AI & allied technologies have helped PR sector achieve greater efficiency: Kunal Kishore

As we bid adieu to 2023, let’s take a moment to reflect on the efforts of the outstanding PR leaders whose efforts have created a new wave of transformations and growth in the dynamic PR industry.

In the Epilogue-2023, a year-ender series from e4m PR & Corp Comm, we pay homage to the contributions and explore the visionary perspective of the luminary Kunal Kishore, Founder Director, Value360 Group. He has played diverse roles in strategically growing the PR industry and incubating new complementary businesses under the group.

Excerpts:

Can you highlight some key trends or shifts you observed in the PR and communications industry this year?

It can be said with considerable confidence that the PR industry took several leaps in terms of technology in 2023. We saw the increasing use of AI tools for content creation, campaign optimization, data-driven decision-making, and greater personalization. AI and its allied technologies have allowed the industry to achieve greater efficiency and offer a more tailored experience to clients.

For example, in terms of crisis communication, our approach has been stronger with social media listening tools and monitoring tools for news portals and other online platforms. With these solutions, we have been able to analyze consumer sentiment in real-time, foretell crisis situations, and even combat crises in a timely manner.

The year has also seen the lines between PR and marketing blur further, as agencies employ earned, owned and paid media to cut across all stakeholder cohorts. For instance, PR campaigns are increasingly being fortified with influencer activation, which makes for a wider audience base, greater engagement, and increased ROI.

How have you adapted your PR strategies to effectively reach and engage target audiences? Can you share a specific campaign or initiative that highlights this adaptability and its success?

Through the V360 Group, we have created a marketing consortium which offers integrated services encompassing multiple facets of the communications landscape. With the PR capabilities of Value 360 Communications, influencer marketing capabilities of ClanConnect, and the digital prowess of popkorn, we have been able to devise dynamic, multifaceted communication strategies that meet the varying needs and goals of our diverse client base.

As a leader, how do you prioritize and integrate digital communication channels in your overall strategy?

At the V360 Group, we are ensuring strategic alignment of digital channels into our overall business and PR objectives, using digital to enhance communication goals. We are also actively using data to develop impactful digital campaigns, understand audience behaviour, and preferences, and measure performance. Apart from this, social media and influencer engagement have become a crucial part of our strategy to create a consistent brand presence across channels of importance.

What steps has your PR and communications team worked to ensure diversity and inclusion in messaging and campaigns?

Diversity and inclusion have been woven into the very fabric of the PR industry and we are proud to uphold these tenets within our organization as well. We are in the business of making an array of voices and opinions heard in the public domain. Our client base and internal team consist of varied voices, which ensures that we can cater to a wider and more inclusive stakeholder base through our communication.

That said, we understand the importance of sensitivity training, and take the required steps to ensure that different viewpoints and cultural differences meld into unique, inclusive, and cohesive messaging.

What are your key priorities and goals for your PR team in the coming year?

As aforementioned, 2024 will be a year of betting big on technology to improve capabilities and efficiencies. Along the same vein, the V360 Group will focus on equipping the entirety of our team with critical, tech-focused skills. Upskilling, therefore, will be a key priority for us in the coming year.

As brands, both established and new, are now keen on digital-first stakeholder engagement, we will also ramp up our tech-backed offerings, specifically AI integration.
With social media continuing to rule the roost in terms of brand conversations, we are also poised to strengthen our digital and influencer marketing capabilities to offer impactful, targeted solutions to our clients.