Navigating new trends is the key to shape the PR industry: Valerie Pinto

As we bid adieu to 2023, let’s take a moment to reflect on the efforts of the outstanding PR leaders from diverse verticals who have been contributing to change the industry dynamics through their hard work, knowledge, innovation and expertise.

In today’s Epilogue 2023, a year-ender series from e4m PR & Corp Comm, we have Valerie Pinto, CEO of Weber Shandwick India, is an eminent figure in the PR and Communications industry. With more than 20 years of industry experience, she fearlessly challenges traditional communication models, infusing campaigns, creativity, and content with a fresh perspective.

Excerpts
Can you highlight some key trends or shifts you observed in the PR and communications industry this year?
The PR and communications landscape has undergone a significant shift, focusing on putting people at the centre of everything. Brands are now prioritizing authentic connections with their audience by embracing diversity, equity, and inclusion. There's a noticeable trend toward purpose-driven PR and Environmental Social Governance (ESG), showcasing a commitment to authenticity and social responsibility. Moreover, the integration of technology, especially AI and data-driven approaches, plays a crucial role in amplifying these trends. With advanced analytics, brands can now measure the impact of their campaigns, ensuring a seamless blend of technology for more effective and purposeful PR strategies. Navigating these trends is key to creating impactful campaigns that will shape the PR industry in the upcoming years.

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?
We stay true to the heart of earned media, with decades of experience, we navigate the dynamic industry landscape by blending traditional and digital channels. To effectively reach and engage target audiences, we approach challenges with strategic innovation, brave ideas, cultural intelligence, and flawless media choreography. Staying abreast of trends and tech ensures continuous innovation. This adaptability, coupled with a commitment to crafting impactful narratives, defines our success in engaging target audiences.

A standout success illustrating our adaptability is the "PVR Heard You" campaign with PVR. We deftly transformed challenges into opportunities by strategically communicating across both traditional and social media channels. The campaign gained momentum with the help of influencers and compelling storytelling, giving rise to the #PVRHeardYou trend, which solidified our triumph in turning adversity into a positive narrative. This exemplifies our ability to adapt and achieve impactful outcomes within the dynamic landscape of PR.

Have there been any notable shifts in the importance of traditional vs. digital channels for your organization in the past year?
Certainly, there's been a notable shift from traditional to digital channels, with many brands adopting a hybrid approach that incorporates both. Brands are recognizing the value of cohesive messaging across PR and social media channels. Platforms like podcasts, LinkedIn, and other digital channels have witnessed a significant surge.
Despite these changes, traditional and earned media remain fundamental, playing a crucial role in every brand's PR journey. In essence, the future of PR integrates digital and traditional media, using data, omnichannel strategies, and community building for impactful, resonant campaigns.

As a leader, how do you prioritize and integrate digital communication channels into your overall strategy?
I believe digital communication channels are no longer optional add-ons; they're the heartbeat of any successful strategy. Integrating them effectively requires a clear-eyed prioritization and a holistic approach. Our channels work together seamlessly, driven by agility, a data-driven mindset, and a culture of digital fluency. It's not just about platforms; it's about joining the conversations that matter to our clients and their audiences. Additionally, we also leverage the expertise of our specialized digital and creative team to ensure seamless integration, capitalizing on the strengths of each channel to craft compelling narratives. This multifaceted approach acknowledges the intricacies of our digital age, ensuring a strategic alignment that elevates our communication endeavours in the rapidly evolving media landscape.

What steps have your PR and communications team worked to ensure diversity and inclusion in messaging and campaigns?
At Weber Shandwick, we embody an unwavering commitment to diversity and inclusion, which is integrated into the core values of our organization. In our campaigns, we leverage cultural intelligence, and innovative and brave ideas to infuse diversity and collaborate with clients who champion diversity and inclusion, valuing social responsibility and fair representation.

Our progressive collaboration with manufacturing clients like Vedanta involves promoting gender diversity in traditionally male-dominated fields through initiatives like the Hard Hat Challenge. With Sonrise, a film by Vibha Bakshi, we advocated the eradication of gender bias and spearheaded the integration of gender equality studies into the public school curriculum. With Abbott, we address taboos surrounding menopause, raising awareness about its challenges. Our partnership with Meta focuses on inclusivity and empowerment of the tribal and marginalized communities by leveraging the internet to lead impactful narratives at the grassroots level. These campaigns, among others, reflect our commitment to diversity and inclusion

We try to incorporate diversity and inclusion in everything we do, we're committed to using communication as a bridge, not a barrier, to create a world where everyone feels heard and understood.

What are your key priorities for your PR team in the coming year?
This year, our focus centres on three key pillars:

Measurement & Risk Framework:
In today's era, clients emphasize the measurement of the campaigns through ROI and the impact generated. We're spearheading frameworks that move beyond superficial metrics, tracking sentiment, brand perception, and the larger impact. This ensures accountability, optimizes resource allocation and elevates the perception of PR as a strategic business partner.

Diversity & Inclusion:
Our audiences are diverse, and we believe our voices must reflect that. We continue to foster diversity and inclusivity, from hiring our team and reflecting it in our work, to building an inclusive workplace. This actively contributes to a more equitable and representative communication landscape, leading to more authentic storytelling and deeper audience engagement.

AI + Digitization in Communication:
AI isn't here to replace us; it's here to empower us. By leveraging AI tools for data analysis, content creation, and audience targeting, we work smarter, not harder. This frees up our creativity and strategic expertise to focus on what truly matters. Embracing digitization is essential for navigating new channels, creating personalized experiences, and delivering measurable results, ensuring PR's relevance in a tech-driven future.