In a move set to redefine the purpose and social impact landscape, SPAG/FINN, a global integrated marketing and communications agency, today announced the launch of “FINN Purpose Alignment Index” - a proprietary research product designed to quantify the influence of a company’s or brand’s purpose-related commitments and efforts on consumer buying decisions in Asia. The launch was marked by the unveiling of 'The Change Makers for the Purpose-Driven Landscape' eBook, a collection of thought leadership content and case studies to share best practices in purpose and social impact space.

"In today's rapidly evolving business landscape, the role of purpose cannot be understated. It is not only a moral imperative but a strategic necessity,” said Aman Gupta, Managing Partner at SPAG FINN Partners. “Our 'FINN Purpose Alignment Index' tool and 'The Change Makers for the Purpose-Driven Landscape' eBook are designed to empower businesses and individuals in their journey towards creating positive societal impact while driving sustainable growth."

A first-of-its-kind diagnostic tool, the Index can be deployed across any industry sector to enable brands and corporations to understand how their product and purpose priorities factor into consumer purchasing decisions in a highly competitive marketplace. This proprietary index enables clients to hone purpose-centric market strategies and communications plans based on the predictive impact on brand perception and customer likelihood to support a brand for its social impact.

As the world grapples with unprecedented challenges, there is an increasing demand for organizations to not only actively engage in purpose-driven endeavors but also have a purpose at its core. 'The Change Makers for the Purpose-Driven Landscape' eBook is a comprehensive guide encompassing profound insights, real-world case studies, and actionable strategies from the thought leaders in CSR, ESG, Sustainability, and Purpose.

This eBook delves into the heart of purpose-driven endeavors, illustrating how businesses can align their strategies with societal betterment while concurrently enhancing their bottom line. This insightful eBook also unveils the 40 social ranking factors from the 'FINN Purpose Alignment Index'. These factors illuminate a clear path for businesses eager to leave a meaningful and positive imprint on society.

'The Change Makers for the Purpose-Driven Landscape' eBook is poised to serve as a roadmap for organisations seeking to navigate the dynamic and evolving landscape with purpose and vision. By embracing the principles and practices outlined within, organizations can cultivate a sustainable future, demonstrating their commitment to a better world.

 “We know that purpose and social impact are valued by consumers, and companies that embrace good corporate citizenship have better reputations and do better in

the marketplace,” said Gil Bashe, Chair Global Health and Purpose. “With the FINN Purpose

Alignment Index, we can guide how and when a company incorporates purpose-based initiatives  to create stronger, organic connections and life-long relationships with consumers for far-ranging mutual benefits for people and the planet.”

SPAG/FINN’s 'The Change Makers for the Purpose-Driven Landscape' eBook is available on website for download to support industry purpose and social impact and marketing communication professionals in assessing the alignment of corporate and brand campaigns.

“The recipients of this year's awards are not merely leaders of tomorrow, they're actually trailblazers of today, and they are reflective of the super high potential that we have, as far as comms talent is concerned in our country,” said Nandini Chatterjee, Chief Marketing & Communications Officer, PWC at the 3rd edition of the e4m PR and Corp Comm 30 under 30 Summit and Awards.

She highlighted the rising stars within the communication industry and spoke about identifying the trailblazing next-generation leaders who are actively shaping the future of communication.

Chatterjee highlighted the importance of understanding the ecosystem in communications and emphasized the role of communication in shaping narratives, building relationships, and fostering trust.

She talked about how the business world today is facing a number of disruptions including geopolitical conflicts, socio-economic issues, digital threats like cybersecurity and data privacy issues which all impact the reputation of organizations. “So, this is where the PR and comms professionals come in. PRs are at the forefront, helping our organizations navigate these very complex situations. To do this effectively, we need to equip ourselves so that we are able to anticipate these reputational risks, we can provide relevant, sharp and timely communication to our shareholders, help the employees in our organizations to understand and embrace change and most importantly, align business change.

At the end of the day, we are all there, because we have a purpose to serve, which is to support business. And it is then and only then, that we will be able to achieve our role, which is of protecting our company's image.”

Speaking about the way the comms fraternity needs to look at the current issues and how they should focus on solving them, Chatterjee says, “You know, I think first and foremost, is an understanding of the ecosystem. That's the most important thing. It is essential for joining the dots and being able to counsel our stakeholders. You know Steve Jobs’ definition of creativity, and you may be familiar with this. It was not conjuring something new out of nowhere. It was about connecting the dots which means that one needs to equip oneself with the existence of those dots so that one knows what to connect and when.”

“Today, communication isn't just about conveying a message. It's also about shaping narratives, it is about building relationships and most importantly, it is about fostering trust. We, the PR and communications fraternity, are in a position through effective communication to inspire others to be catalysts for change. We can play a very important role in driving social change. It is we the PR and comms people who have the power to do all this and nowhere it is more evident than in the accomplishments of these brilliant 30 under 30 individuals whom we will be recognising today,” she adds. 

At exchange4media’s PR and Corp Comm 30 under 30 Summit and Awards, industry experts shared their two cents on how the debate between human intelligence versus ChatGPT will impact the communication and media industry. The panel was moderated by Delhi University Professor, Garima Sharma Nijhawan. 

Munavar Attari, Managing Director, FleishmanHillard India kickstarted the discussion by highlighting that the debate between human intelligence versus artificial intelligence is sorted as far as his mind is concerned. “Very soon AI, rather it already has, taken over human intelligence and not only overtaken us by a bit but is on the path to make us look quite foolish and useless. If you hear the experts in the field this is what they say and they have been saying for over a decade. “

"There have been discussions that suggest humans need to take a pause on making developments in this space. And there aren't going to be any incremental changes but non-linear changes in ChatGPT 4 as compared to ChatGPT 3. Therefore, if one uses any of the technologies, one will realise that it is far more serious than the human could have ever imagined," added Attari. 

Sunita Patnaik, Director- Corporate Affairs, MARS, had a strikingly opposite viewpoint on the same. She said, “AI will definitely enhance your research skills, it will collect the dots for you. But ultimately, it will be human intelligence that will connect the dots. Having said that, we have to collaborate at some point and we already are moving in synergy. It's never going to be who’s better than who but it will be necessary to move in sync. 

A former IBM executive also said 10 percent of jobs might go because of AI but 100 percent of jobs will change and that change will start with human professionals.

The Head - Enterprise Communications and PR of Dell Technologies, Shobha Vasudevan shared that like all technologies, AI is an enabler. “At the end of the day, we have to remember it was created because somebody decided to code for it."

She further added to Patnaik’s point and said, “Now, where it differs from human beings is it lacks the emotional ability to connect the dots. We as humans are still able to do critical thinking and logical inferences. AI’s ability on the other hand is limited to what it has been given in its training data.” 

Indu Sharma, Senior GM - Communications, Schneider Electric underlined that the debate should not be about whether AI will be taking over or not, it should be about how communication teams can leverage its potential. There is so much more that the communications teams do and content is just one of the smallest pieces. 

“AI has the capability of streamlining most of the work that we do. We as communicators should be excited about the possibilities that AI brings to the table,” she further said.

But when it comes to storytelling, a communicator can't afford to kill their emotional side completely and be dependent on AI. 

Adding to this, the Dell executive shared that storytelling has two parts- the story and how it is told. In terms of the creative part of the story, an AI tool like ChatGPT can help in curating the right messaging if it is given the right cues. It can even mimic emotional intelligence to a certain extent. But,  the range of emotions goes through a day, no AI can ever mimic the range of human emotions.

Hence, here comes the part of human intelligence to be able to tell the story in a way that touches every consumer or target audience. That is not possible by AI.

“It's all about collaboration and being complementary to each other. Any technology for that matter, if we use it in the right way, we learn, we master and then we can derive advantage from it,” added Nijhawan.

Coming towards the end, Attari said, “AI won't but people who master AI will replace people who don’t master AI.”

Patnaik added, “We do need to create a sense of urgency without really creating a sense of anxiety when it comes to adoption of AI. Additionally as much as upscaling is important, self-regulation is important too.”

A panel of experts decoded whether digitisation is a boon or a bane, at the e4m PR and Corp Com 30 under 30. Session chair Madhvi Chaudhary, Media Mic kickstarted the session by mentioning how digitisation has brought in unprecedented transformation in the society today.

Panellists Mrinall Dey, MobiKwik; Bhaskar Majumdar, Egis; Tanmana Rath, The Good Edge; Sudeep Purkayastha, Jindal Steel & Power Ltd. and Venkatesh Somayaji, Visage11 Advisors deliberated on the various critical questions that arise with the digital transformation that the world is seeing.

Majumdar pointed out that this digitisation took place majorly during the lockdown. “I generally started my day with a cup of coffee and several hard copies of newspaper. However, during the lockdown I was forced to shift to digital too,” he said.

Speaking of the perks that digitisation has brought, Majumdar highlighted how the reach and engagement factors have been taken care of with social channels today. “In earlier days, we used to pitch a story to the journalists and if it worked out, it would appear in the physical version of the newspaper the next day. Now, it goes up on the website, then amplified on the portal’s social handle, the journalist’s social handle as well as the brand’s handle,” he explained.

Majumdar feels that digitisation has made things easier in terms of the time saved as well as getting responses from people quicker.

Dey echoes a similar opinion and says that digital has enabled real-time communication and has built instant connectivity. “It has expanded our audience, not only locally but globally. It has thus broken the geographical barriers,” he mentioned.

He also explained that because of digitisation, remote work has become seamless leading to efficient collaboration. “Data analytics has also refined our communication strategies,” Dey added.

However, he also highlighted the cons of digital, and mentioned how there is a barrage of information online. “This information overload has led to reduced attention span. There are issues of cybersecurity as well, we need to protect sensitive data from online threats,” Dey said.

Rath says that crisis is a big challenge when it comes to new-age media. “It is difficult to control. The good things get amplified, but so do the bad ones. Being alert 24x7 is also a challenge, because it eats into your time.

But she also feels that digital has upped the pace of work, and made things more wholesome and integrated. “Pros and cons are many, but it depends on how we use it,” she mentioned.

Purkayastha pointed out that with digitisation, there has been a rampant surge in fake news. “We as professionals spend a lot of time proving that the news is not true,” he said.

He further shared how digitisation has taken away the empathy aspect, the human bond that communications professionals have built over the years.

Somayaji said that in the digital area, even the smallest incidents can be converted into a good PR opportunity, unlike the times when there used to be a long wait for headlines to hit the newspaper.

“There is also constant feedback coming your way. Third-party endorsements have also been enabled by digital,” he mentioned.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) should not be used as a first step in content writing but only as a support, said Sameer Bajaj, Head of Corporate Communications and Corporate Affairs, MakeMyTrip at the exchange4media PR and Corp Comm 30 under 30 Summit.

“Content writing skills are broadly divided into three big dimensions- writing skills, media skills and strategy skills, that is basically nuancing and understanding what is required and what will deliver and how.

“In the first 10 years of your life, you are more indexed on media and less on the other two but as you move on in life, the other two will gain more prominence,” he said.

As advice to corporate communication enthusiasts, Bajaj said they must read and learn irrespective of age.

“I'm still studying but working hard every day even at my age right so read and write. AI, definitely we have, but I would suggest don't use it. Use it to support you. It shouldn't be the first step. It should be a support step,” he said.

Discussing the intricacies of corporate communication, Bajaj said that most of the people in corp comms promote what is being done by other departments and that needs to be changed.

“Outside-in view is the most important in the industry. Most of the people in corp comms promote what is being done by other departments. PR and corp comms are mostly in for amplification processes. This element has to be changed. Here comes the element of outside-in view. I look at people in my team as journalists. We give them an outside view because the context is very important,” he said.

Highlighting that an impact-led approach is critical, Bajaj said, “Impact does not mean coverage. It means impact on business, like marketing. We represent what the brand stands for and therefore the view has to be much larger. Social media is getting more traction than traditional media.”

He also suggested that comms will deliver maximum impact if it is integrated with marketing and business. Making them look at life from your lens will make you come up with a campaign which will have a bigger business impact.

“Reputation matters and the corp comms team should be conscious of every word they say,” he said.

The nomination for the fifth edition of e4m PR and Corp Comm 40 under 40 is open now.

The PR and Corp Comm 40 Under 40 Awards will honour the next generation PR and communication leaders who are shaping the industry through their forward-looking vision. The e4m PR and Corp Comm 40 under 40 Awards recognise the industry's brightest professionals, entrepreneurs, game changers and achievers under the age of 40.

The applicant should be over 20 years of age as of December 31, 2023. Professionals from the field of PR, Corp Comm and Mar Comm can apply. They will be judged by the jury based on their leadership qualities, achievements, future potential and proven contribution to the industry. So do not miss your chance to nominate and be awarded and recognised for your hard work.

The entries are now open and early bird offers of Rs 5000 are valid until November 10, 2023.

The deadline for submitting the nomination is November 30, 2023.

The results for awards will be announced at an event scheduled for December 2023.

Held on Saturday, September 23, the exchange4media PR and Corp Comm 30 under 30 Awards were preceded by a summit on ‘How AI is Changing Communications & PR’ starting with a panel discussion around the topic ‘AI and future of work’ which examined the advent of AI and its disruption in workplace culture as well as its effects on PR and Communication. The session featured Jagruti Kirloskar Saxena, ANAROCK; Shubhreet Kaur, Hill and Knowlton; Deepti Karthik, Decision Pinnacle; and Rahul Kashyap, COO, PR Professionals, and was moderated by Tarunjeet Rattan, Nucleus PR.

Rattan began the discussion by acknowledging the increasingly pervasive nature of AI across multiple professions, geographies, and industries and asking the panel for their views on how AI was shaping the future of PR and Communication.

Saxena replied with a small story, saying, “Copying is an art and not everyone can do it well.” 

Taking off from the same point, Kaur noted, “AI's a tool and I do think it's a fast-evolving technology and it really has the potential to make teams more productive and aligned. But the discretion and the judgment of the PR professionals doesn't go away. So I think there's a huge potential for AI and public relations to go hand in hand because it can create a faster turnaround time if there's a crisis situation happening, you need some information very fast. What we would do on a Google search for two hours, AI can bring that probably in two minutes. But then how do we utilize that for personalization of communication? How do we use it to understand user behaviour?”

“At H&K, we use Brandwatch to understand data insights that are happening in the industry to understand consumers, but that personalization still comes from the PR professionals. And I think we can really efficiently use AI to maybe enhance the level of strategic thinking, creative content, brainstorming and spend more time on those aspects by automating some tasks by using AI,” added Kaur, to which Rattan riposted that this at least meant PR people’s jobs were secure.

On the other hand, Kartik said that her views were more from the other side of the table, in terms of having been on brand side and having interacted with PR professionals. “Some of the requests that go from us marketers to PR professionals are for authored articles, industry articles, and all of this at the end of the day requires a lot of research from the PR team to put this together. It also requires a lot of research on what is happening in global markets, and any thought leadership article that you're going to write is going to be more future looking than just finding out what is going to be on Google.”

“While you can build a straw man or a skeleton for an article, essentially what makes it worth the time of the reader is the practical experience, the fact that this is what I am going through here and now and these are the nuggets of my experiential wisdom ­­-- that is going help the reader and that is what makes it enjoyable and rich in terms of knowledge. So, I think there are a lot of AI tools for my friends in PR to use, but I definitely do think then an article will come to me. I will know if this is just done by AI or by my friend in PR because I know the signature,” said Kartik.

Rattan recounted speaking at a global platform earlier where a lot of agencies weren't overly concerned about transparency, confidentiality, and plagiarism. “Now, these have been a challenge in the current framework itself without AI, but with the free use of AI, how do you keep your sensitive business information and data breaches from happening? Like you mentioned, this is a gut feel that you had been going by, but that gut feel might not be developed by just about everybody.”

The panel went on to discuss the skills as well as the sensibilities that PR professionals needed to have as well as develop in a world being transformed by endless information flow, generated content and shifting norms.

Kashyap, while noting and appreciating e4m’s decision to have a women-led panel, just a day or two after the women's reservation bill was passed, said, “Whenever new technology comes into the picture, there are certain parameters and certain questions that we must ask. Is AI similar to the invention of the wheel? Is it that big a deal? Is it as good as the invention of the internet? Is it going to revolutionize or be an agent of transformation? And if it is an agent of transformation, will it be like the invention of fire or electricity? How will it change our lives? That is the fundamental question I think that we need to ask. Because we have been doing PR, we have been doing communication even when there was no technology.”

“Whatever the thing is, one that it is going to be transformative, but we also have to be the custodians of two things. One is ethics, which is a challenge that the leadership faces. Secondly, what is the kind of work culture that we are promoting? We know the right workers from the wrong ones. Ultimately AI is a tool for good work, for better governance, for better productivity, but it is a tool, it is an assistant. It cannot overwhelm the work culture that we wish to develop. Work culture is a leadership domain, it is a challenge before the leadership and the leadership must come into play. And that is to say it may be a big revolution. But that revolution, that direction of the river, needs to be guided by the leadership,” Kashyap, as PR leaders came together to agree that AI is a useful tool, which needs proper guidance to be used to the full.