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GUEST COLUMN: How has the PR ecosystem evolved over time
Mumbai: It is no secret that the public relations (PR) landscape has been steadfastly evolving over the past decade, thanks to the advent of digital media and the boom in the tech space.
However, the conversations surrounding PR and its evolution often tend to be dichotomous in nature, pitting the old guard i.e. traditional PR against digital PR. In reality, both these systems are poised to work in a syncretic manner, with the traditional model supplementing the advances made by digital PR.
How has the PR ecosystem evolved over time?
The internet has created an almost borderless media and this has led to the birth of the concept of integrated communications. In essence, the Integrated model espouses leveraging all platforms, traditional and online, to ensure that a brand’s message is delivered to the intended target audience.
PR agencies have thus had to move away from pure media relations to a more holistic model of communication strategy that is driven by multi-channel quality content. Gone are the days when pulling in a favour with a journalist for a CEO’s profile would suffice. In the wake of the blurring of lines between public relations, advertising, marketing, online and offline media, PR agencies are now being looked at as strategic partners to their clients. PR professionals today are thus tasked with creating meaningful messaging and communication strategies that appeal to clients, analysts, investors and journalists alike.
There are myriad of changes that are being brought about by the advent of digital tech in PR. Some are more prominent than others and thus deserve to be looked at in-depth.
Influencer Outreach: After an initial bout of resistance, when this was touted as a fleeting millennial trend, social media influencers have now become an integral part of PR strategies. This is because most brands and agencies have realised the value that influencers hold and the immense sway they have with their followers. Influencers resonate deeply with a specific sector and this can help brands boost visibility and popularity by being able to reach their target audience. It also helps a brand to garner credibility as influencers are able to build trust among audiences.
Performance and Result Oriented Goals: PR agencies can no longer rely on traditional currencies such as goodwill and trust. Digital media has ushered in the era of real-time trend monitoring and brands can now stay in touch with their consumers through social listening.
This means that it is possible for brands to have accurate performance metrics and develop a keen sense of what works and the changes that need to be made. And most importantly, data gathering and analysis can now lead to valuable insights and more informed decision-making processes. Companies and their brand solution agencies are thus capable of having their ear to the ground and knowing how the market reacts to their product/service and what consumers are thinking.
Deeper Impact: Now more than ever before, PR professionals are expected to take into account a multiplicity of factors. Brands and companies don’t just have to be good for consumers, but they also have to be attuned to cultural sensitivities and be beneficial for the environment. Media messaging thus needs to be able to demonstrate true purpose and reflect good intention on behalf of a brand in order to garner the goodwill and trust of the consumers.
As newer industries and verticals such as healthcare and fintech continue to emerge, PR is set to become an essential arm when it comes to strategic communication. And contrary to popular discourse, traditional PR won’t disappear altogether. In fact, it will just be merged and supplemented with newer digital forward models. The future of PR is thus vibrant but also daunting, and those who are hesitant to pivot to adapt to this new order, risk stagnation or worse.
(Akshaara Lalwani is the founder & CEO of Communicate India. The views expressed in the column are personal and Indiantelevision.com may not subscribe to them.)
MAM
Barista partners Ginny Weds Sunny 2 with mango campaign
Cafe chain blends cinema buzz with summer menu and 20 per cent offer.
MUMBAI: Love may brew slowly, but marketing clearly doesn’t especially when coffee meets cinema and mangoes steal the spotlight. Barista Coffee Company has partnered with the upcoming hindi film Ginny Weds Sunny 2 as its official beverage partner, in a move aimed at tapping into youth culture through entertainment-led engagement. The collaboration is not just a logo placement exercise. Instead, Barista is translating the film’s high-energy vibe into its cafés with a themed summer menu titled “Main Hoon Mango”, accompanied by a limited-period 20 per cent discount on combo offerings across outlets.
Actors Medha Shankr and Avinash Tiwary feature in the campaign, seen engaging with the mango-themed menu inside Barista cafés, a visual cue designed to blur the lines between reel and real-life consumption moments.
The strategy reflects a broader shift in how consumer brands are leveraging hindi film industry not just for visibility, but for immersive, on-ground engagement. By embedding the film’s narrative into its product experience, Barista is aiming to drive footfall, especially among younger audiences who increasingly seek experiential touchpoints over traditional advertising.
Barista Coffee Company CEO Rajat Agrawal described the partnership as both a branding and growth play, focused on expanding reach beyond the existing customer base and aligning with evolving consumer preferences.
The emphasis on a seasonal, flavour-led hook mango, one of India’s most culturally resonant ingredients adds a timely layer to the campaign, aligning with summer consumption trends while riding on the film’s promotional momentum.
For Barista, the move is part of a larger positioning shift. Rather than operating purely as a coffee retail chain, the brand is increasingly framing itself as a lifestyle destination, one that intersects with entertainment, conversation and shared experiences. By integrating cinema into its physical spaces, Barista is effectively turning cafés into micro-extensions of the film’s universe, where consumers do not just watch a story unfold but participate in it sip by sip.
The 20 per cent offer further nudges trial, lowering the barrier for consumers to engage with the themed menu while amplifying recall through a tangible incentive.
Brand-film collaborations are hardly new, but their execution is evolving. Where earlier partnerships relied on co-branded ads or product placements, the current playbook leans towards immersive storytelling and retail integration.
In that sense, Barista’s “Main Hoon Mango” push is less about promotion and more about participation inviting consumers to experience a slice of the film within a familiar, everyday setting. As the film industry continues to act as a cultural amplifier, such partnerships underline a growing truth, in today’s attention economy, it is not enough to be seen brands must be experienced.
And if that experience comes with a mango twist and a cinematic backdrop, all the better.
