From data to AI: The PR playbook for 2025

Today, every brand and corporation recognises the value of PR. With the cost of media going up, brands are prudently looking at PR as a tool to create visibility for themselves. More than just increasing visibility, they are also keen to establish a credible image for their brand.

Brands are eager to cultivate their reputation and craft captivating narratives to effectively engage their audience. As we transition into 2025, new trends will emerge as consumer behaviour and technological advancements present new opportunities for brands to communicate more transparently and authentically.

Influencers will play a significant role, but brands must carefully plan their influencer selection to avoid negative publicity. Here are some of the trends one will notice as we embark on the new year:

AI in the spotlight

There is enough going on with artificial intelligence. It was a buzzword for some time, but that has now faded, and AI is being used as a powerful tool to make communication for sharper messaging with creative thinking. We also need to understand that AI is just another tool. 

At the end of the day, you need to have ideas and the right inputs for AI to deliver results. We may see more application of AI in the PR world, where brands will use it for targeted communication and predictive analytics.

It will also enhance its role in crisis communication in today’s digital world where news travels fast and brands get trolled quickly.

Data-driven storytelling

The use of data will be leveraged to the maximum, especially the first-party data. A good amount of data with the right tools will help you cull out interesting insights to work on your messaging and the narratives that you want to tell your audience. 

Content we know has always been a challenge, but with so much data available, and if investments are made in the right tools to manage the data, brands can curate a lot of fresh content, which will help in engaging with your target audience.

Talent crunch and industry challenges

The story of resource crunch will continue. The generation today has different expectations when it comes to work. They just do not want to do the mundane work, especially the freshers who want to catapult to more responsibility in a matter of one year. 

Not only that, they are keen to work on the latest tools and be innovative in their thinking. The corporate communication world is also expanding, and so many young executives jumping to one of them is resulting in a talent crisis within the agencies.

Also, the pressures in agencies to meet tight deadlines are not liked by many employees today, which is what frustrates many to quickly jump to a cooler place where some of them sacrifice their monetary compensation to have a balanced lifestyle of work.

Business dynamics

Business movements will happen, but generally in the PR business, clients never try to disturb the relationships with their PR partners if the going is good. A few pitches will happen across various categories, but the internationally affiliated agencies will benefit from the global alignments when these international clients launch their products in India. 

A lot of new agencies will make specific efforts to do some cold calls, but my vast experience says that cold calls never work when it comes to new business.

Most business comes through strong referrals. And there are agencies that are very careful in choosing and going after new business, as there is not enough talent available to manage the existing business, so the question of new business will be viewed with a lot of caution. And agencies here need to be well equipped with the latest technology and skillsets to meet their client expectations.

Influencers: The new brand ambassadors

The role of influencers as important brand ambassadors is already gathering momentum as more brands are carefully aligning with the right influencers. Today brands are inclined towards influencer marketing as an effective PR tool, with a majority of Indian brands opting for influencers and content creators as a part of their marketing mix. 

In the year 2025 we could see more micro-influencers stepping in, and brands will use them with greater depth and engagement with their audiences. An influencer with good credentials will always add credibility to the brands as they are more transparent and genuine. Today most consumers trust the word of influencers if they come with a good background and credentials. Hence, I would see more brand engagement through influencers.

Authenticity is key

The brands must stay authentic and transparent in all their communication. Don’t try to brush anything under the carpet if something has gone wrong with your product or service. Be honest and positive so that brands can be shielded and protected from being diluted further. 

The trends may not drastically change from what we saw in 2024, but new trends will emerge in 2025, especially in the digital world, where we can expect hyper-targeted communication to play a vital role. Agencies should also up their budget to impart more intense training, as new communication tools will play an active role in deciphering data and use of data for sharper insights and focused communication.

(Our guest author, Ganapathy Viswanathan, is an independent communication & marketing consultant and Chief Mentor, Roarrr Media and Public Relations.)