Key members of Thailand’s communications and public relations (PR) network met on 2 December 2021 for the inaugural event of the kingdom’s Public Relations and Communications Association (PRCA), the first time in history the PRCA launched on Thai soil.
During the event, titled ‘The Rise of PR: An Introduction to PRCA Thailand’, Thailand’s leading PR professionals not only gathered to recognise the importance of the association in connecting industry players with best practices but shone the light on the growing value of PR in an era where consumers, employees, and stakeholders require content that offers more nuanced and authentic narratives from brands and companies.
Guest speakers spoke about successful PR Trends and Measurements for the future. In the new year, all signs point to continued growth and importance for the public relations industry in Thailand and the region as a vital source of expertise for leaders in business and society.
The PR industry has grown through the pandemic at near double-digit rates, and thanks to disruption in the media industry, demands for brand storytelling, and requirements for accountability from stakeholders, the PR industry remains poised as the growth industry among the marketing services.
“The PR industry has the attention of the C-suite for its ability to tell brand stories via content creation and the its ability to help corporations manage reputation in a complicated and challenging operating environment that only seems to become more demanding,” said Tara Munis MPRCA, Head of PRCA Asia Pacific. “We see the rise of the PR industry as a long-term trend because the industry is so well suited to address the needs of modern business and society.”
The PR industry is slowly becoming the leader and go-to as brands seek help to share information, operate in a transparent manner, and get their messaging right.
In line with the future of brand storytelling and reputation building, PRCA sets itself in a perfect position to promote PR as the best service companies can and should rely on to get their communications right.
Caroline Hsu, APAC Managing Director, The Hoffman Agency, said that the business community should task PR leaders with taking the lead on integrated campaigns because PR professionals have unique skill sets designed to persuade even the most sceptical audiences. But with that said, Hsu also emphasised that PR campaign budgets should grow to match the economic impact made by the business in Southeast Asia. Hsu indicated that PR campaign budgets were overweight in the US and EU and underweight in Asia.
“There is a serious imbalance in marketing communications budgets,” said Hsu.
Speakers at the event included leaders from within business and PR agencies. Rawit Hanutsaha, CEO, Srichand United Dispensary, and Saiyai Sakawee, Head of Communications and Public Affairs, Google Thailand, both addressed the impact of PR from the standpoint of enterprises operating in Thailand.
Mr. Rawit shared: “The way consumers receive their messages has changed in the last three-five years. PR has adopted a personalised communication approach, and thus it must relate to the audience more. Any kind of communication has to be well thought-through and have a more precise marketing approach,” something which only PR can offer.
Ms. Sakawee of Google Thailand shared her views on how even when the industry and trends are changing rapidly, such as the sources of information consumers rely on, the key concept of how PR communicates to audiences remains the same. “Branding management to maintain the reputation is very important,” she said. “And that's where PR comes in to help. Brands have to be authentic and transparent.”
PR, which uses the journalism mindset, is based on authenticity and transparency. This is one of the main reasons why the PR industry is better equipped to meet the demands of modern businesses.
Other speakers included Midas PR Master Connector Lohitnavy, who addressed views from a leadership position as the PRCA Chair in Thailand.
Richard Bagnall Chairman, AMEC, Global co-managing partner, and CEO Europe and the Americas, CARMA, spoke about measurement metrics to determine the impact of PR campaigns.
“It’s important to have up-to-date metrics that tell a meaningful measurement story,” he said. “You can’t get such metrics from trackers or devices alone. A lot of thinking is also needed, which is why PR is so essential. It’s no longer just about sending stuff out for the next day. We have to start thinking in terms of output, outtake, and outcomes”.