The Women’s Indian Chamber of Commerce & Industry (WICCI) Public Relations and Digital Marketing Council, a platform dedicated to fostering professional development for women in communications, concluded the first event in Delhi that brought diverse voices from the industry to spotlight the transformative roles women play in shaping the future of communications.The event explored the multifaceted roles that women play in shaping the narrative and dynamics within the communications industry, timed to celebrate Women’s History Month 2024. The panel was designed to include leaders from PR consultancies, corporate communications and media across age groups, especially the voice of young women leaders. The illustrious panel included:Archana Jain, CEO, PR Pundit Havas RedNikhil Dey, Executive Director, Adfactors PRVandana Chopra, Head – Brand and Communications, KPMG in IndiaNafisa Shaheen, Head- PR and Marketing, Globale MediaThe discussion was moderated by Ritu Bararia, National President, WICCI PR and Digital Marketing Council. This is the first in the series of events in Delhi and Mumbai designed to foster insightful discussions, facilitate professional networking, and highlight the significant contributions of women in the realms of PR and digital marketing.WICCI PR and Digital Marketing Council conducted the campaign "#SheMeansBusiness" in celebration of International Women’s Day 2024, aligned with the global theme for International Women's Day, "Count Her In: Invest in Her. Accelerate Progress". Under the campaign, a survey was conducted with over 100 women professionals in communications working at multiple levels across the country. The results revealed that microaggressions, biased hiring practices and lack of leadership training programmes are some of the key barriers faced by women working in the Indian communications industry.

Authored by Archana Jain, CEO India's Economic Ascendancy As the world rebounds from the pandemic, India has not only emerged as a resilient economy, but is also a powerful voice globally. In 2023, it became a pivotal market for transnational businesses which had a healthy rub-off on the Indian PR industry. Our industry's steady growth trajectory since 2022 is a testament to the importance of strategic communications.The robust performance of the Indian economy is set to continue in 2024. Factors such as increased investment in infrastructure, stable governance, and the country’s sustained attractiveness are expected to fuel continued growth. This positive outlook bodes well for the Indian PR industry, presenting new opportunities for communication professionals.There is also an increasing confidence among Indian brands to make a global foray allowing us to craft cross border campaigns and enlarge our realm of influence. Integrated PR in 2024: In the coming year, PR strategies will continue to embrace an integrated format, with 'owned media' taking centre stage in compelling storytelling. Authentic and human stories will be the driving force, harmonised across the 'merged media' model. In the era of dissolving boundaries between paid, earned & owned, PR's role is pivotal in shaping appeal across various platforms like websites, LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube. The Power of Purpose-Driven PR: Today, more than ever - brands are emotions. In 2024, PR professionals must lead the way in emotive storytelling, aligning brands with societal values. A commitment to people, planet, and purpose will be a clear PR advantage, resonating with both consumers and employees.Social Media Dominance: Social media's influence will only grow in 2024. It is imperative for PR professionals to excel in original content creation, engage with the brands' audience and build thought leadership on relevant platforms. Influencer marketing and key opinion leader (KOL) collaborations will remain critical for tapping new audiences and amplifying brand messages.AI Integration for PR Success: While creativity remains at the core of PR, the adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) is paramount. In 2024, PR professionals must leverage AI for data analysis, industry insights, and content generation. Smart utilization of AI can help overcome talent shortages and enhance the efficiency of the practitioners.No Escape from Learning: The fast-evolving PR landscape demands constant upskilling. From AI-driven analytics to digital marketing expertise, PR professionals must acquire new skills to remain competitive. Ongoing learning and adaptation to emerging trends will remain crucial for success. As Charles Darwin rightfully said –“It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent. It is the one that is most adaptable to change.” Return on Investment: As clients increasingly demand measurable results, measuring the success and return on investment (ROI) of campaigns must go beyond the standard reporting of a breakdown of media/social coverage and reach; a digital sentiment analysis against performance KPIs with a focus on relevant stakeholders; and improvement in media sentiment, including uptick in positive inbound media enquiries or increase in media and website traffic; increases in keyword rankings for specific topics and leaders. We hope that in 2024 budgets will allow us to allocate more resources to help us capture sentiment to track progress and measure the impact of campaigns via before-and-after stakeholder surveys. ConclusionIn the dynamic realm of PR, 2024 promises exciting opportunities and challenges. By embracing integrated communication, purpose-driven storytelling, and leveraging advancements in AI, PR professionals in India can lead the way in shaping compelling narratives that resonate globally. The key to success lies in staying agile, continually learning to skillfully navigate the evolving PR landscape and measuring success.

In the last 10 years, PR has taken a different dimension, especially after the entry of social media and the rapid shift to digital during the pandemic period. At the same time, the industry has been facing stiff challenges; moreover client expectations have also increased, with more emphasis being given to digital and online reputation management. The industry has undergone a radical shift and the current times have pushed the industry to change gears.In PR conversation this week, Archana Jain, CEO, PR Pundit Havas Red, speaks in length about the emerging trends expected to shape the PR industry in 2024, shedding light on the firm's focal points for the year. Given the unpredictable nature of crises, Jain elaborates on the firm’s crisis management and reputation protection approach for clients. She shares insights into the evolving challenges in this domain and outlines the strategies considered crucial for 2024. Touching upon the increasing emphasis on diversity, equity, and inclusion, Jain explains how PR Pundit Havas Red addresses these aspects in both internal operations and client campaigns.Could you highlight the emerging trends and innovative strategies in the PR industry that are expected to shape the landscape in 2024? How is your firm adapting to stay ahead of these changes?We are living in the decade of brands. A brand is no longer a product alone, it’s an emotion, hence to build a brand and strengthen its appeal and relevance, PR must lead the way in emotive story-telling.The future of PR is in the integrated format where ‘owned media’ is at the heart of powerful story-telling. Companies must fuel this engine with authentic and human stories. Earned media, shared media and paid media must all align with the brand’s own voice across its website, LinkedIN, Instagram, X and YouTube.At PR Pundit Havas Red, our collective of experts have a pulse on the now and new and deliver integrated & effective communication solutions. We nurture client relationships by connecting the dots of communication, collaboration, influence to elevate perceptions. We have increased our relevance by embracing new practices to be always future-ready. We are adept at humanising storytelling, be it via community advocacy, authentic influencer marketing and/or social media management in the age of digital. We pursue an inventive & adaptive communication approach for brands and organisations across platforms, be it traditional and new-age media, digital, social or meta verse.What are the three things you are going to focus on this year?Trying to be a force for good and becoming more meaningful is something more businesses need to do. This is not just because our planet needs it, but because consumers and employees wish to support brands and organisations that are committed to people, planet and purpose. These subjects will enjoy a clear PR advantage in 2024 and beyond.Social media is only going to get bigger in 2024 and beyond as more and more people access and get hooked on to it. It’s paramount therefore that we are adept at publishing original content; sharing insights; showing up in the comments; building thought leadership and employer branding on X, LinkedIn, etc. Influencer marketing and KOL collaborations are going to continue to be a critical part of the communications toolbox to tap new cohorts and amplify messages.The creative sector has always been driven by our unique human voices and imaginations, and that’s not going to change in 2024. But we need to harness artificial intelligence more productively. It is already helping PR professionals in terms of data analysis, consumer and industry insights, content generation and more. But in 2024, we will have to learn to steer this machine-generated intelligence more to our advantage. I believe we can overcome the shortfall in available talent and multi-task with smarter use of AI!How is your PR firm leveraging advanced technologies such as AI, data analytics, and automation to enhance the effectiveness of PR campaigns? What role do you foresee technology playing in PR strategies in the coming year?In the fast-evolving landscape of PR, tomorrow’s success hinges on understanding and integrating emerging trends and technologies. From AI-driven analytics to computer generated images, harnessing innovations is the cornerstone to success.As technology continues to advance, so will the need to acquire new skills to adapt to the changing landscape. The demand for expertise in data analytics, digital marketing and AI integration is where PR professionals need to enhance their skill set to remain competitive in their roles.We are pursuing many avenues for skill enhancement and ongoing learning to ensure professional growth and adaptation to evolving industry demands. We have new AI tools being discussed each week to ensure teams are well-prepared for the dynamic industry landscape.Given the unpredictable nature of crises, how does your firm approach crisis management and reputation protection for clients? Can you share any insights into the evolving challenges in this area and the strategies you believe will be crucial in 2024?The backbone of crisis management has always been and will always be preparation. We work with our clients to plan for, on how to respond to and then recover from crisis events – with a view to safeguarding the company and brand’s image to minimise long-term reputational damage. We do so by pursuing pre-emptive measures like a vulnerability analysis of the business, training key stakeholders on a coordinated and timely response, outlining a media and social media communications plan, including recommended procedures, protocols, etc. Given the diversity of possible crises and the fact that every specific event will unfold differently and have varying impacts at different times, we canvas a range of generic actions that will assist management in responding to an incident. We believe in building a forward-looking approach of being prepared, build a culture of communicating proactively and develop a mindset of dynamic decision making.With an increasing emphasis on diversity, equity, and inclusion, how is your PR firm addressing these aspects in both internal operations and client campaigns? What steps are you taking to ensure a more inclusive representation in your client portfolio and within your organisation?PR Pundit Havas Red has always promoted a harmonious and healthy working environment that supports everyone’s equitable growth and development. It fosters a culture where diverse voices and perspectives are encouraged and respected, and where all employees are equally supported in developing their careers.Now as part of Havas, we are committed to Havas All In, their global Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DE&I) program, which includes a wide range of initiatives across ethnic and cultural representation, gender equality, LGBTQ+ inclusion, disability, wellness, age, and other topics.With an increasing number of our clients adopting progressive DE&I programs, DE&I is expected to be an extremely relevant part of storytelling for employer branding.As clients increasingly demand measurable results, how does your firm approach measuring the success and return on investment (ROI) of PR campaigns? Are there specific metrics or tools you find particularly effective, and how do you anticipate the measurement landscape evolving in 2024?We have always pursued a measurement by objectives approach which aligns success measurement to end goals and benchmarked against category norms. Our standard reporting includes a breakdown of media/social coverage and reach; a digital sentiment analysis against performance KPIs with a focus on relevant stakeholders; and improvement in media sentiment, including uptick in positive inbound media enquiries.In some cases, an enhanced reporting dashboard is created which combines data from third party independent platforms, media coverage, enhanced social media/ listening and metrics to evaluate paid campaigns. Relevant KPIs are tracked from increase in media and website traffic; increases in keyword rankings for specific topics and leaders.Measuring the impact of communications activities needs an additional budget and we hope that in 2024 our clients will allocate more resources to help us capture sentiment to track progress and measure the impact of campaigns via before-and-after stakeholder surveys.How has the PR industry performed in 2023, and what has been the experience for both your firm and the broader industry throughout the year?As the world opened up after the pandemic, India emerged as a stronger economic centre, with a powerful voice in the world, and is the centre of business attention. This has had a healthy rub-off for the Indian PR industry. India is a key market in a larger number of global RFPs today.The growth momentum experienced in the global PR industry has been stronger in India.I believe India will continue to grow faster than other economies in 2024. The growing investment in infrastructure, India’s attractiveness for investments, and an increasing confidence among Indian brands to make a global mark, 2024 may just be the year of India. In parallel, the Indian PR industry has come of age too, and we shall tango in the growth story of our economy.

The start of a new year is seen as bringing in new operational efficiencies, stronger strategies, and a far greater emphasis on building deep bonds with various stakeholders and consumers. In keeping with the current market ecosystem, technology and a human approach are seen as going hand in hand. As 2024 kicks off, Adgully reached out to some leading names in the Public Relations & Corporate Communication industry to Crystal Gaze into 2024 and speak about what will keep them busy in the year ahead.Focus Areas for PR Professionals in 2024Artificial Intelligence, Digital, Sustainability, and Innovation are some of the key focus areas that the Public Relations industry leaders will intensify their attention on this year.Dr Sarvesh Tiwari, Founder and Managing Director, PR ProfessionalsDr Sarvesh Tiwari, Founder and Managing Director, PR Professionals, listed the following focus areas for his agency:Digital Innovation and Integration: At PR Professionals, we're working on integrating AI, VR, and AR to revolutionise storytelling this year. Our focus is on seamlessly blending these technologies into our PR and content creation processes. By harnessing digital tools and data analytics, we aim to elevate our clients’ digital presence, ensuring our strategies are as innovative as they are effective.Sustainability and Social Impact: Sustainability and CSR are more than buzzwords for us; they’re a commitment. We're integrating sustainability into our client campaigns, highlighting their eco-friendly practices and social initiatives. This approach isn't just about building a positive brand image; it's about genuine responsibility towards our planet and society.Cultural Sensitivity and Diversity: As someone who grew up amidst the vibrant diversity of Bihar, I understand the importance of cultural sensitivity and equity. At PR Professionals, we're dedicated to ensuring our campaigns are inclusive and culturally nuanced. Internally, we're cultivating a diverse team to bring a plethora of perspectives, enhancing our creativity and connection with varied demographics.Archana Jain, CEO, PR Pundit Havas Red Archana Jain, CEO, PR Pundit Havas Red, stressed, “Trying to be a force for good and becoming more meaningful is something more businesses need to do. This is not just because our planet needs it, but because consumers and employees wish to support brands and organisations that are committed to people, planet and purpose. These subjects will enjoy a clear PR advantage in 2024 and beyond.”Continuing further, Jain said, “Social media is only going to get bigger in 2024 and beyond as more and more people access and get hooked on to it. It’s paramount, therefore, that we are adept at publishing original content; sharing insights; showing up in the comments; building thought leadership and employer branding on X, LinkedIn, etc. Influencer marketing and KOL collaborations are going to continue to be a critical part of the communications toolbox to tap new cohorts and amplify messages.”“The creative sector has always been driven by our unique human voices and imaginations, and that’s not going to change in 2024. But we need to harness artificial intelligence more productively. It is already helping PR professionals in terms of data analysis, consumer and industry insights, content generation and more. But in 2024, we will have to learn to steer this machine-generated intelligence more to our advantage. I believe we can overcome the shortfall in available talent and multi-task with smarter use of AI!” she added.Tarunjeet Rattan, Managing Partner, Nucleus PRContinuing to develop a deeper understanding of the interplay of AI with consumer sentiment and helping brands stay ahead of the curve top the agenda for Tarunjeet Rattan, Managing Partner, Nucleus PR.Rattan added, “We will continue to integrate technology into our work processes, which will allow us to automate grunt work, freeing up time to devote to research and upskilling.”She also intends to continue to develop editing chops, because relevance will rule the roost among all the content being churned out by AI. “The best editors will win!” she exclaimed.Aman Gupta, Managing Partner, SPAG FINN PartnersAman Gupta, Managing Partner, SPAG FINN Partners, said, “Our primary focus at SPAG FINN Partners revolves around innovation, strategic storytelling, and data-driven audience profiling for campaigns that deliver business impact. We are dedicating resources to staying ahead of emerging technologies, refining our storytelling techniques to resonate with evolving audience preferences, and leveraging data analytics to optimise campaign performance.”

In the fast-paced world of public relations, 2023 brought unforeseen challenges and opportunities for firms across the industry. Navigating a complex landscape, PR agencies showcased resilience and adaptability in their crisis management plans. The sector as a whole witnessed a paradigm shift, with firms prioritizing proactive reputation management and digital communication strategies. As part of our rewind 2023 series, Adgully spoke to a cross-section of PR and Corporate Communications leaders to understand their perspectives, strategies and their ability to evolve that has been pivotal in shaping its trajectory for the year.Approach for Crisis Management and Reputation ProtectionArchana Jain, CEO, PR Pundit Havas Red, stressed, “The backbone of crisis management has always been and will always be preparation. We work with our clients to plan for, on how to respond to and then recover from crisis events – with a view to safeguarding the company and brand’s image to minimise long-term reputational damage. We do so by pursuing pre-emptive measures like a vulnerability analysis of the business, training key stakeholders on a coordinated and timely response, outlining a media and social media communications plan, including recommended procedures, protocols, etc. Given the diversity of possible crises and the fact that every specific event will unfold differently and have varying impacts at different times, we canvas a range of generic actions that will assist management in responding to an incident. We believe in building a forward-looking approach of being prepared, build a culture of communicating proactively and develop a mindset of dynamic decision making.”Tarunjeet Rattan, Managing Partner, Nucleus PR, predicted, “In 2024, bot war and deep fakes will take up a fair amount of our time in the crisis management area. PR professionals will not only have to find a way to effectively deal with this new curveball that amplifies every small challenge turning it into a crisis but will also have to have a fair understanding of cyber laws to handle it.”Madhukar Kumar, Founder & Chief Strategist, Grey Cell PR, remarked, “In the world of PR, crises are like uninvited guests. We tackle them head-on with a blend of intuition and strategy. Our approach is to always be prepared, agile, and empathetic. We're enhancing our crisis toolkit with AI for faster issue detection and resolution, making sure we're always a step ahead for our clients.”Speaking about challenges faced by the PR industry, Jasrita Dhir, Director - Marketing and Communications, Karkinos Healthcare, said, “In the post-pandemic world and in certain sectors such as those dealing with communicable diseases/ public health, etc., there’s a real challenge of burnout that the crisis managers are dealing with, reeling under successive waves of Coronavirus and such.”Dhir further said, “In the age of misinformation and deepfakes, there’s an actual crisis to deal with as also the misinformed variant of the crisis to counter - a double whammy! In hyper-connected networks and matrix organisations, keeping the chain of command unilateral and ensuring a single communication centre is also a new challenge with regard to information leaks.”According to Dhir, the strategies crucial in 2024 re:Fact check before jumping into executionAmp up the social listening game including in the vernacular mediumLike charity, reputation building also starts at home. Image building starts with internal stakeholders; brand advocacy starts with intra-organisational human capital and these are the first line of resources to tap into during a crisis outbreak.Jyotsna Dash Nanda, AVP - Corporate Communications, Dharampal Satyapal Group (DS Group), added here, “As PR Professionals, our job is to guide, empower, and equip leadership to deal with crises of all kinds. There is no shortcut to elaborate preparation and complete collaboration with all necessary stakeholders to be able to assess necessary landmines in the crisis and provide a flexible and agile response mechanism for the organization and the senior leadership. Navigating crisis leadership presents a formidable yet indispensable facet of contemporary leadership which effective media and crisis training help hone. We proactively reach out to the senior leadership team and help them to equip themselves and prepare well. The preparation helps them to be seen as taking ownership, communicating with utmost transparency, exhibiting decisiveness, flexibly responding to evolving situations while adhering to the basic rules of communication, demonstrating empathy and support, allocating resources judiciously, and fostering collaboration. As PR professionals we derive lessons from experiences keeping a long-term outlook in mind while upholding ethical standards adeptly managing crisis communication, and prioritizing personal resilience and self-care. Crisis leadership is critical in today’s dynamic business environment and refers to the ability of leaders to effectively navigate and manage an organization or team during times of significant upheaval, uncertainty, or crisis with complete support from the communications team. Our responsibility involves making critical decisions, providing direction, and inspiring confidence in challenging situations so that communication is effective with 100% truth and giving direction on the way forward.”