Adgully?ÇÖs IMAGEXX Summit and Awards 2024, the premier PR industry event, took place on July 18, 2024, at the Holiday Inn, Aerocity, Gurgaon. This prestigious event brought together industry leaders, professionals, and innovators to celebrate excellence in public relations and communication.The event witnessed an insightful panel discussion on ?ÇÿNavigating Geopolitics: The Role of Public Policy and ESG in Shaping Global Communication Strategies?ÇÖ. The panel was led by Rahul Kashyap, Executive Director, PRP Group, and the esteemed panelists included:Sonal Singh, Head - Corporate Communications, Jindal StainlessAnil Patni, EU Policy and Outreach Expert, Apex AdvisersSanghpriya Gautam, Director, Speyside.The industry experts explored how geopolitical factors influence government actions and the resultant effects on businesses, particularly within the Indian manufacturing sector. They also delved into the critical role of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) criteria in shaping business strategies.In today?ÇÖs global landscape, the interplay between geopolitics and corporate strategy is undeniable. Government decisions, often shaped by international dynamics, profoundly impact business operations.Rahul Kashyap opened the conversation by posing a crucial question: ?Ç£How do you see that geopolitics affects government decisions and the effect of it on the corporate side of it??Ç¥Sonal Singh, representing the Indian manufacturing sector, provided insights into how communication strategies often come into play post-crisis. She explained, ?Ç£I believe a lot of communication strategies kick in after the geopolitical disaster has already happened.?Ç¥ Citing the impact of Chinese imports on various industries in India, Singh highlighted how the Trump administration?ÇÖs Section 232 tariffs catalyzed global shifts from globalization to nationalization. She noted, ?Ç£That one decision of Trump triggered governments all across the world to take action.?Ç¥Singh further illustrated the importance of timely government intervention by referencing India?ÇÖs dependency on imported containers. Despite ample research and advocacy, significant policy changes often occur only during crises, such as the Galwan incident. She stated, ?Ç£India is such a large behemoth. There are so many other pressing issues in front of the government that sometimes things have just to be jerked into action.?Ç¥Transitioning to the topic of ESG, Rahul Kashyap remarked on its critical importance and the perception of its weaponization. Anil Patni responded by tracing the evolution from Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) to ESG. He observed, ?Ç£Before this buzzword of ESG came around... we had something called CSR.?Ç¥Patni emphasized on the longstanding tradition of Indian companies engaging in social responsibility as a strategic business practice, which has now expanded to include environmental considerations due to global awareness initiatives like the IPCC reports. He added, ?Ç£Now, companies are forced to become good citizens. They have to pay attention to their carbon footprint.?Ç¥Patni underscored the regulatory aspect, stating, ?Ç£In Europe, you have a European climate law. In India also, now it is compulsory for the top thousand companies... to compulsorily report on their environmental performance.?Ç¥Sanghpriya Gautam elaborated on the intrinsic value of ESG, asserting its necessity. He stated, ?Ç£Everyone in this world is using resources... So that?ÇÖs how the environmental aspect of ESG comes in.?Ç¥ Gautam stressed on the importance of addressing local needs and fostering sustainable CSR programs to ensure long-term benefits for communities. He highlighted the governance aspect by pointing out the safety concerns in regions like Gurgaon, which can deter investment. Gautam emphasized, ?Ç£Investment in ESG is not negative; you get really good returns.?Ç¥In conclusion, the discussion illuminated the profound impact of geopolitical decisions on government actions and corporate strategies. The emphasis on ESG underscores its growing significance as a framework for responsible and sustainable business practices. As businesses navigate these complex dynamics, the integration of geopolitical awareness and ESG principles will be crucial for long-term success.

Adgully?ÇÖs IMAGEXX Summit and Awards 2024, the premier PR industry event, took place on July 18, 2024, at the Holiday Inn, Aerocity, Gurgaon. This prestigious event brought together industry leaders, professionals, and innovators to celebrate excellence in public relations and communication.The event witnessed an engaging keynote address by Aakriti Bhargava, Co-Founder, Wizikey, on ?ÇÿTech to the Rescue of PR: How Tech Will Change Public Relations in This Decade?ÇÖ.Aakriti Bhargava began her keynote by sharing her journey in the PR industry. She said, ?Ç£I have held several roles within PR, starting in an agency, then moving to corporate communications, and eventually running my own agency for ten years. After a decade, I felt something needed to change, and that?ÇÖs how Wizikey was born.?Ç¥Wizikey, Bhargava explained, is a product designed with the belief that technology should serve PR professionals. ?Ç£We are very smart people in this industry,?Ç¥ she noted. To emphasize the need for tech integration, she engaged the audience with a quick survey, asking ?Ç£How many of you have more than five years of experience in PR??Ç¥ Many hands went up. Continuing further, she asked, ?Ç£How many of you use WhatsApp to communicate news with your peers??Ç¥, followed by ?Ç£How many end up collating news in Excel sheets at the end of the month??Ç¥ The responses revealed the widespread reliance on traditional methods, highlighting the need for technological advancements in PR.?Ç£I don?ÇÖt want to delve too much into history, but we must understand how the PR landscape has evolved. From the early 20th century to the 2010s, we primarily consumed print and broadcast media. Then, we experienced a media explosion with websites, social media, and podcasts, which we are still adapting to,?Ç¥ Bhargava noted. She also emphasized the rapid pace at which news is generated today, saying, ?Ç£The speed of news has increased tenfold, if not more.?Ç¥In this fast-paced environment, Bhargava highlighted the unpredictable nature of modern PR crises. ?Ç£Today, crises can erupt on Twitter or any platform instantly,?Ç¥ she said, adding that this unpredictability necessitates a new approach to PR, one that leverages technology to keep pace with the rapid flow of information.?Ç£Why hasn?ÇÖt technology intervened in PR the way it has in other fields like sales or HR??Ç¥ Bhargava pondered. She explained that PR has always dealt with big data manually, but recent advancements in AI and technology now allow for emotional intelligence to be integrated into these systems, making them more effective.Bhargava identified three key areas where technology will significantly impact PR: Speed, Accuracy, and Creativity.Speed: We need to produce reports and media lists quickly. AI can generate reports in seconds, transforming tasks that used to take days.Accuracy: Technology can enhance the accuracy of sentiment analysis and defect detection. AI can process 1 lakh articles in under a second, providing insights we couldn?ÇÖt achieve manually.Creativity: AI can help generate content ideas and match content globally, allowing PR professionals to focus on creative strategies rather than mundane tasks.She cited an example of predictive analysis in action, saying, ?Ç£We worked with a client facing global crises. We set up a system to send negative news alerts directly to their WhatsApp, enabling them to respond instantly.?Ç¥Bhargava emphasized that integrating AI and technology into PR isn?ÇÖt about replacing humans, but complementing their work. ?Ç£For me,?Ç¥ she said, ?Ç£this means fun, science, and magic.?Ç¥