Public Relations Consultants Association of India (PRCAI), the apex body representing PR and communication consultants in the country, today announced at its 24th Annual General meeting, the appointment of its new Managing Committee (MANCOM) and the 5 National Chairs who are part of the Executive Committee (EXCOM) for the 2025-2027 term, following a spirited and participative election process.This year?ÇÖs elections saw robust member engagement, with five leaders being elected through a competitive voting process, while four were elected unanimously - a testament to the industry?ÇÖs belief in their leadership and direction.Kunal Kishore, Group CEO & Co-Founder of Value 360 Communications, who has served as PRCAI?ÇÖs Vice President for the past four years, has been elected President. He succeeds Atul Sharma, CEO, Ruder Finn India and Head, Middle East, who led PRCAI through two dynamic terms marked by significant progress, including expanded membership, the onboarding of first-ever CEO, launch of signature industry programs, and a renewed focus on ethics and talent.The new MANCOM will continue to work in close collaboration with Deeptie Sethi, CEO, PRCAI, to drive a progressive, future-ready agenda rooted in inclusivity, action, and industry impact. The committee includes:??        Kunal Kishore, Group CEO & Co-Founder of Value 360 Communications - President, PRCAI??        Neha Mehrotra, Managing Director, Avian WE - Vice President, PRCAI??        Santanu Gogoi, Founding Partner, First Partners - Associate Vice President, PRCAI (in a newly evolved role, previously ?Ç£Secretary,?Ç¥ to reflect its broader strategic mandate) ?Ç£These are transformative times for the Public Relations industry in India and is projected to nearly double by end of the decade. At PRCAI, we understand the pulse of this change and are committed to build a respected, sustainable and action-oriented industry body,?Ç¥ said Deeptie Sethi, CEO, PRCAI. ?Ç£As President, Atul Sharma led with exemplary vision and integrity, and with Kunal Kishore and the newly elected and diversely represented leadership team, our focus remains steadfast on ethical standards, industry excellence, capacity development, and nurturing future-ready talent. Together, we aim to elevate the profession, built on reputation, rooted in responsibility.?Ç¥ PRCAI also announced its five National Chairs in EXCOM, including 1 new role, each driving a specific mandate to advance the association?ÇÖs strategic priorities:?      Nandita Lakshmanan, National Chair, Growth & Standardization, founder, The PRactice?      Dolly Tayal - National Chair, Marketing Communications & Global Networks, and the Managing Director, Burson Genesis?      Abhishek Gulyani - National Chair, Talent & Academia Connect, and the managing Director India and Head of Corporate Affairs, APAC, Zeno Group?      Vivek Rana - National Chair, Learning & Thought Leadership, and the managing partner, Gnothi Seauton?      Rishi Seth - National Chair, Public Affairs and Advocacy, and the founder and CEO of Evoc Communications Consulting Pvt. Ltd in a newly created role. Together, this leadership cohort represents a diverse mix of vision, experience, and energy, united by the shared goal of strengthening India?ÇÖs communications industry with one voice, and its global relevance. Reflecting on his tenure, Atul Sharma shared, ?Ç£Having worked in the public relations industry for over two and a half decades, my time with PRCAI has been one of the most meaningful ways I?ÇÖve been able to give back to the profession that shaped me. It?ÇÖs been an honor to lead PRCAI through a period of real change- one that?ÇÖs seen us move from intent to action, and from ambition to real outcomes. I?ÇÖm grateful for the trust of my peers and proud of all we?ÇÖve built together.?Ç¥Newly elected President Kunal Kishore added, ?Ç£I?ÇÖm honored to take on this role at a time when the Indian PR industry is poised for its next phase of evolution. My vision is to build PRCAI as a dominant, respected voice in the country ?Çö one that not only represents our industry but shapes it. We will work to expand our national footprint, introduce a new industry charter focused on ethics, innovation, and professionalism, and deepen engagement with all stakeholders ?Çö from clients to academia, media to government. It?ÇÖs time for public relations to be recognized as a core pillar of the media and marketing ecosystem, and I look forward to driving that transformation with all the elected leaders and our CEO.?Ç¥Key Milestones from PRCAI?ÇÖs Recent Term Include:?      PRana 2024: India?ÇÖs first story convention and business summit, convening 100+ changemakers to reshape the PR narrative for brand India and its global reputation?      Growth Hacking: Start-Up to Scale-Up: Accelerator for emerging firms tackling financial strategy, talent, and positioning?      Client-Consultancy Partnership Charter: A first-of-its-kind framework to elevate industry standardization and engagement norms?      2,500+ professionals trained: Through certification programs and workshops aligned with future-ready skills?      PRCAI Mediation Desk: Mediation as a service that can help stakeholders and members use the art and science of mediation to resolve disputes amicably. ?      Advisory on Misinformation: A guideline upholding Responsible Communication in Times of National Crises

The Public Relations Consultants Association of India (PRCAI) unveiled its SPRINT 2024-25 survey report, presenting the dynamic state of India?ÇÖs rapidly evolving public relations industry. The industry achieved ?2,500 crores in revenue for FY 2023, reflecting a 19% year-on-year growth?Çöfar outpacing global growth by more than three times. With a compounded decadal CAGR of 12.8%, the industry is expected to reach ?4,570 crores by FY 2030, driven by an increasing emphasis on strategic PR practices for business outcomes, technological advancements, influencer marketing, and purpose-driven strategies gaining prominence.The survey is conducted by Ipsos, a global market research and advisory company and PRCAI in collaboration with Astrum Reputation Advisory for narrative and storytelling, capturing insights from 220 respondents, covering senior decision-makers from consultancies and corporate communication teams, and expanded range of industry professionals. The industry employed 13,300 professionals in FY 2023, added 4,800 people in the last 5 years. Till FY 2030, the Indian PR industry is expected to see the headcount grow at a CAGR of 8%, and is projected to employ 22,700 professionals by FY 2030.?Ç£The findings from SPRINT 2024-25 serves as both a mirror and a map?Çöreflecting the current growth state of India and the Industry. In FY22, industry saw a 15% growth, followed by a 19% in FY23 primarily due to a smaller market base post Covid-19. For FY 2024 the industry is projecting 11% growth considering the larger market base. The growth is fueled by the industry?ÇÖs adaptability?Çöwhether it?ÇÖs the rise of AI-driven tools or the expansion of regional outreach and diverse set of services, which is contributing to projected growth,?Ç¥ said Atul Sharma, President, PRCAI.However, the report also highlights that while the industry has witnessed a compounded decadal CAGR of 12.8%, the industry, the growth is likely to soften as PR firms are experiencing growth pangs and dealing with intense cost pressures in talent and infrastructure, and client budgets are not growing at the same pace at which consultancies are incurring costs. ?Ç£SPRINT 2024-25 showcases how the PR industry is rapidly evolving in an era where PR can influence reputation, and business outcomes and growth. From AI integrations to regional storytelling and digital-first approaches, the profession is consolidating best practices from global and local nuances. As the industry embraces AI and big data, it faces the challenge of navigating AI-generated misinformation, highlighting the need for strategic differentiation for us to foster creativity, adopt the right technology, and continue to build industry ready talent. As PR professionals, this is our time when we are uniquely positioned to build trust and inspire action,?Ç¥ said Deeptie Sethi, CEO, PRCAI.Key Findings from SPRINT 2024-25:PR to Impact Business OutcomesAs corporate communicators now collaborate directly with the C-suite, it?ÇÖs evident that PR is no longer an ancillary function but a strategic partner in achieving business goals. The survey reveals, that while private corporates (46%) remain the big contributor, start-ups (22%) and NGOs (11%) have emerged as high-growth segments. 68% of PR consultancy heads agree that acquisitions and collaborations are key drivers of industry growth, fuelled by global expansion, service diversification, competitive advantage, and talent acquisition. The Indian PR is transitioning from traditional media metrics to a tangible business impact. According to the survey, 90% of Corporate Communicators are seeing the value shifting to business impact over media exposures, and an equal number see a need for a comprehensive multi-channel (paid, earned, owned) strategy to deliver ROI. Overall, 69 percent respondents agree that digital-first approach necessary for all PR campaigns and PR budgets rose from 9.5% three years ago and likely to grow to 15.7% over next three years of the marketing spends. AI a Catalyst and Threat for PR Artificial intelligence (AI) is an important stimulus of PR innovation, with 90% of leaders recognizing its role in driving growth, up from 44% in FY 2022. The top three key areas where big data and AI will influence include research and strategy (82%), conversational AI (77%), and personalized content creation (57%), apart from media monitoring and automating routine tasks. Despite these advancements, there is an investment deficit, with only 13% of PR firms having made significant investments in AI, while 47% have made moderate investments and 30 percent have not invested in any enterprise tools. However, AI has headwinds - risks such as misinformation and deepfakes, pose several challenges, highlighted by 90% of respondents. Maintaining strategic differentiation will be a double whammy as AI democratizes access to similar information and data.  Purpose-Driven PR Gains MomentumWhile there is a growing emphasis on Purpose-driven communication, it is important to distinguish PR from greenwashing. More than half of respondents confirmed that clients are increasingly adopting purpose-driven PR, with top 3 sectors adopting it are Social Impact and NGO (80%), Energy and Environment (67%), and Pharma and Healthcare (60%). Organizations are increasingly aligning narratives with societal values such as sustainability and diversity. However, the study warns against ?Ç£greenwashing?Ç¥ emphasizes on maintaining authenticity, as 45 percent respondents agreed that narratives of ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) and DEI (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion) are often challenged by investors.Influencer Marketing on Rise, Hyperlocal Engagement Boost with RegionalThe role of influencer marketing is emerging as a key growth driver. In the report, a proportion of respondents indicated that influencer marketing contribution to their service-wise revenue has increased from 10% in last three years to 18% in FY24 and is expected to rise to 28% in the next three years. Further, 73 percent believe the need to explore storytelling from a fresh perspective by going hyperlocal, and an overwhelming 88 percent agree that cultural nuances are essential for building tailored PR strategies. The survey saw 84 percent agreeing that regional storytelling will gain importance, and 86 percent agreeing that regional influencers and local dialects will gain tremendous traction. While influencer engagement is grabbing attention, 88 percent felt that Influencer marketing needs more accountability for business outcomes and 53 percent preferred Key Opinion Leaders over Influencers.  Talent Development as a Strategic ImperativeAlthough the PR industry added 1,300 professionals in FY23, the attrition rate in FY 2023 is 16% driven by concerns around compensation, work-life balance, and workplace culture. The top 5 reasons for attrition quoted by PR firm employees are Growth opportunities (72%), Work-life balance (64%), Compensation and benefits (61%), Poor work culture (54%), Dissatisfaction with leadership (53%). The survey highlighted that tier II and III cities are becoming vital talent pools, who offer greater adaptability and loyalty. While organizations are increasingly adopting flexible work models to attract and retain this workforce, half of respondents felt that by 2025, the PR industry should return to a full-time, in-office work mode.  To attract and retain talent, continuous upskilling and training on the job is critical, as agreed by 82% of respondents, with 75 percent agreeing that domain knowledge is essential to be a good PR professional and 76% emphasize the need for curriculum overhauls in educational institutions to align with industry demands.Gen Z Shaping Future PR WorkplacesFor the first-time ever, the survey went deeper to study behavioral changes with the rise of Gen Z professionals strongly influencing workplace dynamics in PR industry. Gen Z are ambitious, collaborative and curious, who seek flexibility, reward and recognition, encouraging PR firms to adopt inclusive policies and mentorship programs. But, the next-gen struggles with set work culture with 45 percent concerned with overwhelming workload and an equal number had lack of motivation, and 41 percent were concerned with micromanagement and 34 percent stressed over work-life balance. To get the best from Gen Z, recognizing and rewarding talent will boost their morale and retention (93%), and expect more tolerance, flexibility, liberalism when managing them (86%), and expressed that leadership style to adapt their management styles to foster inclusivity and a peer-level working relationship (79%). Over 70% of Gen Z respondents highlighted the importance of aligning their work with personal values, such as diversity, sustainability, and innovation. With the workforce projected to grow to 22,700 professionals by FY 2030, addressing Gen Z?ÇÖs expectations will be essential to sustaining this growth. ?Ç£The PR industry in India is undergoing a consolidation phase, characterized by a remarkable growth rate of 1.4x of GDP, in 2024. This surge is driven by the increasing influence of digital media, influencer marketing, and social media. As the industry embraces AI and big data, it faces the challenge of navigating AI-generated misinformation, highlighting the need for strategic differentiation,?Ç¥ concluded, Deepak Hanumantharayappa, Partner & Country Lead, Ipsos Strategy

The Public Relations Consultants Association of India (PRCAI) has launched a brand-new Reputation Management course for one of India?ÇÖs top business management schools, the Indian Institute of Management, Udaipur (IIMU). This academia-industry collaboration aims to equip future business leaders with expertise in strategic communications which is essential for building successful brands and businesses.Reputation Management is an elective course developed for IIMU and offered in Term 5 (October-December 2024). The course covers six dimensions of corporate reputation?ÇöEmotional Appeal, Products & Services, Financial Performance, Vision & Leadership, Workplace Environment, and Social Responsibility?Çöall seen through the lens of Public Relations, giving students a deeper understanding of how these drivers create long-term value for organizations. It introduces participants to the subject of crisis communications?ÇÖ best practices, and the importance of ethical business conduct, underlying the value of preparedness to proactively protect reputation. The course will also provide an enhanced understanding of Online Reputation Management (ORM), a critical area in today?ÇÖs digital-first world. As stakeholder behaviours evolve, ORM has become central to the practice of Public Relations, with an increasing focus on leveraging digital platforms to manage and enhance reputation.?Ç£We are thrilled to partner with IIM Udaipur for this new Reputation Management course,?Ç¥ said Nikhil Dey, National Chair, Talent & Academia, PRCAI & Executive Director, Adfactors PR. ?Ç£Reputation management is central to business success in today?ÇÖs interconnected world. The demand for leaders who can strategically manage and protect reputations is at an all-time high. A world that is embracing the AI opportunity is also having to learn how to deal with fake news, misinformation and disinformation. In this context, reputation management has become a vital competency for leaders across industries, and this program prepares the B-School students to learn the science and art of reputation management to tackle the VUCA* world head-on.?Ç¥The initiative is catalysed by initial insights from the latest industry survey PRCAI 2024-25 SPRINT* which will be unveiled in January, highlighting the state of talent and its influence on the industry and the future of communications. The survey found that 76 per cent of respondents believe that educational institutions must overhaul their curriculum to meet new PR industry demands. Further, PR firms are finding new hunting grounds - even at the entry level, firms have broadened their hiring pool to include marketing and advertising institutes (23%) and management institutes (13%). The survey revealed that corporate communication leaders (90%) shared that CEOs are now prioritizing strategic communications for measurable business impact, and this course is designed to meet the increasing demand for expertise in reputation management.?Ç£The Reputation Management elective course stands out as a new addition to IIM Udaipur?ÇÖs curriculum. This course is designed to give our students a comprehensive understanding of the drivers of corporate reputation, positioning them for leadership roles where effective communication is key to success,?Ç¥ said Prof. Ashok Banerjee Director, IIM Udaipur.75 IIM Udaipur students have enrolled for the Reputation Management course, joining a forward-thinking initiative to harness the power of communications for growth and business impact. PRCAI members are represented by three PR industry veterans Nikhil Dey, National Chair of Academia and Talent & Executive Director at Adfactors PR; Vandana Sandhir, Chief Client Strategy Officer at Burson India and Aman Gupta, Managing Partner, Asia-Pacific at SPAG/ FINN Partners, are serving as visiting faculty and collaborators in delivering this course.?Ç£We are proud to partner with IIM Udaipur to prepare leaders for tomorrow and thankful to our members who have stepped forward to make this a reality. This course will arm future business leaders with the tools needed to manage reputations effectively,?Ç¥ added, Deeptie Sethi, CEO of PRCAI.PRCAI is committed to delivering strong academic interventions through an on-going series of training and exchange programs that connect students with industry leaders in the form of guest lectures, consultancy visits and thought-leadership forums. With over 10 academic partners onboard, PRCAI continues to set new benchmarks to nurture and develop future talent for the PR profession.

The Public Relations Consultants Association of India (PRCAI) hosted the inaugural edition of PRana 2024: Shaping the Story of India, on September 4, 2024 at The Leela, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi, which was attended by 20 key opinion leaders, 100-plus C-suite leaders and top communicators with the aim to co-create the new narrative of the nation, as India marches towards the centennial independence celebrations in 2047. The convention underscored the critical importance of compelling narratives for inspiring change, fostering innovation and contributing to the country?ÇÖs growth.The event witnessed the launch of the survey-based report ?ÇÿBharat ki Baat 2024?ÇÖ, a study commissioned by PRCAI to LocalCircles, India?ÇÖs leading community platform and pollster on public issues and governance. This study received over 180,000 responses from over 40,000 citizens located in 396 districts of India and it sought citizens?ÇÖ views on their hopes and aspirations in 10 key areas: growth and prosperity; geo-political influence; infrastructure; healthcare; sustainability and environment; education; skilling, employment and livelihood; ease of living cities and digital governance; technology and innovation; and communications and information.<img src='https://erp.adgully.me/artical_image\6f8bc3b13eb27f6dd3d7f4a365d184c7.jpeg' class='content_image'>The key findings of the PRCAI Bharat ki Baat 2024 study for India in the next five years (2029) are:Six in 10 Indians believe India will be the 3rd largest economy in the world and it will be a global manufacturing hub for at least five new sectorsSix in 10 Indians believe India is likely to become a permanent member of the UN Security Council and help create a comprehensive convention against international terrorismEight in 10 stated India will be able to expand modern road connectivity ecosystem to 15,000 km of access-controlled highways to improve mobility and decongest citiesSix in 10 Indians expressed hope that India will be able to achieve expansion of Jan Aushidhi Kendras to all districts to provide low-cost, affordable medicinesSix in 10 expressed optimisms that there will be infrastructure to impart technical skills to at least 2 million individuals and enable them to find/upgrade their jobs/earningsSix in 10 Indians stated that they look forward to the launch of Gaganyaan as India?ÇÖs first human spaceflight mission landing an astronaut on the moonNine in 10 indicated that authentic and timely communication and information will be critical for India to achieve trust and progress in the key development areasSix out of 10 respondents hoped India would have an enabling dynamic curriculum at school level as mandated by the NEP, which provides a foundation for emerging technologies and future industry needsSix out of 10 stated that they are optimistic about government enabling piped gas connections from current 1.1 crore to 5 crore households across IndiaFive out of 10 stated that the Government will ensure that drinking water supplied to the top 50 cities is free of contamination from arsenic, mercury and other industrial pollutants?Ç£India under the leadership Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi is leading the world towards greater height in every field, be it infrastructure, fintech, federal governance and many more. The Government aims to ensure 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas' to accomplish our goal for Viksit Bharat which coincides with 100 years of Independence. I believe all this will not be possible without an informed nation which can only be achieved with transparency and good governance. In my opinion, the communication fraternity will play a crucial role in achieving our goals for its citizens,?Ç¥ said Jyotiraditya Madhavrao Scindia, Union Minister for Communication and North Eastern Region.?Ç£The role of public relations is fast changing from communicators to business enablers. PRana 2024 for the first time will bring together India?ÇÖs key opinion leaders and reputation custodians who have a significant role in storytelling for nation building. ?ÇÿBharat ki Baat 2024?ÇÖ report by PRCAI validates the growing significance of the role of the public relations industry and the communications function in government, businesses or civil society organizations for ethical and authentic information,?Ç¥ said Deeptie Sethi, CEO, PRCAI. The public relations industry is on a growth trajectory and gaining increased recognition by the CEO and the C-Suites. According to SPRINT 2023*, the private sector, startup economy, and unicorns are fueling the PR industry?ÇÖs growth; the C-suite is increasingly recognizing PR and communications as a driving function rather than just an enabler. Eight out of 10 respondents for PRCAI SPRINT 2022-23* said that India Inc. leadership is working closely with their corporate communications team to devise strategies for brand communication, while 80% of corporate communications leaders report directly to the CEOs.?Ç£At the cornerstone of authentic communication and reputation management, the PR industry is well-positioned to shape and accelerate the nation's growth trajectory. Through PRana 2024, we have laid the foundation for a new era of strategic storytelling. With the launch of the Bharat Ki Baat 2024 report, we are also capturing real Indian voices, painting a vivid picture of the nation that India hopes to become as we approach India@100. Our overarching goal remains to amplify India?ÇÖs voice and celebrate its achievements through the power of new-age communication,?Ç¥ said Kunal Kishore, Vice-President, PRCAI.<img src='https://erp.adgully.me/artical_image\a6dee7da18bab8c95ed1e67d38dd39ea.jpeg' class='content_image'>Inspired by the global trend of shorter speeches, which is gaining popularity and reflects how people consume information in today's fast-paced world, the convention introduced a brand-new speech format called ?Çÿ300Wise?ÇÖ, where speakers delivered concise, high-impact visionary speeches in five minutes. Influential key opinion leaders shared their vision for India@100 at PRana 2024 which centered around how powerful ideas can positively impact four pivotal pillars of reputation centered around Leadership and Vision, Emotional Quotient, Country Economics and Social Elevation.PRana 2024 storytellers included business leaders and achievers such as Nadir Godrej, Chairman & MD of Godrej Industries, Imtiaaz Ali, Filmmaker, Ritesh Agarwal, CEO & Group Founder of OYO, Ashish Kumar Chauhan, MD & CEO of the National Stock Exchange of India (NSE), Captain Indraani Singh, World?ÇÖs First Airbus 300 Captain, Founder of Literacy India, Santosh Iyer, MD & CEO, Mercedes-Benz India Pvt. Ltd., Chhavi Rajawat, First MBA Sarpanch, Devdutt Pattanaik, Author, Guneet Monga, Academy Award- Winning Filmmaker, Founder, Sikhya Entertainment, Kapil Sibal, Lawyer & Politician, Dr. Deepa Malik, Padmashree Khel Ratna Awardee, Para-athlete, Paralympian, Alina Alam- Founder, Mitti Caf??, Licypriya Kangujam, Climate Activist, Dhuwarakha Sriram - Dhuwarakha Sriram, Chief of YuWaah, Youth Development, and Partnerships at UNICEF, Manish Sharma, Chairman of Panasonic Life Solutions India and South Asia, Abhishek Poddar, Founder, Museum of Art & Photography (MAP), and Supriya Paul, Co-Founder and CEO of Josh Talks, amongst others. The Story weavers included Shantanu Deshpande, Founder & CEO, Bombay Shaving Company & Visage Lines Personal Care Pvt. Ltd. (VLPCPL), Suhasini Haidar, Diplomatic Editor of The Hindu, Kaveree Bamzai, Independent Journalist, and Fatima Mahdi Karan, Moderator, Strategic Communications AandMedia Consultant.PRCAI at the story convention unveiled a sonic identity: the PRana Taal- Rise Together, a music composition by Tejas Menon saluting the spirit of new promising India.

The Public Relations Consultants Association of India (PRCAI), a prominent organization representing PR and communication professionals across the nation, has introduced its new Client-Consultancy Partnership Charter. These guidelines are designed to boost collaboration and operational effectiveness within the industry, reflecting PRCAI?ÇÖs dedication to cultivating an ethical, professional, and forward-thinking sector.The PR industry is expected to continue its upward trajectory, as preliminary findings from the PRCAI SPRINT 2024* survey, conducted in collaboration with IPSOS, indicate a 19.6 percent growth in FY 2022-2023, increasing the market size to ?2,500 crore from ?2,100 crore in FY 2021-2022. Building on this momentum, PRCAI has concentrated on three crucial areas: the Request for Proposal process, fostering a collaborative work environment, and establishing guidelines for the ethical use of Artificial Intelligence, all aimed at further reinforcing the industry."The Client-Consultancy Partnership Charter reflects our dedication to innovation and the pursuit of excellence as the PR sector continues to expand and mature," stated Deeptie Sethi, CEO of PRCAI. "These guidelines are intended to align client and consultancy efforts and serve as a potent tool for achieving mutual objectives and establishing a gold standard for behavior that everyone can adopt."PRCAI?ÇÖs newly launched guidelines arrive at a critical juncture as the PR industry experiences rapid transformation. Despite strong growth, the sector in India faces several challenges, including budgetary constraints, discrepancies in client-consultancy expectations, a lack of skilled talent, and operational inefficiencies. The Client-Consultancy Partnership Charter directly addresses these challenges by offering a comprehensive framework to streamline operations, enhance transparency, uphold ethical practices, and strengthen client-agency relationships.Neha Mehrotra, National Chair for Standardisation & Growth at PRCAI, remarked, "The standardisation guidelines are crafted to tackle the modern challenges within the PR industry and will create a more cohesive and efficient working environment. By promoting transparent communication, respecting commercial priorities, and integrating emerging technologies ethically, these guidelines empower PR professionals to deliver outstanding results with significant impact and value."The development of these guidelines involved significant collaboration, with PRCAI assembling 35 industry experts representing PR firms of various sizes and seasoned corporate communication specialists through closed-door workshops. These professionals, bringing together a combined experience of 1,000 years, dedicated 400 hours over 100 days to meticulously craft the standardisation guidelines. This collaborative effort exemplifies the industry's collective passion for raising standards and driving positive change.Minari Shah, a PRCAI member and director of International (APAC, EU, LATAM) Owned Content & Channels at Amazon, stated, "This initiative by PRCAI is a step in the right direction towards professionalizing our industry and ensuring harmonious collaboration among all parties. The guidelines are a starting point for bringing much-needed clarity and structure to client-agency partnerships. By clearly defining expectations and focusing on transparency and accountability, they can help foster stronger and more productive relationships between clients and consultancies."The three key guidelines within the Client-Consultancy Partnership Charter and AI Code of Conduct include:1. *Standardizing the Request for Proposal (RFP) Process:* This guideline emphasizes transparency and efficiency, highlighting the need to pre-qualify consultancies and shortlist three to four based on their credentials. It underscores the importance of clear communication briefs, defined stages in the selection process, and transparent compensation practices, ensuring fair treatment of non-shortlisted consultancies. Additionally, a structured induction training program for onboarding new consultancies is outlined to ensure alignment and excellence.2. *Creating a Collaborative Work Environment:* These guidelines encourage a 'One Team' mentality, fostering mutual respect and collaboration. Best practices for onboarding consultancy partners include clear norms for briefs, access to information, and leadership engagement. The guidelines advocate for defining mutual goals, mechanisms for productive feedback, and maintaining realistic timelines and work expectations, ensuring continuous business efficiency and supporting ongoing learning and development.3. *AI Guidelines for PR Consultancies:* These guidelines ensure transparency and accountability in AI usage, ethical data use, bias mitigation, and human oversight in AI-driven processes. They empower users by providing details on AI usage and allowing data control. The guidelines also emphasize the need for robust security measures to protect AI systems and data, along with compliance with AI regulations."This initiative by PRCAI aims to create a level playing field for strong client-consultancy partnerships in this new digital era. The AI guidelines are crucial for every PR professional, not only for ensuring the ethical and responsible use of technology but also for building trust with key stakeholders through the fair and accurate use of data, insights, and information," commented Seema Siddiqui, former Director of Communications at Microsoft India.PRCAI encourages its members, including 50 PR firms and several practitioners, to adopt the new code of conduct guidelines, which serve as a guiding framework rather than binding regulations. This initiative reinforces PRCAI?ÇÖs commitment to fostering true partnerships between PR firms and their clients, setting clear communication standards, and adhering to the highest levels of professionalism.

The Public Relations Consultants Association of India (PRCAI) hosted the third edition of its flagship thought-leadership forum, PRologue 2024 on July 25 in Gurgaon. At this event, PRCAI presented initial findings of SPRINT 2024*, its annual industry survey in collaboration with IPSOS, which estimates a growth of 19.6 percent in FY 2022-2023 for the industry. PRCAI presented and deliberated on an optimistic projection for the Indian PR industry, reaching 2,500 Cr. from 2,100 Crore in FY 2021-2022. The event saw panelists engage in dynamic discussions on the theme ?ÇÿReimagining Communications in a Turbulent World.?ÇÖ With changing demographics in India, influence of technology and AI, economic trajectory, the PR industry is experiencing changes at a fast rate, from skills required in the industry, to greater attention to PR by C-Suite, to innovation in audience outreach, to shaping narratives, to services and specializations offered to be ready for the future of communications. These themes were explored at the recent PRologue 2024, which was attended by 300 communication and business professionals.India is home to the largest Gen Z population, earning trust from this dynamic group is vital for brand success. Diving into the evolving behaviour of new-age consumers, PRCAI guest speakers included Sushant Dash, CEO, Tata Starbucks, Anushka Rathod, Content Creator, and Ashutosh Munshi, Lead Advisor, Brand Marketing & Communications, Edelman India, who talked about how to ?ÇÿCrack the Gen Z Code?ÇÖ at the event. Sushant Dash, CEO of Tata Starbucks, said, "Gen Z?ÇÖs unique expectations and strong opinions, shaped by their digital nativity, challenge brands to innovate. At Starbucks India, we engage with this dynamic group daily, finding their perspectives both refreshing and inspiring. Their insights drive us to continually adapt and improve our communication approach." Emphasizing trust and engagement, the panel underscored public relations' crucial role in navigating rapid technological advancements and widespread misinformation. The second panel with guest line-up including, Atul Rai, CEO & co-founder, Staqu Technologies, Nikhil Pahwa, founder and editor, Medianama, Yatik, Naik, business head at HT Media Group, and Nandagopal Rajan, COO, The Indian Express, discussed strategies to ?ÇÿNavigate The AI Tightrope,?ÇÖ balancing the dilemma of innovation versus misinformation. The most awaited industry event is a combination of trend discussions at PRologue 2024, followed by the global SABRE South Asia Awards, that celebrated the most creative and interesting work in the field of Public Relations. More than 50 awards were given to compelling campaigns. Vineeta Singh, CEO & co-founder of SUGAR Cosmetics was awarded the top honour of CEO Of The Year at the SABRE South Asia 2024 Awards.Vineeta Singh, CEO & Co-Founder of SUGAR Cosmetics said, "I am deeply honored and humbled to receive the Best CEO of the Year at SABRE South Asia 2024 Awards hosted by PRCAI. I dedicate this award to my mother and SUGAR's workforce, especially 3000+ women employees, beauty enthusiasts, and stakeholders at large. This award recognition underscores our focus to redefine the Indian beauty landscape whilst saluting the indomitable spirit of women who embrace their most authentic selves." Kunal Kishore, Vice President of PRCAI, said, ?Ç£PRologue and SABRE SA have become the industries?ÇÖ most awaited moments of learning and recognition. Our goal is to focus on authentic conversation and reimagine every year our ever-changing environment that can constantly up the game for the industry.?Ç¥?ÇÿThis year at PRologue 2024, PRCAI partnered with the Guinness World Records (GWR) and created a new record for the most signatures collected on a t-shirt in 60 minutes. It called upon the attendees and industry professionals to pledge to the power of "Educate, Elevate, Empower" and for each one of them to commit an hour this year to upskill the next generation of talent in the industry. Deeptie Sethi, CEO of PRCAI, remarked, "The industry is witnessing a healthy growth and PRCAI is committed to help the industry strive for excellence with platforms to upskill, standardizing guidelines to build a world-class workforce and stronger industry practices for both today and tomorrow. We are excited about the first-ever Guinness World Record for PRCAI, that symbolizes our commitment to encourage each member of ours as an integrated part to cultivate a more skilled and innovative workforce for the future."To elevate the industry standards and cultivate a more professional and collaborative environment for collective success, PRCAI has a new client-consultancy partnership charter and code of conduct guidelines, which will be announced soon to build an even stronger ethical, professional, and progressive PR industry.