Food is easy, but how do you talk about jewellery?" wonders a public relations professional about the challenge of keeping conversation around a client alive during a health and economic crisis. At a time, when the media is fully focused on pandemic news, the publicity and marketing industry is floundering not just to make revenue, but also to stay relevant. Most firms admit to a 25 per cent and more drop in revenue. But the bigger concern is, how to pitch a client without coming across as brazen and insensitive. "We decided to link one of the brands we handle with mindfulness, speaking of how less is more, and therefore, the need for simpler jewellery. We have had to adapt and find unique solutions," she adds, choosing to stay anonymous for the story. But, it's a tight rope. One slip and a firm might end up sounding tone deaf, which costs more than not being heard at all.

Here's a sample. "Isolation Getaway for Longevity" reads the subject line of one mailer this writer received. The Coronavirus infection doesn't have a cure yet, but as Aakanksha Gupta, founder of The Other Circle, puts it, "For now, nothing can save you from Corona."