In the last ten years, public relations has taken on new dimensions, particularly since the introduction of social media and the rapid shift to digital, particularly during the pandemic period. Simultaneously, the industry has faced significant challenges, and client expectations have risen, with a greater emphasis placed on digital and online reputation management.
Geetika Bangia, Head – of Corporate Communications, Stryker India, speaks with Adgully about how PR has transformed 360 degrees in the last two decades, the importance of engaging content, developing good organic PR, and more.
You have spent a significant amount of time at the client’s end in corporate communication. What significant changes have you observed in public relations over the last 10 to 15 years?
In my nearly two decades of experience in the public relations, communications, and marketing industries, and has played various roles along the way, I would say that the industry has transformed 360 degrees. From being print-heavy and newspapers and magazines being the undisputed champions, having a presence in the online space has now become equally important. Furthermore, story-telling that was previously done through articles, blogs, and infographics is now done creatively through videos, captions, and memes. In my opinion, public relations is any type of marketing communication that has a positive impact on stakeholders such as customers, partners, and even employees. Content, on the other hand, has not changed and will remain constant in this industry.
What are some of the challenges you face as the chief of a corporate communication team when working collaboratively with PR partners?
As important as corporate communications are to an institution, convincing PR partners of its importance remains tricky. Their line of business has trained them to quantify success in ways that PR and communication systems cannot. This specialization focuses on brand building for both the company and the executives who lead it. Furthermore, developing good organic PR takes time and effort because it involves relationship building and nurturing over time.
Thus, despite being a part of the marketing function, there is still trepidation about setting the budget, and the role of public relations is still viewed as a tool for obtaining coverage in newspapers or magazines.
As a result, to set expectations, I use the strategy of being open to hearing but also being honest in making them understand the pros and cons because every action taken is a step toward building a brand. Furthermore, if a stakeholder wants their message or product to be highlighted in every piece of PR content, I make them understand that PR is not the same as advertising or sales materials. Instead of feeling promotional, the content should inform, engage, or issue a call to action through a story. However, things are looking up, and the partners are beginning to recognize that not everything is about coverage. It is the brand story-telling approach that will yield more tangible results.
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