We are in a new era of Public Relations. In the last few years, the importance of reputation management has undergone a sea change. More brands and clients, especially from the leadership teams, are viewing Public Relations from a close range. The industry has undergone a radical change with the advent of social media, which has to a large extent changed the approach to Public Relations. We have a relatively new and young audience that we need to face in the coming years so there are bigger challenges for brands and PR practitioners, who have to be more agile and proactive in their thinking to draw up business solutions for clients.In our exclusive weekly column, PR Conversation, Adgully interacts with leading business leaders to gain their exclusive views and insights on various trends in the PR and communications industry.In an exclusive conversation with Adgully, Sumeet Bhojani, Head - Brand & Strategic Insights, Godrej & Boyce Mfg Co Ltd, discusses his journey – from being the Head of Marketing Communications to leading Brand & Strategic Insights at Godrej Enterprises Group. He shares how he ensures consistency in brand messaging across different communication channels and touchpoints, the importance of corporate social responsibility (CSR) in communication strategy, key focus areas for brand and strategic insights at Godrej Enterprises Group, and more.Could you describe your journey from being the Head of Marketing Communications to the Head of Brand & Strategic Insights at Godrej Enterprises Group? How has your role evolved?My journey from Head of Marketing Communications to Head of Brand & Strategic Insights at Godrej Enterprises Group has been both challenging and rewarding. When I was leading Marketing Communications, with Godrej Interio, my focus was very category focused. The primary challenge was to associate the brand with a lifestyle which required a deep understanding of our consumers and how they engage with our products. Given the visual nature of the category, driving inspiring content became crucial. We had to ensure that our brand was not only visible, but also preferred in a highly competitive landscape which meant that digital touchpoints became crucial given that over 60% of the consumers begin their journey online.Transitioning to Head of Brand & Strategic Insights expanded my scope significantly. In this role, I’m responsible for managing the Godrej mother-brand at Godrej & Boyce, ensuring its consistent and cohesive representation across multiple categories. Brand governance has become a key responsibility, where we need to ensure that the brand speaks uniformly across various touchpoints, whether in B2B or B2C contexts. The challenge now is to maintain this consistency while adapting to the unique nuances of each category, ensuring that the mother brand remains strong and relevant across all our business verticals.In your role at Godrej Enterprises Group, how do you ensure consistency in brand messaging across different communication channels and touchpoints?At Godrej Enterprises Group, ensuring consistency in brand messaging is paramount, given the diversity of our business verticals and the unique audiences we engage with. We have established a detailed framework with specific guidelines that clearly define what the brand stands for and the key messaging pillars that must be adhered to across all businesses. This framework is meticulously cascaded across categories, contexts, and touchpoints.For instance, in our B2B communications, we focus on showcasing our capabilities around engineering and manufacturing excellence, which are core to our identity. On the other hand, when it comes to digital touchpoints for a brand like Godrej Interio, the messaging pivots towards how our products enhance the lifestyle of consumers, aligning with their aspirations and needs.Across all channels, whether it’s a B2B exhibit or a digital campaign, the underlying theme remains consistent: our commitment to sustainability and nation-building, and our focus on enhancing the lives of our consumers through innovation and design. By indexing our communications on these pillars, we ensure that the Godrej brand is represented uniformly, yet relevantly, across all touchpoints.Could you discuss the importance of corporate social responsibility (CSR) in your communication strategy and how it impacts brand perception?At Godrej Enterprises Group, CSR is central to our purpose-driven approach, shaping our communication strategy and enhancing brand perception. Our initiatives, such as the Godrej DISHA program, focus on improving employability by offering vocational training in fields like manufacturing, digital skills, and technical trades, aligning with our business needs and national priorities.Additionally, our community development efforts span across education, environment, health, and livelihood. We continue to improve school infrastructure, support underprivileged engineering students, work on water conservation and afforestation projects, enhance health and sanitation facilities, and empower local communities through livelihood initiatives. These programs are implemented across multiple locations, including Khalapur, Shirwal, Madkai, Mohali, and others.These efforts not only address critical societal needs, but also solidify our brand’s reputation as a responsible and conscious organization, fostering trust and goodwill among our stakeholders.How did your previous roles at Asian Paints prepare you for your current position at Godrej Enterprises Group, particularly in handling multiple brands and driving integrated marketing communications?My experience at Asian Paints was instrumental in shaping my approach to handling multiple brands. I had the opportunity to work closely with both sales and marketing functions. This dual exposure gave me a comprehensive understanding of the market, ensuring that our large-scale marketing campaigns, whether ATL or BTL, were always grounded in the realities of the marketplace. Keeping an ear to the ground became essential in crafting strategies that resonated with consumers and drove results.Moreover, managing teams at Asian Paints honed my people leadership skills, teaching me the importance of not just driving performance but also influencing and negotiating effectively and carving a win-win path. These experiences added a unique set of soft skills that are invaluable in managing complex brand portfolios and executing integrated marketing strategies.In addition, my roles in marketing and category management at Asian Paints taught me how critical consumer research and insights are in shaping go-to-market strategies, brand positioning, and creative direction. These skill sets have been crucial in building a well-rounded leadership approach at Godrej Enterprises Group, enabling me to effectively manage multiple brands and ensure cohesive, impactful communication across all touchpoints.Could you share some insights into your leadership style and how it has evolved over the years, particularly in high-pressure roles and fast-paced environments?My leadership style has evolved significantly over the years, particularly as I’ve taken on high-pressure roles in fast-paced environments. Initially, my focus was on relentless execution – getting the job done no matter what. However, as I grew into more managerial roles, I realized the importance of shifting from a task-focused approach to a people-focused one. It’s the people who drive the objectives you set, and their success directly translates to the organization’s success.I’ve learned to be very clear about our goals while also being mindful of the resources required to achieve them. Anticipating potential obstacles and developing mitigation plans has become a key part of my leadership approach. It’s crucial to provide the team with the necessary resources, clarity, and support to navigate challenges and reach their objectives.Ultimately, I see my role as a leader as someone who empowers the team to achieve their goals. By focusing on people, providing the right resources, and maintaining clear communication, I ensure that we can perform effectively even in the most demanding situations.Looking ahead, what are your key focus areas for brand and strategic insights at Godrej Enterprises Group? How do you plan to continue driving growth and innovation?As we look into the future, my key focus areas for brand and strategic insights at Godrej Enterprises Group revolve around ensuring that our brand is not just relevant today, but also future-ready. The world and consumer expectations are rapidly evolving, and it’s imperative that we stay ahead of these changes.One of our primary goals is to build a brand focused on providing a great experience. This means that we need to be present at the right touchpoints and offer a consistent and delightful experience at all stages of the customer journey. In today’s day and age, leveraging digital technology as an enabler becomes paramount towards achieving this. It is also important to consistently, delivering a cohesive brand presence across all channels, ensuring that our values of trust, sustainability, and consciousness are at the core of everything we do.We’re also committed to embracing innovation – whether through digital transformation, technology integration, or aligning our brand with the aspirations of today’s youth. While at the same time keeping the trust and values that Godrej Enterprises Group stands for as a bedrock of everything that we do. By leveraging our strengths and combining them with innovation and design capabilities, we aim to drive growth and build further on our strong brand foundation.