You need to be a great storyteller to convey what you are looking for: Himank Tripathi

In the last 10 years, PR has taken a different dimension, especially after the entry of social media and the rapid shift to digital during the pandemic period. At the same time, the industry has been facing stiff challenges, moreover client expectations have also increased, with more emphasis being given to digital and online reputation management. The industry has undergone a radical shift and the current times have pushed the industry to change gears.

In conversation with Adgully, Himank Tripathi, Chief Communications Officer, Baazi Games, speaks about social media dominance, how ethics plays an important role in the PR industry, and more.

What new trends do you see developing in the practice of public relations in India as a result of technology?

The public relations industry is changing rapidly. With newer trends developing constantly. the number one trend that I see dominating is that of of social media, though this trend has been growing for the past 10 years. Right now, everything has to be digitally linked. All strategies need to have a social media leg to the amplify results. This trend will continue to dominate how public relations shapes up in India.

Data is going to be another key driving factor. In the last couple of months I have witnessed that there is an increase in the number of strategies and decision making backed by data, this is also being extended to the field of public relations. It aids in identifying your target audience, curating the right messaging while also helping in effectively measuring your campaign. There is no doubt that data is gradually going to become a key pillar for all PR strategies.

Another channel that is gaining traction is that of influencer marketing. Recently I have seen growing reliance on influencers over celebrities. Making influencer outreach another developing tool that should be included in all strategies. Brands should increasingly reach out to influencers to collaborate for campaigns, communicating the company’s vision and objectives and goals.

What do you believe to be the major issues the public relations sector is now facing in India, and how do you intend to overcome them?

The lack of effective channels to measuring the ROI generated by PR is a challenge that the sector is still facing in India. How you manage and evaluate the efforts undertaken by the PR team in contributing with the brand building needs attention.

Another concern is that there are issues pertaining to the credibility factor of what PR is doing. People have different sets of perception. It is high time that what we do in terms of PR, we try to focus on bringing transparency, ethics and try to align PR strategies with the kind of outcome that the organisation is looking for. If you focus on these things, I think we will be able to build credibility.

While we have been talking about credibility and aligning PR strategies, we as a community also need to keep working on building on our skill and keep up with the changing times. There is an evident lack of digital literacy and evolved skills. I have been talking to several youngsters, experts and veterans in the field of public relations and communications, and this trend is sadly prevalent across generations of PR folks. Everyone should be focusing on enhancing their skill sets. For instance, artificial intelligence is increasingly making inroads with the marketing segment. But I have witnessed that professionals are still averse to understanding how AI can aid with daily operations. Registering for certifications programs can be one of the easiest ways to learn and understand the tools.

Last but not the least, I think talent is a major issue that the PR industry is still facing – not only attracting the right talent, but retaining them.

How can you make sure your company upholds moral principles in all of your client interactions?

Ethics are an integral pillar for all organisations. Unless your company understands the importance of ethics, and works on a very strong framework, it will be very difficult for any company or any organisation to progress in the right direction. Try to focus on transparency, being more collaborative and giving equal respect to all stakeholders. These are some of the things that an organisation should focus on, and all these attributes can be covered if you have a set of framework, or a handbook with “Do’s and Don’ts” in the context of ethics in place.

In fact, when you decide something, be it big or small ticket activities, it should be based on those ethics. If you (the company) say that we are going to treat each and every employee equally, then the same should be reflective in your hiring process.

Your expectations should be defined. However, we tend to not define a set of expectations in a clear manner. My way of doing it is we should have micro and macro levels of expectations. If you set clear pointers that are written and officially communicated, it will aidorganisation.