MAM
PR industry continues to grow at 20 per cent, reaching ₹2,500 crore
Mumbai: The Public Relations Consultants Association of India (PRCAI) hosted the third edition of its flagship thought-leadership forum, PRologue 2024 on 25 July in Gurgaon.
At this event, PRCAI presented initial findings of SPRINT 2024*, its annual industry survey in collaboration with IPSOS, which estimates a growth of 19.6 percent in FY 2022-2023 for the industry. PRCAI presented and deliberated on an optimistic projection for the Indian PR industry, reaching 2,500 crore from 2,100 crore in FY 2021-2022.
The event saw panelists engage in dynamic discussions on the theme ‘Reimagining Communications in a Turbulent World.’ With changing demographics in India, influence of technology and AI, economic trajectory, the PR industry is experiencing changes at a fast rate, from skills required in the industry, to greater attention to PR by C-Suite, to innovation in audience outreach, to shaping narratives, to services and specializations offered to be ready for the future of communications. These themes were explored at the recent PRologue 2024, which was attended by 300 communication and business professionals.
India is home to the largest Gen Z population, earning trust from this dynamic group is vital for brand success. Diving into the evolving behaviour of new-age consumers, PRCAI guest speakers included Tata Starbucks CEO Sushant Dash, content creator Anushka Rathod and Edelman India lead advisor, brand marketing & communications Ashutosh Munshi who talked about how to ‘Crack the Gen Z Code’ at the event.
Tata Starbucks CEO Sushant Dash said, “Gen Z’s unique expectations and strong opinions, shaped by their digital nativity, challenge brands to innovate. At Starbucks India, we engage with this dynamic group daily, finding their perspectives both refreshing and inspiring. Their insights drive us to continually adapt and improve our communication approach.”
Emphasizing trust and engagement, the panel underscored public relations’ crucial role in navigating rapid technological advancements and widespread misinformation. The second panel with guest line-up including, Staqu Technologies CEO & co-founder Atul Rai, Medianama founder and editor Nikhil Pahwa, HT Media Group business head Yatik Naik, and The Indian Express COO Nandagopal Rajan discussed strategies to ‘Navigate The AI Tightrope,’ balancing the dilemma of innovation versus misinformation.
The most awaited industry event is a combination of trend discussions at PRologue 2024, followed by the global SABRE South Asia Awards, that celebrated the most creative and interesting work in the field of public relations. More than 50 awards were given to compelling campaigns. SUGAR Cosmetics co-founder and CEO Vineeta Singh was awarded the top honour of CEO of the year at the SABRE South Asia 2024 Awards.
SUGAR Cosmetics CEO & co-founder Vineeta Singh said, “I am deeply honored and humbled to receive the Best CEO of the Year at SABRE South Asia 2024 Awards hosted by PRCAI. I dedicate this award to my mother and SUGAR’s workforce, especially 3000+ women employees, beauty enthusiasts, and stakeholders at large. This award recognition underscores our focus to redefine the Indian beauty landscape whilst saluting the indomitable spirit of women who embrace their most authentic selves.”
PRCAI VP Kunal Kishore said, “PRologue and SABRE SA have become the industries’ most awaited moments of learning and recognition. Our goal is to focus on authentic conversation and reimagine every year our ever-changing environment that can constantly up the game for the industry.”
‘This year at PRologue 2024, PRCAI partnered with the Guinness World Records (GWR) and created a new record for the most signatures collected on a t-shirt in 60 minutes. It called upon the attendees and industry professionals to pledge to the power of “Educate, Elevate, Empower” and for each one of them to commit an hour this year to upskill the next generation of talent in the industry.
PRCAI CEO Deeptie Sethi remarked, “The industry is witnessing a healthy growth and PRCAI is committed to help the industry strive for excellence with platforms to upskill, standardizing guidelines to build a world-class workforce and stronger industry practices for both today and tomorrow. We are excited about the first-ever Guinness World Record for PRCAI, that symbolizes our commitment to encourage each member of ours as an integrated part to cultivate a more skilled and innovative workforce for the future.”
To elevate the industry standards and cultivate a more professional and collaborative environment for collective success, PRCAI has a new client-consultancy partnership charter and code of conduct guidelines, which will be announced soon to build an even stronger ethical, professional, and progressive PR industry.
MAM
Aspire Impact secures Parinama backing, appoints CEO
Valued at Rs 360 million, adds advisor, scales ESG platform globally
MUMBAI: Impact, it seems, is finally getting its own balance sheet. Aspire Impact has secured strategic backing from The Parinama Group, while appointing Saloni Malhotra as chief executive officer of its services arm, Aspire Impact Assurance (AIA). The company has also brought Dr Ram Sharma, Chancellor of UPES, on board as an advisor marking a three-pronged push to scale its ESG and impact measurement ambitions.
Following the investment, Aspire Impact is now valued at INR 360 million, underscoring growing investor interest in the ESG and sustainability ecosystem. Over the past six years, the company has expanded at pace, reporting a 65 per cent CAGR in client growth and 83 per cent CAGR in revenues, with a portfolio of 60 plus clients and more than 150 engagements across ESG, sustainability and impact measurement.
Its client roster includes names such as Ather Energy, Protean eGov, Mahindra Lifespaces, Urban Company, Capgemini, Kotak Bank and ICICI Bank reflecting demand for structured impact assessment across sectors.
The fresh capital will be channelled into scaling its SaaS platform, Ikoo World, and expanding operations both in India and internationally. The broader market itself is on a growth curve, with the global ESG and impact measurement space projected to nearly double from $15 billion in 2025 to $31 billion by 2030.
Malhotra’s appointment signals a sharper operational focus. With over two decades of experience spanning corporate leadership, social impact and media, she will lead Aspire’s Comprehensive Impact Assessments across corporate, BFSI, education and non-profit sectors, with a government-focused edition also in the pipeline.
Meanwhile, Dr Sharma’s addition to the advisory board strengthens the organisation’s academic and governance depth, as it looks to bridge the gap between institutional rigour and corporate accountability.
The broader play is clear: as businesses face increasing pressure to quantify not just profit but purpose, companies like Aspire Impact are positioning themselves as the scorekeepers of a new metric where impact is measured with the same seriousness as revenue.
