Barbers: The Quintessential PR Professionals

The recent advertisement of the News Hunt app downplays the importance of Barbers as the source of news. But when we reflect on the parables associated with barbers and the way they have been depicted in stories, movies and other forms of story-telling we cannot stop ourselves from appreciating that PR was once their forte.

A barber’s shop is witness to hundreds of customers in a day. These customers bring in with them the various news and stories. They narrate the day to day happenings of their life. The barber in turn tells them the stories of others in the locality. These stories are not plain recitations, they are tailor made stories, told according to the taste of the customer but at the same time the barber also avoids making any reckless statement that can be attributed to him.

This ability to mould the story according to the listener’s intent makes them the quintessential PR Professional. Through their uncanny ability to convince, barbers are expert at image building and crisis management. This ability of theirs was not unnoticed by our forefathers. In many parts of the country this exemplary skill of barbers was used in sending across marriage proposals. They were even used as messengers in some areas. Due to this incredible ability they are even considered more intelligent than others from among the marginalised community.  


The author of this opinion article is Mr. Anand Prabhakar Content Writer at PR Professionals