Traditionally, consultancies have been working in silos driven by channel led solutions, versus, idea led direction. Today, as the lines have blurred between earned, owned, and paid, the channels we offer matter less than the journey a consumer undertakes with a brand. It is important to combine strengths of all functions in advertising, PR, digital and consolidate data/research to shape a central strategy or integrated thinking. The idea is to build a single point narrative.
The intent is to maximise and leverage all channels of communications, to deliver on a common set of KPIs. Within that, we see a growing role for PR, and this trend should continue in 2023.
Following the COVID – 19 crisis, we saw businesses and brands across industries go through a complete churn and reprioritise their marketing plans. Earned outreach in that context, has become an important part of the communications mix. This certainly throws open a up a lot of opportunity ahead of us, to do more earned first campaigns. Get creative and innovate.
We can already see things evolve, both offline and online, as PR has the power to motivate behaviours, gain endorsements and drive credibility for brands. It has the ability to drive positive impact in the society as well, and match consumer values and beliefs, leading to an increase in purpose-driven communication. To put it simply, there is a strong potential for it to lead the change in many cases.
That, combined with the use of data and technology, such as, AI and AR/VR, captures the pulse of the target audience, enhancing consumer experiences. Tech advancements and changing consumer behaviours have effectively influenced a huge shift in the way we look at communications and its design, including PR.
This trend allows us to think more freely and creatively. Pushing the bar, a notch higher each time. With a great idea at the heart of it, the narrative gets stronger and makes for a good play of content, across channels. The ability to maximise ideas, matters today, undoubtedly.
There is a noticeable rise in micro and nano influencers entering the fold, as well. Brands are seeking out partnerships that go beyond just impressions and extend to collaborations for co-creating content. The more organic these endorsements are, the more credible it gets. And for those who thought this is a new phenomena, its been over a decade at least, that I know it existed. Back then, we engaged subject matter experts and thought leaders, in a limited way. The force has multiplied over the years and it has shaped into a huge practice of marketing, not just for B2B businesses but for consumer brands. Today, there’s an entire gamut of people who we identify as, ‘influencers’ and more and more brands see merit in engaging with them to build greater, deeper, consumer connect.
The new age PR is therefore, constantly innovating itself, making way for cutting edge solutions. Its strength lies in its unique ability to adapt and change with the times. It has evolved into a powerful tool, stimulating more demand as the outcomes are now more tangible and measurable than, before. The industry should continue to thrive and grow, as brands realise its’s full potential and prioritise PR in their communications mix.
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Previously, as Head Communications and Community Relations Textron India, Arneeta led strategy and implementation for Internal & External Outreach in the region in close collaboration with a multi-stakeholder audience in TIPL and across Textron Business Units, globally. With over two decades of experience combining agency and corporate function, Arneeta has worked in a 360 environment and led multi-stakeholder and integrated campaigns in India and ASEAN region.
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