PR is not just share of voice – it’s driving sales too: Rakesh Kaul, Livpure MD & CEO

"Very few people know this, but PR also helps in increasing sales.” With that remark, Rakesh Kaul, Managing Director & CEO of Livpure, captured the evolving power of public relations in his keynote address at the 15th edition of the India PR and Corporate Communications Conference (IPRCCC), hosted by exchange4media.

Speaking to a packed audience at the event, Kaul reflected on how the PR landscape has transformed over the past decade-and-a-half, both as a CEO of 14 years and as a long-time observer of the awards. “I’ve been witness to these PR awards for the last 7-8 years and I’ve seen an incredible amount of change in the work being done,” he said.

He noted that PR has evolved from being a peripheral function into a boardroom conversation. “It’s no longer just a part of marketing,” he stated, adding that “a lot of discussions now happen at the CXO level.”

Kaul also pointed out a growing convergence between PR visibility and advertising spends. “Your share of voice in PR is actually meeting the share of expenses in advertising. And we’re seeing a relative movement of market shares as well,” he explained.

Emphasizing how PR has kept pace with digital transformation, Kaul said, “From being largely offline, the kind of work we are seeing today, integrated with digital, has been phenomenal. The journey has been phenomenal.”

He traced the evolution of the awards themselves, saying, “I remember being here for the same awards in 2018 or 2019 and even then we had ample entries. But this time, with 550 nominations, the level of creativity and competence has reached a different level.”

Kaul also spoke about the expanding role of PR beyond brand communications. “There is a massive shift toward building direct consumer connect through advanced PR and digital PR,” he observed, highlighting how PR now also strengthens collaboration between corporates and governments. Praising the IPRCCC platform for driving industry excellence, Kaul said, “It’s a very synergistic platform, where you exchange ideas with great business leaders.”

As Jury Chair, Kaul acknowledged the quality and scale of entries. “Incredible work by a majority of them, the creativity has reached a different level,” he said. He concluded his keynote with a note of encouragement to all nominees: “Some of you may win and some may not, but that shouldn’t stop you from trying again next year.”

“PR,” he said, “is an industry built on empathy, and it will be further built on trust and authenticity.”