Public Relations has entered a bold new era. No longer just a back-office function, it has transformed into a strategic powerhouse shaping brand reputation and influence. Companies and leaders now see PR not as an afterthought, but as an essential force driving credibility, trust, and long-term success. The industry has undergone a radical shift with the rise of social media, fundamentally transforming PR strategies. Influencers now play a crucial role in shaping consumer perceptions and engagement. PR is no longer confined to securing media visibility; it has expanded into a dynamic, results-driven discipline focused on meaningful interactions and measurable outcomes. With a younger, more digitally savvy audience emerging, PR professionals face new challenges. Brands and practitioners must be more agile, data-driven, and proactive in crafting business solutions that resonate with their audience. The future of PR lies in adaptability, authenticity, and strategic storytelling that build lasting trust and impact. 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. Over the past decade, public relations in India have transformed from a largely transactional function into a strategic pillar of brand building. From navigating fast-moving news cycles to managing omnichannel narratives, today?ÇÖs PR firms are expected to deliver more than just media visibility?Çöthey must offer clarity, context, and counsel in a hyper-connected world. At the forefront of this evolution is Carmine Communications LLP, a firm known for its integrated approach, digital fluency, and purpose-driven storytelling.In conversation with Adgully, Minesh Raja, Founder & Partner at Carmine Communications LLP, shares how the agency is redefining the role of modern PR?Çöfrom being media intermediaries to becoming strategic architects of brand reputation. Drawing from his own entrepreneurial journey, Raja offers insights into the rise of programmatic storytelling, the impact of media fragmentation, and why clarity, empathy, and adaptability are the most critical skills for PR professionals today.From founding Carmine Communications LLP to leading it?Çöhow has your journey shaped your view of the evolving PR landscape in India?When I started Carmine, I saw a gap?Çönot just in the kind of work being done, but in the mindset. PR was largely transactional back then?Çöpress releases, event coverage, damage control. My vision was to build a firm that works like a strategic partner to brands, not just a vendor. Over the last decade, the Indian PR landscape has undergone a tectonic shift. The advent of digital media, the explosion of content platforms, and the rise of citizen journalism have completely redefined our playing field.This journey has reinforced my belief that PR today is about reputation architecture, not just publicity. We now operate at the intersection of strategy, culture, and community. Clients come to us not only for media coverage but for guidance on how to speak, when to speak, and what not to say in a hyper-reactive world. It?ÇÖs been humbling and exhilarating to lead a team through that transformation. With PR increasingly merging with digital and content marketing, how is Carmine adapting to this convergence? We embraced the shift early on. At Carmine, we?ÇÖve always believed that good communication doesn?ÇÖt live in silos. What used to be separate departments?ÇöPR, digital, content?Çöare now merged in one unified strategy. We've built in-house capabilities for Digital PR that cover content creation, influencer marketing, crisis mitigation, social media analytics, and even community building.For instance, today a product launch campaign doesn?ÇÖt just mean a press note?Çöit includes an interactive landing page, curated influencer reels, SEO-backed blog content, regional media outreach, and real-time response mapping on digital platforms. This approach helps us tell stories in formats that match how people consume content today. A campaign's success now depends on its ability to be discovered, shared, and believed?Çönot just printed.We?ÇÖve also made a conscious effort to hire young talents and upskill our existing team in digital analytics, SEO, and creative storytelling formats that go beyond words?Çölike video bytes, carousels, memes, and podcasts. PR has truly become omnichannel?Çöand we?ÇÖve evolved our DNA to reflect that. What, according to you, sets a good PR professional apart in today?ÇÖs fast-paced media environment? The answer used to be ?Ç£relationships,?Ç¥ and while that?ÇÖs still important, today I?ÇÖd say it?ÇÖs clarity under chaos. News cycles are shorter than ever. A trend can go viral in minutes and die within hours. Amid that speed, what separates a good PR professional from the rest is someone who can assess a situation quickly, think strategically, and act responsibly.Empathy is another underrated but critical skill. You're often the voice behind the brand?Çöwhether you're announcing layoffs, addressing a crisis, or launching a new product?Çöand how you shape that message affects public perception. Professionals who can combine strategic thinking with emotional intelligence will always have the edge.Also, adaptability. Today?ÇÖs PR professionals must know how to map the latest trends, brief a journalist in the morning, pitch a podcast by noon, and draft a CEO statement, articles in the evening. Those who succeed are the ones who can code-switch between formats, tones, and audiences seamlessly. You?ÇÖve worked with a variety of brands?Çöhow do you tailor your communication strategy to match different brand personalities and sectors? Great communication starts with listening. At Carmine, before we recommend anything, we immerse ourselves in the brand?ÇÖs ecosystem?Çöits history, tone, pain points, audience behaviors, and even internal culture. Because no two brands are the same, our approach must reflect that uniqueness.Let?ÇÖs say we?ÇÖre working with a new-age fintech startup. The storytelling will focus on disruption, innovation, business model and digital trust. Now compare that with a legacy healthcare institution?Çöhere the narrative might lean into credibility, care, success ratio and clinical excellence. The voice, visuals, platform strategy, and even response mechanisms differ dramatically.We use audience insights, brand archetypes, competitive analysis, and sentiment mapping to build a brand-aligned communication matrix. What remains constant is our belief that the story must be authentic?Çöbecause forced branding is easy to detect and quick to fail in today?ÇÖs transparent media environment. Crisis communication has become more critical than ever?Çöwhat?ÇÖs your approach when a brand faces a reputation challenge? The speed at which misinformation spreads today makes crisis communication more crucial than ever. At Carmine, we treat crisis planning as a mandatory component of brand stewardship, not a reactive task. We help brands build internal playbooks that include scenario mapping, pre-approved messaging, media handling protocols, and chain-of-command clarity.When a crisis hits, our first instinct is to pause and gather facts. Acting too fast without clarity can do more damage than delay. Once we have the facts, our priority is to communicate swiftly, honestly, and empathetically?Çöwhether it?ÇÖs to the media, employees, or customers.At Carmine Communications, we?ÇÖve stood shoulder-to-shoulder with corporates and high-profile individuals caught in India?ÇÖs most unforgiving PR storms?Çöcoordinated media offensives, digital smear campaigns, hostile activism, and regulatory controversies engineered to fracture public trust.Over the years, we?ÇÖve learned a hard truth: in an age where narratives are weaponised, blind acceptance of blame is rarely a strategy?Çöit?ÇÖs surrender. When reputational damage stems from an unintentional act, our approach is surgical. We dissect the issue, surface overlooked facts, build credible references, and inject context that reframes perceptions. The goal is clear: tilt the discourse, diffuse hostility, and redirect scrutiny without compromising credibility.We don?ÇÖt just manage a crisis; we manoeuvre the narrative?Çöturning potential reputational free fall into an opportunity to reinforce our clients?ÇÖ standing. Because in today?ÇÖs hypercharged environment, trust isn?ÇÖt given?Çöit?ÇÖs defendedHow has media fragmentation (regional media, influencers, social channels) impacted the way you plan and execute PR campaigns?It has made campaigns both more complex and more exciting. Earlier, you?ÇÖd build a single campaign narrative and push it through a handful of national dailies and business channels. Today, a campaign may need 10 different content formats, 5 language versions, and partnerships with 30 creators to reach the same level of visibility and engagement.This fragmentation has also brought hyper-personalization to the forefront. We now build audience clusters?Çönot just by geography but by digital behavior, platform preference, and influencer credibility. For instance, a regional journalist might carry more weight in Tamil Nadu than a national media house. Or a micro-influencer in Pune might generate higher engagement than a Bollywood name.So, we plan campaigns in modular formats?Çöallowing for adaptation across platforms, languages, and audience expectations. Yes, it requires more effort. But the impact? Far deeper and more measurable. What?ÇÖs your take on the role of purpose-driven communication in building long-term brand equity?Purpose is not a marketing hook?Çöit?ÇÖs a business compass. And consumers today are asking the hard questions: What does your brand stand for? How do you treat your employees? What?ÇÖs your environmental footprint? If your answer is vague, they?ÇÖll move on.At Carmine, we encourage clients to identify authentic purpose pillars and build consistent communication around them?Çönot just during campaigns but in everyday messaging. Whether it?ÇÖs DEI, sustainability, or social impact, we help brands walk the talk. That means aligning leadership messaging, media strategy, internal culture, and social voice with their stated purpose. What advice would you give to young professionals who aspire to enter the world of communications and PR today?Learn the craft?Çöthen learn the business. PR is no longer just about writing press releases. It?ÇÖs about understanding media behaviour, digital platforms, consumer psychology, and brand strategy. So read widely, write regularly, ask questions, and stay hungry. Don?ÇÖt chase shortcuts.???Also, build relationships?Çöreal ones. This industry still thrives on trust and credibility. That?ÇÖs your biggest asset. And lastly, develop resilience. There will be days of chaos, campaigns that flop, and crises that unfold at midnight. If you can keep your cool, stay ethical, and still find the story worth telling?Çöthat?ÇÖs when you know you?ÇÖre in the right place.