India’s jewellery industry is one of the most culturally rich and commercially powerful sectors in retail. Yet when it comes to Public Relations, many jewellers continue to treat it as an afterthought rather than a strategic leadership function.
At Gecko, we often observe a pattern of mistakes that hold otherwise strong brands back from building real reputation capital.
The most common one is reducing PR to press releases announcing offers, collections, and store launches. While announcements have their place, PR is not a notification service. Its real role is to shape perception, build trust, and craft a narrative that outlives any single campaign.
Another major misstep is the copy-paste approach across markets. Media ecosystems are deeply local. What resonates in Mumbai may not land the same way in Chennai or Jaipur. Effective PR understands regional narratives, local journalists, and market-specific conversations.
Then there is the problem of reactive PR. Many brands engage only when there is something to announce. But reputation is not built in bursts, it is built through consistent storytelling and meaningful touchpoints over time. Small, steady signals in the media create far greater credibility than sporadic spikes of coverage.
Many jewellers also fall into the trap of talking only about themselves. Modern editorial media is not interested in brand brochures. It seeks perspective, insights on industry trends, consumer behavior, craftsmanship, sustainability, entrepreneurship, and culture. Brands that contribute to the conversation earn attention; those that merely promote themselves rarely do.
Another critical misunderstanding is the overdependence on advertising for credibility. Advertising buys visibility, but PR earns trust. The power of editorial validation cannot be substituted by paid space. A great reputation architecture requires a steady balance of advertising relationship with the marketing teams at publications as well as editorial relationships that are based on trust, deep insights and meaningful opinions.
Perhaps the biggest blind spot is that reputation management is treated as a “by-the-way” activity. In reality, reputation is a strategic asset. It influences investor confidence, partnerships, hiring, and long-term brand equity.
PR, when done right, is not a marketing tactic. It is a leadership discipline. It requires structured storytelling, a clear narrative spine, and consistent engagement with the media ecosystem. In the jewellery business, craftsmanship creates beautiful products. But narrative craftsmanship is what builds enduring brands.
— Keyur Barad, Founder and CEO, Gecko
