'Concept of "Public Intelligence" emerges as a crucial element for industry professionals'

The recent debate at the PR & Corp Comm PR Dialogue ‘The Great Debate’ sparked a fire between Public Relations and Public Affairs to decide which one derives better communication results. In favour of Public Affairs, the panellists included Sunita Patnaik, Corporate Affairs & Communications Consultant, Tabrez Ahmed, Group Director, APJ Government Affairs & Public Policy, Dell Technologies, Rahul Gossain, Chief Strategy and Brand Officer, JSA Advocates & Solicitors. On the other hand, in favour of public Relations, the panellists were Aman Dhall, Founder, Commscredible, Suvir Paul, Executive Vice President, Ruder Finn Thunder, and Aman Abbas, Co-founder & CEO, Commwiser. The session chair of this panel was Anindita Mookerjee Sinha, Senior Communication, Advocacy & Thought Leader, Mentor. 

Anindita opened the debate and pointed Aman from the Public Relations side to share his opening remarks.  

To this Aman briefed, “Affairs are short lived but relationships are long lasting.” To counter this, Rahul from the Public Affairs side remarked, “Affairs are dynamic but Relations are lazy.” This exchange set the stage and ignited a spirited debate between the Public Affairs and Public Relations speakers. 

From the Public Relations side, Suvir Paul shared his opening remarks, and stated, “I just feel that public relations is a lot more broad-based and like my esteemed panellist to my left just said Affairs could be short-lived, relationships are built forever.” 

From the Public Affairs perspective, Sunita recognized that it is much more complex and doesn't provide instant gratification. It has a long trajectory and is a slow burn. “However, I now vouch for public affairs all the way because it's harder, it's complex but it's very interesting, very engaging and very challenging and I love that,” she asserts. 

Abbas expressed his views on why PR is a better communication driver, “I think I have not heard anybody in public affairs driving communication results. I believe that is all driven by public relations only. When it comes to public relations, it is public, so you have all kinds of audiences encompassed within this discipline, including policymakers whom you are trying to impress through editorials or other means. Thirdly, very often, when public affairs work, they need PR support, but that, in most cases, is not true the other way around.” 

In the rebuttal, Gossain counters back and expressed, “Public relations, in my view, is a subset of public affairs. Public affairs, on the other hand, is far more strategic and requires the seamless integration of various elements. It involves a comprehensive approach to communication, ensuring that all components work together harmoniously to achieve the desired outcomes.” 

Anindita shares the comment with the debaters and asks them to express their opinions on the statement: "Public relations (PR) primarily focuses on image management and public affairs, often prioritizing special interests over the public good. 

To this, Sunita took the call and responded, “In my experience, public relations is largely about push communications, whereas public affairs relies on pull communications. What I mean by this is that in public relations, you are actively pushing a company's narrative and building its brand, which is very consumer-centric. Whereas, public affairs involve attracting the attention of stakeholders who are already experts in their fields. That said, I believe communication can occur in both directions.” 

From the Public Affairs side, Dhall quickly disagreed with Sunita’s remark and mentioned, “PR is all pull, it's not push. Good PR involves pulling the audience in, but it is also about pushing strategies.” 

Moving forward, Ahmad expressed his views on why PA has much wider scope than PR and mentioned, “When we look at public affairs today, it is definitely much wider in scope. This widening is evident in the way companies engage with various external stakeholders, including government entities, media, citizens, consumer groups, and aggressive NGOs. In this context, it is crucial for your company to be perceived as doing good.” He further advised that it is essential to adopt a proactive approach that considers the interests of the public, citizens, and the future. Additionally, with more regulations on the horizon and a fast-forwarding pace of change, the challenges in public affairs will only intensify. 

Anindita kept the ball rolling and presented the next question: When we talk about business growth, we recognize that profit and loss (P&L) are very important for any business and encourage both sides to share their points on who contributes better and how. 

From the Public Relations side, Suvir came forward and answered why and how PR contributes better, “Business growth is driven by intent and action being married together. As communicators, what we do really well is the ability to bring that message to the audiences that matter to the business. That is how growth is driven. As a reputation management consultant, one must assess what a company is doing to effectively communicate its messages. This is where a public relations executive plays a vital role, often sitting in a boardroom to provide guidance. They advise on how to translate actions into words, phrases, and visual narratives. To engage audiences in a meaningful manner, it is essential to communicate effectively across all platforms, both online and offline.” 

In the rebuttal Gossain shared his remarks and described, “We are currently in an age of stakeholder management. I remember Blackstone's letter from January 2020, which introduced the concept of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles. The CEO's letter changed the dynamic of stakeholder expectations, and now we are living in an era where stakeholder management is crucial. This is where public affairs take centre stage.” 

When asked about how PR and PA collaborate together to work effectively, Dhall replied, “At the time of a crisis, both work hand in hand. I don't think a public policy department can work individually; I think there is even a legal department involved. Everyone in this particular room would have collaborated, and everyone has a task to achieve an update for the central person, trying to make decisions. So, I think it's a coexisting decision. But, because we manage external relations, what comes in the media can trigger debate and tarnish brand value. So, I think PA is at the forefront, and what they advise can have larger repercussions.”  

Taking the discussion ahead, Sunita expressed her thoughts on the matter that between PR and PA which one has better methods and structured approach, “The methods and communication channels in public relations (PR) are more visible, leading one to feel that they are structured correctly. However, in public affairs, it is not the same. The methods and communication channels can differ based on the situation, the agenda, the type of fight you are leading, and who your stakeholders are. Therefore, the approaches in public affairs can vary significantly; there is no cookie-cutter approach to it.” 

In conclusion, Tabrez highlighted the profound impact of technology on both public relations and public affairs, emphasizing the need for adaptability in a rapidly changing landscape. He also underscored that content creation is undergoing significant disruption, compelling professionals to transition from issue-based to value-based work. This shift presents challenges, particularly regarding productivity, with expectations of a 25% enhancement in the coming years. The other speakers also pointed to the importance of coexistence among stakeholders, such as media and government, with a unified goal of achieving sustainable business practices. Furthermore, the need for effective measurement in both fields was stressed, particularly in the context of public affairs, which often lacks clarity in its evaluation metrics.  

Ultimately, the key takeaway is that communication results should be driven by trust and reputation, not just regulatory success. Lastly, Dhall introduced the term 'Public Intelligence' and stated that as we look to the future, the concept of "public intelligence" emerges as a crucial element for professionals to embrace in navigating the complexities of their roles in the evolving digital landscape.