copley Equity Partners. The deal adds to Gregory FCA?ÇÖs deep bench of financial expertise with a stable of public relations and content professionals, including former journalists and analysts from The New York Times, Money, S&P Global, Celent, and American Banker.?Ç£Talent wins,?Ç¥ says Greg Matusky, CEO and Founder of Gregory FCA. ?Ç£While AI promises to disrupt our industry, talent is still the key driver. Complementing our award-winning, industry-recognized team, BackBay brings an impressive lineup of the brightest minds in strategic communications. We welcome BackBay into our verticalized practice, serving financial services, technology, real estate, healthcare, supply chain, nonprofit, and sustainability clients.?Ç¥For BackBay, the move provides an expanded suite of offerings through Gregory FCA's investor relations, creative services, and digital marketing capabilities. In addition, BackBay gains access to Gregory FCA?ÇÖs portfolio of AI tools designed to add efficiencies to agency workflows and amplify client outcomes.BackBay will continue to operate under its trade name, with founder and CEO Bill Haynes leading the 27-person BackBay team as Executive Vice President and Managing Director. Haynes joins Gregory FCA?ÇÖs New York Managing Director Brittany Bevacqua and newly elevated Chief Operating Officer Brittany Liberatore on the leadership team alongside Matusky and agency co-owner, President and head of Gregory FCA?ÇÖs financial services division, Joe Anthony.?Ç£We are proud of the culture, client base, and firm we have built at BackBay, so it was imperative for us to find a partner that shares our focus, approach, and values. We found that and more in Gregory FCA,?Ç¥ says Haynes. ?Ç£The acquisition will provide enhanced career opportunities for our team members and additional value-added services for our clients, including Gregory FCA?ÇÖs pioneering AI-enhanced workflows and its creative center of excellence. We are bringing together the best in the business to usher in the next era of strategic communications for financial services companies.?Ç¥Both agencies have played significant leadership roles in the financial agency landscape, and their combined expertise positions the firm to handle large-scale clients and those operating in the more nuanced segments of the market. Companies within the wealth management, asset management, private equity, private credit, fintech, wealthtech, insurance, capital markets, banking, sustainable investing, and digital asset sectors will now have an even stronger lineup of experienced, qualified professionals to lead and execute their strategic marketing and communications programs.?Ç£BackBay and Gregory FCA are operating with a shared vision for the future, one that brings better strategic and tactical execution to our clients and career opportunities for our people,?Ç¥ says Anthony. ?Ç£We have led with the approach that industry-specific knowledge is the power we need to make an outsized impact for clients. Our combination with Bill and his team allows us to deliver on that promise to an even greater extent.?Ç¥In addition to the acquisition of BackBay, Gregory FCA has continued to fuel growth through the effective and responsible use of AI, establishing itself as a thought leader in AI's transformative impact on human communications. The firm's first-mover position in AI development, testing, training, and deployment, and its passion to share its conclusions and findings with the broader communications sector, has led to industry-wide recognition and increased demand for its PR and marketing services. Gregory FCA was recently named to the 2024 Observer Tech & AI Power Player List, honored as a 2023 PR News Top 100 Agency Elite, and was the first-ever recipient of the PRSA Pepperpot Award for AI.