The Rise of PR in Politics

By PR Professionals, November 16, 2021

PR today has become a potent tool for brands and individuals. Over the past few years, it has become an indispensable tool in the political landscape worldwide. Today, almost all political leaders have a vibrant social media presence with the help of political PR Agency. The advantages of demographic dividend, the increased participation of youth in politics and the increasing Internet penetration has given a fillip to political PR in India. The political leaders are increasingly leveraging social media to not only inform and enlighten the audience about the latest developments but also to voice their opinions and solicit their views on issues of national importance.

The trend of hiring PR professionals is not new to the political landscape. Since antiquity, monarchs hired personnel to relay information on key policies to the public. Over the decades, the unfettered growth of democracy and liberalization of the economy has underscored the need for accountability and transparency in policy-making. The diversification of media has led to the emergence of hiring political PR agency and dedicated advisories to cater to the segment. The trend of the youth taking to politics as a vocation has further fueled the willingness for availing PR services in political campaigns to shape popular perception.

PR today has become an important tool for the ruling government and the opposition. For the ruling government, it serves as a medium to showcase its achievements, garner the support of the public on important issues and elicit feedback and redress grievances. For instance: the governments worldwide are increasingly hiring PR agencies to drive stakeholder and community engagement to gain their support for upcoming infrastructural developments. For the opposition, PR is a formidable tool to voice their opinions and highlight the crucial gaps in policy-making to the public. PR is a crucial vehicle across political outfits and individuals to build credibility and recall and enhance their reputation.

The leveraging of emerging technologies in political PR strategies has given a new dimension to the political campaigns. It aids political candidates to respond to the feedback, make changes in messaging and modify their positioning in real-time. It is a swift, cost-effective and convenient manner to reach out to the public at large.

The importance of Public Relations in politics, of carefully crafting what to say and ensuring the intent behind every move is portrayed in its true essence, is here to stay, as political PR is intrinsically linked to shaping perception in politics that impacts the outcome of election campaigns. The interplay of technology, innovation in the communication landscape and blurring boundaries between marketing, PR, and digital media present an exciting time for political PR.