Digital media is taking centerstage in campaign strategy today: Aman Gupta

In the last 10 years, PR has taken a different dimension, especially after the entry of social media and the rapid shift to digital, especially in 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, Aman Gupta, Managing Partner, SPAG, speaks at length about the changes in the PR industry, especially healthcare PR, in the pandemic times, the challenges that this industry could face in 2022, how PR is embracing digital, why this industry stil does not have standard PR measurement and more.

What are the challenges that the PR industry will face in 2022? What are the learnings from the previous year which will help you plan this year better to meet your business objectives?

We’ve seen a shift in the PR industry over the last two years in terms of approach, content and campaigns. This has been driven by technology and digital media has taken precedence. However, what has also set in as a result is exhaustion – of webinars, virtual events, conferences, etc. Therefore, the challenge really is to beat this exhaustion and be consistently innovative. How the industry leverages technology to create more engaging forms of content and campaigns that can bridge the human connect gap that we are facing in the world due to the pandemic, is something to watch out for.

You have a very deep understanding of healthcare communication. How has PR evolved in the healthcare business and how brands are leveraging PR?

The healthcare sector is one that has always shouldered a big responsibility while putting out any form of communication. However, it has been at the centre of the global narrative since COVID hit, which brought a new set of opportunities and challenges. It became even more important to ensure that all information put out is factually correct, scientifically accurate and credible not only in voice, but also in channel. This was largely done by partnering with specialist players, stakeholders and communicators to ensure that a robust multi-channel ecosystem is created that is able to engage, inform and educate. The most challenging thing in this ecosystem was to build trust through communication by establishing relevance. PR helps structurally build an integrated communications ecosystem to connect all touch points using data and research to create campaigns that in turn deliver business impact. It’s a full circle focussed on battling the core challenge of misinformation in the healthcare sector and battling the lack of trusted, credible sources of information.

Healthcare communication demands a different kind of expertise to handle. How have you managed to build your team here to deliver value to your clients on a continuous basis?

Healthcare communications is treated very differently from other sectors. This is largely because the healthcare sector is so regulated that one must be cognizant of the nuances that dictate the operations of this sector. One of the key prerequisites that we look out for thus, while recruiting is domain knowledge. Moreover, we invest in training our team on the changing nuances within the industry. We are particular about putting together a team that has deep insight and understands the healthcare industry well. This directly translates into a positive client relationship because they know that we understand this field very well. Moreover, SPAG was built on the premise of solid healthcare experience and over the last 7 years, we have maintained that through a streamlined recruitment and training process.

The PR industry is growing and becoming more competitive. What kind of differentiation do you bring to the table on strategic thinking and creativity?

SPAG was built on specialising in healthcare. Today, we have expanded to technology and start-ups, but it’s all a by-product of that. Thus, the one thing that sets us apart from other firms who also service healthcare clients is that we have a whole team dedicated to healthcare as an industry. This means we pay attention to every aspect of communications. Over the years, we’ve built our own IP in the space through in-depth and thorough research with industry leaders. This has helped us operate with our own proprietary tools that implement an advanced communications approach. In 2019, we released the Value, Expertise and Trust model in collaboration with KPMG that focussed on every aspect of healthcare communications. In 2020, we released our Start-up Communications report with deep investor insights again in collaboration with KPMG and others. In 2021, along with our partners Baird’s CMC, we released the ‘Global Media Trends Report’, which looked at how the health media is evolving in light of the pandemic and what the future looks like in terms of news. So, we are consistently evolving our scope and adapting to the changing world through real, on-ground, practical research and development.

How has PR embraced digital? What are some of the changes that you have witnessed in PR with the advent of digital in a big way?

The pandemic transformed PR and a lot has been said about that over the span of two years. However, what is significant is how digital media is taking centerstage in campaign strategy today. Today, most PR firms are offering integrated communications. Even with regards to media, while traditional forms of media do remain critical, digital media visibility is an ask by most clients. This has brought about a shift in team expertise as well – it has led to exceptional growth and skill enhancements, while also helped exhibit the bandwidth and extent to which a PR approach can be flexed. Media events, webinars, online conferences, virtual events – there is a complete shift in the way we engage with each other and with the media. This is here to stay and grow. We can expect a lot of experimentation in this space in the year ahead.

What is your view on PR measurements? The industry has still not formulated a standard formula, so how do you evaluate the effectiveness of the various PR campaigns at your end?

This is one aspect that definitely needs to be brought to the forefront. It is crucial to PR campaigns, and it requires that kind of investment because it directly reflects impact. There are a few key aspects that need to be focussed on. There needs to be a shift in perceptions and attitudes through campaigns and qualitative research models that filter into the target audience can prove very effective. Moreover, the changing narrative should be tracked and whether that is aligned to the core campaign message. This can be achieved through precise listening and analytics conducted across channels. Tools need to be put in place to map impact of the campaign on business, along with the range of innovation and creativity in campaigns. Overarchingly, we need to move from basic media as a key measure to more outcome and impact-driven mechanisms.