PR will see a lot more focus on stakeholder engagement in 2023: Prasidha Menon

The start of a new year is seen as bringing in new operational efficiencies, stronger strategies, a far greater emphasis on building deep bonds with various stakeholders and consumers. In keeping with the current market ecosystem, technology and a human approach are seen as going hand in hand.

As 2023 kicks off, Adgully has approached key industry leaders to Crystal Gaze into 2023, as part of our annual Trending Now series, to highlight the major trends and developments that they see dominating the industry in the year ahead.

Prasidha Menon, Regional Communications Lead, Airbnb, India & Southeast Asia, speaks about how PR & communications professionals are increasingly having a seat at the leadership table, more focus on specialised micro-influencers, unlocking the next 4 million hosts at Airbnb, and more.

Key trends in PR in 2023

I think the PR & communications industry is currently thriving. PR & communications professionals today have a seat at the leadership table, and the power to influence business decisions and deliver business results. This, I believe, will continue to be the case in 2023.

The role of the PR & communications team has already evolved considerably. Going beyond traditional media relations, communications professionals now have the opportunity to lead influencer engagement, content marketing, social media campaigns, brand partnerships, and much more. What would be interesting to see in 2023, is how far we’d be able to push the needle. Can we drive brand partnerships that are key from a reputation and brand awareness perspective, but will also drive a business outcome?

We’ll also see a lot more focus on stakeholder engagement. Celebrity endorsements alone cannot help sell a product or service, the opinion of real users, expressed through social media platforms, have the ability to make or break a campaign, resulting in the need for communications professionals to step in as conscience keepers. We’ll, therefore, see a lot more focus on specialised micro-influencers, with a more trustworthy voice and the right audience reach, emerging as key to a brand’s consumer engagement strategy.

Given the strong focus on RoI, it will be interesting to see more investments in measurement and analytics, and new technologies like AI will also be top of mind for the industry.

Major expectations

Beyond all things business, I am hoping to see more women in leadership roles in the PR & communications industry in 2023. I think for an industry that boasts of a comparatively better gender diversity ratio, it is unfortunate that we still don’t have a lot of women in leadership roles.

Key focus areas for Airbnb in 2023

As the Head of Communications at Airbnb for India and Southeast Asia, my team and I will focus on driving brand campaigns and corporate reputation programs that are aligned with our larger business goals of making ‘living anywhere’ a reality for travel enthusiasts from around the world, while unlocking the next 4 million hosts, who’d be ready to host stays that are not just comfortable, but also unique and memorable.