People-powered communication is the only north star: Apoorva Verma

The PR and Corp Comm industry is filled with unpredictable moments and to move forward in such moments women leaders play an important role. So, to celebrate the spirit of the women leaders for mentoring the next generation of professionally in the PR and Corp Comm industry, exchange4media launched the 4th edition of e4m Women Achievers' Awards 2023.

The awards honored the remarkable contributions of numerous incredible women leaders, achievers, and trendsetters who have shattered glass ceilings, overcome challenges, and paved the way for a more inclusive and diverse future in the PR and Comm Industry.

In this series, we honor and celebrate the achievements of Apoorva Verma, Manager – Public Relations, who won the ‘Emerging leader in Corp Comm’ title at the e4m Women Achievers’ Awards 2023.

Excerpts:

Congratulations on your win at the e4m PR & Corp Comm Women Achievers Awards 2023. How do you feel?

Extremely grateful to e4m and the jury for this prestigious award. I believe such recognition is timely and timeless to acknowledge women leadership and progress on the wider canvas of Communications. It is an honour to be one of the emerging women leaders of the fraternity.

What inspires you on your journey and endeavours?

An appetite to experiment. I’m most excited to try newer avenues and possibilities, with informed risks. As someone with a vastly different educational background, I learnt everything on the job. By consequence, I place a premium on transference of skills, and this is one industry that not just allows for it, but also celebrates it. With multiple disciplines, experiences, and opportunities, PR and Corporate Communications affords a certain playfulness that very few functions can. Just knowing that are endless possibilities to create and do something new, is itself fuel for my endeavours.

In what ways have you witnessed the PR and corporate communications industry change and evolve over the years? What global practices would you see implemented in India?

We are at the nexus of a highly evolved and hyper-connected audience, a rapidly evolving digital realm, and multiple entities of the storytelling ecosystem, including influencers and content creators. So that’s definitely a busy place to be in! In other words, we are now at the heart of the Brand-Creator-Consumer economy. To me, this shift is game-changing. There was a time when PR was an after-thought. Now, we are at the forefront of driving brand reputation, blending multiple specialties and cross-functional competencies. Having said that, this change is nascent and I still encounter notorious misconceptions about the potential of PR and Communications. For example – and just one of the many - some still believe Public Relations is only free or earned media, when as a collective we know the evolution is larger and wider. The best way to combat this is, PR for PR – continuous stakeholder education with evidence-based results.

One of the practices I’d love to see is increased awareness of culture-specific nuances. While on a global scale this is already a trend, the diversity of our country demands more effective ways of brand-and campaign-building to navigate cultural complexities. I’d love to see us being able to zoom in to a hyperlocal level, by collaborating with local experts. By this I mean not just media professionals, but also linguistic professionals and anthropologists for focused and strategic communication.

Tell us about your most valuable learning from the industry. Where do you foresee the PR and comms industry in the coming days?

People-powered communication is the only north star! My key learning has been to keep people at the heart of all endeavours – be it syncing business objectives and stakeholder vision or driving a dove-point between the brand, media and the end-point consumer. By adopting a human-centred and empathetic approach, one effectively retro-wires the communications process for a powerful brand story.

Being at the intersection of multiple geopolitical macro-trends, makes it an exciting time for us as a fraternity. Be it content, causes, partnerships, employer branding or internal communications; ‘simplified messaging’ will be a definitive anchor for people-focused brand conversations. This is a natural derivative of the desire to evade (mis)information overload and massive content stockpiles. By corollary, a cleaner and concentrated strategy will drive Brand Communications across all functions. A more focused Comms ammo kit will be imperative - sharpness in the scope, cause, and purpose; defining hyperlocal audience; smarter tools and relevant upskilling (AI and otherwise!) for qualifiable and quantifiable impact; and collaborative effort with the right partners.

AI usage is of course the talk of the town, and I believe it will continue to be a highpoint for brands in the near future too. It’s like the internet in its early days – it’s exciting and the potential for creativity is huge. But this is exactly where we as Communicators will play a crucial role. We will be the connectors of right and authentic messaging between brands and stakeholders. What I also foresee is a network of interdisciplinary expertise to navigate the AI world efficiently, for it to work with us and not against us.

What would be your message to the future generation of professionals?

Unlearn! While there are best practices, there is no defined rulebook. Make the most of it! This industry is a thriving example of what can happen if you choose to drop the straitjacket of traditional models. People are powerhouses of stories, experiences, and ideas, so that’s another thing I’d highly recommend - conversations with folks across diverse industries, irrespective of their professional backgrounds. It makes great fodder for thought. And finally, make a difference and have fun while doing it!