Brand
ISMA Crisis PR
#TurningCrisisIntoOpportunity
On March 12, 2025, Indian Sugar and Bio-Energy Manufacturers Association (ISMA) issued its routine press release on revised sugar production estimates for 2024-25, projecting 264 lakh tonnes after ethanol diversion, with 233.09 lakh tonnes produced as of March 10 across 228 operating mills.
Within days, messages began circulating across industry WhatsApp groups questioning ISMA's credibility, accusing it of bias toward private sugar mills and disputing the accuracy of its methodology. This was compounded when NFCSF (National Federation of Cooperative Sugar Factories Limited) issued a counter press release projecting a lower estimate of 259 lakh tonnes, citing a 16.11% production decline to 237.15 lakh tonnes and raising uncertainty around earlier figures. Several media houses covering the story had little prior familiarity with ISMA's work, which meant accusations landed without context or pushback.
ISMA's reputation as a credible, scientifically rigorous industry body was under direct attack, and the window to respond was narrow.
Campaign gallery
Approach
We went on front foot. Our goal was to move the story from dispute to credibility, using ISMA's own data and legacy to do it.
Execution
On March 19, 2025, we issued a counter press release titled "Sugar Industry Stable with Adequate Stocks and Positive Future Outlook". It reinforced ISMA's revised production estimate of 264 lakh tonnes, acknowledged the government's progressive policy stance on ethanol, and laid out the scientific methodology behind ISMA's projections in clear, accessible language.
Alongside, we arranged 8 one-on-one media interactions for Mr Deepak Ballani, Director General of ISMA, with some of India's most influential financial and business publications: Reuters, Bloomberg, PTI TV, The Economic Times, NDTV Profit, ET Now, ET Now Swadesh, and Zee Business. Each interaction gave ISMA's leadership the space to explain association's perspective directly, address inaccuracies in the competing narrative, and restate facts on record.
We also deliberately reached out to media outlets that had previously been unfamiliar with ISMA, building new relationships and expanding pool of journalists who understood the association's role and rigour.
Results
- 33 positive articles generated via press release, including 22 pieces in Tier A media: The Hindu, Hindu Business Line, Economic Times, Reuters, IANS, ANI, Moneycontrol, CNBC TV18, The Statesman, Kisantak, Chinimandi, and IANS Business.
- 8 articles generated directly from DG interviews, with coverage in Reuters, Bloomberg, PTI TV, Economic Times, NDTV Profit, ET Now, ET Now Swadesh, and Zee Business.
- Additional coverage appeared in Financial Express, Business Standard, ABP News, Times of India, CNBC Awaaz, and other mainline publications, spanning print, digital, and broadcast.
33
Positive articles
22
Tier A pieces
8
DG interview hits
