Pandemic led systemic renaissance of PR, Marketing & Advertising News, ET BrandEquity

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by Anna Munhin Mar 16, 2023 News
Pandemic led systemic renaissance of PR, Marketing & Advertising News, ET BrandEquity
<p>Representative image</p>
Representative image
By Sujit M Patil2023 continues to be a year of ‘systemic renaissance’ for PR and Corporate Communications! The indications being adoption of technology, AI or at least a rise in conversations around it, demand for data and research driven narratives, authenticity, and empathy in narratives, focus on measurement, regional media gaining prominence, etc. The ‘Covid cleansing’ has also helped eliminate many resources draining, non-value adding processes to an extent.The future of PR shines bright, and I am taking the liberty to share few trends, that I feel will or should take precedence in the minds of PR practitioners as they roll out campaigns to build reputation for their organizations.‘Authenticity and Inclusion’ is the new ‘AI’.
Consumers want your narratives to be not just authentic but inclusive. Brands will need to walk the talk, as cause-washing often creates more backlash than serving any purpose. Authentic data backed and research driven narratives sail well. PR programs designed around causes that serve public interests will see a huge rise. Done in an authentic and transparent manner, corporates stand to generate a lot of positive reputation and a superior connect with customers. We’ll see a lot of action in the space of Cause, purpose, and value-based Storytelling.Digital PR with regional Influencers and regional media engagement will get sharper.
Today, influencers – from micro to nano, continue to emerge from every nook and corner of our country. In many cases brands are moving away from celebrities in favor of these influencers. I see a shift in priority from quantity to quality of content from the influencers/creators. Building dedicated influencer squads for respective categories and engaging with them on a long-term association would certainly benefit brands. Regional influence has gone up and hence content in regional languages both for traditional and digital media will see a significant rise.

The effectiveness of PR will be driven by data and analytic information.

Tracking impact and outcome rather than just coverage has become imperative. Having data and analytics will help professionals measure results against goals and channelize their ERP’s (Efforts, Resources, Processes) and hence garner larger credibility with the C-Suite. The trend of using data - to make informed decisions – to generate content that resonates with audiences or change tactics during a campaign, or respond during a crisis will only add to the credibility of PR.

On a rise, investing in owned media.

One is witnessing a visible trend of media houses charging for content. This is fair and will only grow. However, many cannot afford to pay for content. This has propelled organizations and brands to launch their own media properties. These platforms - be it blogs, podcasts, interactive sites, or on ground experiential gigs offer their target audiences free access to content that is unique and interesting, sometimes co-created. Owned media done well helps brands reach the desired audiences organically, build communities, provide experiences, and express purpose on its own terms. The bottom line is, if your customers feel included, they remain loyal to your brand.

It will be in style.

I can assure you that this word will be heard very frequently in 2023! It is basically the opposite of ‘Hi-Fi’ that has reference to superior audio quality. However, the concept has been extended to include all forms of raw content. Imagine content on Insta or any other platform that comes through filters versus the regular point and shoot content. The latter is refreshing, relatable and real. Also, if you observe keenly, audiences on social media like organic, real feeling content from creators. Integrating this in your content creation strategy can yield great results in terms of engagement and UGC.

The use of creativity and emotions will increase.

In this world of dwindling attention spans and clutter, what remains top of the mind is not the brand signage, or color scheme or the USP. It is that ubiquitous phenomena called “Emotion”. Data is of course very important. It fortifies emotions. It is the RTB – reason to believe! I see a strong trend emerging – that of using emotions in PR story telling.

Web 3.0, Metaverse, and chat GPT are some of the things that will be enabled.


Web3.0 and the metaverse brings enormous opportunity for brands to adopt new forms of engagement – gamification, immersive experiences and direct to consumer communication. A brilliant convergence of virtual, augmented, physical realities and other immersive technologies, Metaverse could be a world with endless possibilities for PR professionals. ChatGPT can save time PR professionals spend on data gathering, research, ideation, and even generating the first-cut content. Add to this generating list of journalists, influencers, tracking narratives, insights and much more. Imagine PR professionals churning out press releases and narratives in seconds. Imagine AI enabling auto responses during crisis or otherwise. Well, all this is becoming a reality. A new world order for PR is around the corner. Get ready!

Employer branding will be driven by DEI and EIG narratives.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion are today seen as a competitive advantage. Research has demonstrated that employees prefer working with organizations that demonstrated concern for the environment, are socially responsible and have a good reputation. Employees, consumers, and stakeholders raising their expectations of brands on ESG and demonstration of DEI at workplaces, will provide PR professionals the opportunity to build a strong employer brand through focused PR campaigns around these themes.The future of work has arrived ahead of time: On the employee front, we have witnessed myriad return-to-work and employee well-being challenges. Onboarding new employees with no social, in person contact with colleagues has made integration with organizational culture difficult. Internal communications will have to be redefined to create a shared sense of purpose amongst employees.A focus on these trends, building competencies around them and enhancing the expertise that already exists in our PR arsenals can help us set a positive tone for how we build and manage reputation, going forward.The author is the Vice President and Head - Corporate Brand and Communications at Godrej Industries and Associate Companies. Views expressed are personal.

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It was published on March 16th, 2023.

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