The Public Relations Consultants Association of India (PRCAI) recently hosted the second edition of its premier thought-leadership forum, Prologue 2.0.

Themed ‘Storytelling In The New World Order,’ the event brought together over 250 communications and business professionals and featured renowned corporate leaders, including Shiv Shivakumar, Operating Partner at Advent International, and Partha Sinha, President of Bennett Coleman & Co. Ltd.

A highlight of the event was PRCAI’s optimistic growth projection for the Indian PR industry, estimating a surge to Rs 3500 crores by 2027, with an impressive annual growth rate of 11 percent.

The event seamlessly transitioned into the SABRE South Asia 2023 Awards, celebrating outstanding work in public relations. More than 50 awards were presented for innovative campaigns, with Radhika Gupta, MD & CEO of Edelweiss MF, receiving the coveted “CEO Of The Year” honor.

Prologue 2.0 delved into new trends in the evolving digital age and emphasized the importance of authentic narratives, credible consumer experiences, and creativity in content leadership for building robust business and corporate reputations.

Keynote speaker Shiv Shivakumar stated, “Weaving a powerful storyline remains the cornerstone of the communication industry. In the modern world, narratives can extend beyond the initial sale and can keep customers and stakeholders engaged for an extended period. It has ushered the global PR industry into a new renaissance of innovation and growth.”

Kunal Kishore, Vice President of PRCAI, emphasized the vital role of communication in driving contemporary business growth, stressing that consistent and persuasive storytelling in the digital and data-driven era helps brands shape their identity, reputation, and values.

At Prologue 2.0, PRCAI underscored its commitment to enhancing industry talent by honoring 50 young PR professionals from across the country who achieved the prestigious Accreditation in Indian Public Relations (AIPR) certification. These outstanding achievers from the Winter 2022 and Summer 2023 batches represent emerging practitioners who have demonstrated unparalleled proficiency and mastery in the field.

Deeptie Sethi, CEO, PRCAI, said “The projected growth of the industry and increasing trust of C-Suite in our profession to positively impact businesses, needs world-class workforce for today and tomorrow. We are progressively building a strong talent base to serve future businesses and the prestigious certification is a step in the right direction. We are proud of these winners and will continue to grow this pool of professionals.”

With the growing relevance of reputation management, the need for skilled professionals is poised to surge in the future for the Public Relations industry. PRCAI industry study, SPRINT Report 2022-23, revealed in order to meet the growing demand, sector will be adding about 8000 professionals by 2027, growing at CAGR of 11 percent which employed 12000 professionals in FY 2022 in the organized sector.

With higher levels of digital integration, PR firms will seek to hire candidates with expertise in social media, content creation, and digital marketing in the near future. New specialized skills such as public policy, ESG crisis communications, and risk management will witness increased hiring of graduates and MBAs to bring new perspectives and areas of specialization.