In the second edition of our new column, PR ACE, dedicated to spotlighting young PR leaders and their journeys, we feature Shivam Trivedi, Director at House of Communication. Shivam shares insights into how his prior experiences shaped his approach to PR, drawing from his work across industries such as real estate, FMCG, and healthcare. He discussed how working in these diverse sectors has enriched his understanding of PR, emphasizing the importance of strategic communication and building trust with stakeholders.
He also shared his strategies for ensuring that campaigns resonate with diverse audiences across different industries. Additionally, Shivam touched upon his expertise in both traditional and digital PR, explaining how he balances the two approaches to deliver optimal results for his clients. He reflected on some of the key challenges he's encountered while managing PR across various sectors, and much more.
Can you tell us about your journey from your early days at multiple PR firms to founding the House of Communication? How did your prior experiences shape your approach to PR?
My journey into PR started with a solid foundation in journalism, which sharpened my understanding of storytelling and media dynamics. While working with diverse PR agencies, I was exposed to different sectors-from small startups to multinational corporations-that helped me develop a pretty sound perspective towards developing communications strategies. The experience made me understand that effective PR is more than just coverage-it's creating meaningful narratives that work in tandem with business goals. I took all these learnings forward and laid the foundation of the House of Communication. So, at all times, campaigns that we work with the client are both innovative and deeply connected with the client's objectives.
You’ve had experience in various industries such as real estate, FMCG, and healthcare. How has working across these diverse sectors enriched your understanding of PR?
It has been very enriching to work across industries like technology, healthcare, real estate, startups, and lifestyle, where each sector has its respective hurdles, stakeholders, and narratives, but the common thread was being authentic and having strategic communication. And hence, it made me understand better what type of communication works best for which type of audience.
This cross-industry experience puts us in a position where we're sector-agnostic, so we bring cross-industry insights to the table, which is how we're applying innovative strategies from one industry over into another-and that usually leads to fresh, unexpected solutions. So, our approach is holistic, and it gives our clients the ability to kind of adapt to them, but always cut through the noise with our campaigns.
What motivated you to start House of Communication, and what was the vision behind it?
The motivation behind starting House of Communication was to create a platform where strategic communications would not only drive brand visibility but deliver measurable business outcomes. For me, I envisioned a PR firm that would streamline a traditional PR approach with modern digital techniques, thereby offering a very holistic approach. I felt it was going to be about being a trusted partner for brands, understanding their pain, and then coming forward with solutions that speak to them and their audience. I wanted to generate that team of people who could share this passion for storytelling and strategic thinking at the same time build incredible relationships with media, clients, and all of our stakeholders.
You emphasize the importance of strategic communication and building trust with stakeholders. How do you ensure that your campaigns resonate with diverse audiences across different industries?
The bottom line to reach diverse audiences is to understand the unique values, needs, and motivations of each sector. We start by conducting a complete analysis of the client's brand, industry landscape, and target audiences. Once we achieve that insight, we craft messages reflecting the voice of the brand while addressing the concerns of the audience in a relevant manner.
This will involve strategic communication with our campaigns, aligning them with the client's vision but also adaptable enough for it to resonate within multiple platforms. That's why we ensure our campaigns speak to the different stakeholders - customers, investors, even partners - by tailoring the message that always lies at the core of authentic and transparent communication.
Given your expertise in both traditional and digital PR, how do you balance the two approaches to achieve the best results for your clients?
Balancing traditional and digital PR means understanding where your audience is and how they consume information. In reality, we don't view traditional and digital as opposing forces to one another but rather as complementary tools that will really amplify a message when used strategically. Traditional PR embodies credibility and trust while digital PR provides instant engagement and reach to expansive geographies.
For instance, we start with traditional media to cement the authority and then amplify the message through various other digital platforms, looking at the engagement in real-time and getting a much broader visibility. An integrated approach ensures that your client gets the best of both worlds, delivering sustained impact across multiple channels.
Q - You’ve mentioned focusing on ROI-driven approaches for your clients. Could you share an example of a campaign where this strategy proved particularly successful?
Absolutely! We implement ROI-driven strategies so that our client can actually see the difference we are making. One of my favorite campaigns goes back to launching a VC fund for a client. There was significant interest in establishing credibility for that particular market. We implemented a comprehensive approach, combining media outreach, thought leadership, and digital engagement-all anchored on very clear, measurable KPIs. The campaign within a short span received wide media coverage, most inquiries ever, and exceeded client's goals with fund launch. On the other end of the spectrum, we worked with a waste management brand in which we developed a multi-channel communication strategy that placed traditional platforms alongside digital platforms, thereby cutting across a plethora of stakeholders from agencies to government, to environmentally conscious consumers. Using measurable outcomes such as brand visibility, stakeholder engagement, and consumer conversion, the campaign made sure that it created significant awareness and also business outcome tangibles. The remarkable growth witnessed in investor interest did give a clear view of tangible business outcomes, which could then be compared to a form of return on investment through media coverage, social media engagement, and new business leads.
The PR industry has evolved rapidly with the rise of digital media and news aggregators. How do you keep up with these changes, and how has it influenced your work?
Staying ahead in the fast-evolving digital landscape is crucial. We actively monitor trends, invest in digital tools, and continually upskill our team to ensure we are at the cutting edge of the industry. The rise of digital media and news aggregators has changed how we approach PR—it's more about real-time engagement and data-driven strategies now. For example, we focus heavily on analytics to gauge the performance of campaigns and adjust strategies on the go. The ability to track the direct impact of our efforts has made PR more accountable and results-driven, which benefits both us and our clients.
The PR industry has evolved rapidly with the rise of digital media and news aggregators. How do you keep up with these changes, and how has it influenced your work?
The rapid pace of change in digital media has made it essential to stay ahead of trends and adapt quickly. At House of Communication, we continuously invest in digital tools and analytics platforms to ensure we’re at the cutting edge of PR technology. We also place a strong emphasis on ongoing training for our team to ensure we remain agile and responsive to new platforms, trends, and audience behaviors.
The shift towards digital has influenced our work by making campaigns more data-driven. We can now track the performance of every piece of content, adjust in real-time, and measure outcomes more precisely, which in turn helps us deliver better results for our clients.
What are some of the key challenges you’ve encountered while managing PR for different sectors, and how do you overcome them?
One of the key challenges across sectors is navigating the unique regulatory, market, and communication landscapes. Each sector has its own set of challenges—whether it's maintaining compliance or standing out in the crowded space. The solution lies in deep research and sector-specific expertise.
We overcome these challenges by assembling specialized teams who understand the intricacies of each industry. This allows us to craft strategies that are not only compliant but also innovative and effective in reaching the right stakeholders.
How important is creativity in the current PR landscape, and how do you foster a creative mindset in your team while maintaining a focus on measurable results?
Creativity is the lifeblood of PR—it’s what makes a campaign stand out. However, creativity is only good if it delivers results based on measurable outcomes. We also develop the creative psyche by encouraging our team to think outside of the box and challenge other conventional methods of doing things in PR. For instance, through brainstorming, we ask one another how we could integrate two seemingly incompatible elements into our campaign, such as experiential marketing or data visualization. In doing so, we always bring our creative ideas back to the client's KPI, so every campaign is not only inventive but also results-driven.
As a leader, how do you inspire and manage your team at House of Communication to adapt and innovate in a highly competitive PR industry?
Leading by example is crucial. I emphasize the importance of collaboration, continuous improvement, and staying curious. I encourage my team to take calculated risks and come up with innovative solutions, knowing that every challenge presents an opportunity to grow. We foster a culture of open communication where everyone’s ideas are valued. In an industry as dynamic as PR, adaptability is key, and I encourage my team to be agile by staying ahead of trends and being proactive rather than reactive.
Looking ahead, what are your goals for the House of Communication in the next few years? Are there any new sectors or services you’re planning to explore?
Looking ahead, I see House of Communication expanding its footprint in both new sectors and geographies. We have established ourselves across every sector and keenly look forward to exploring the emerging sectors. We continue to work on further strengthening our digital services in parallel. We have a few collaboration initiatives up in the air that will allow us to present more integrated marketing solutions for our clients. Ultimately, my aspiration is to build House of Communication as a full-service agency presenting end-to-end communication solutions all while maintaining our core of impactful, ROI-driven PR.