Watching advertisements of various brands on TV featuring famous faces, we often think of them as symbols of extravagant people living extravagant lives. For many, PR is a consumer-focused industry responsible for launching a new smartphone or brands of luxurious products. But in reality, the true audience of these brands is the common public, the people who actually help these brands grow. And yet, their voices are rarely heard.
These voices don’t belong to big leaders or celebrities, but from ordinary people living extraordinary lives. They belong to a mother struggling day and night to feed her children, a young man teaching kids in his neighborhood, or a volunteer mobilizing relief aids during natural catastrophes. They are the real heroes whose stories hold immense power, but without any platform, they remain unseen and unheard.
This is where public relations (PR) play a transformative role. If you go deeper, you will find that PR goes beyond managing corporate reputation. It is about connectivity, communication, and adding value to the lives of people. When applied to humanitarian causes, PR has the ability to amplify these voices and turn local struggles into trendy conversations.
Humanitarian work often involves a passionate approach that drives awareness and mobilizes resources for the cause. PR helps take these small and impactful stories to larger audiences. Consider an individual working day and night to educate poor children in the areas far beyond the reach of cities. The person might not make it to front page stories, but with the right PR strategies, you can help his story reach far and wide for monetary or materialistic support or attention.
Attention towards local initiatives
Visibility is a fundamental aspect of PR. PR pros use multiple strategies involving media outreach, campaigns, and press coverage to amplify the grassroot initiatives among the audience. In recent days, with the extensive use of social media, it has become a powerful tool for humanitarian PR. A single video or a small reel can turn into a movement overnight.
A few years back, Mahindra & Mahindra initiated a massive digitally-driven crowd-funding campaign, #SeedTheRise to help improve the lives of our farmers. The fund was used for farmer welfare through 5 carefully selected projects in collaboration with 4 NGOs.
Similarly, Dabur Vatika’s ‘Brave and Beautiful’ campaign highlighted stories of female cancer survivors and celebrated their resilience and courage, showcasing an emotional journey of a woman returning to work after cancer treatment.
Help in building credibility
Today’s audience is smart and skeptical. In humanitarian work, credibility and trust are immensely important. People respond positively to those who are transparent and honest. PR helps in storytelling, each composed with authenticity, without any exaggeration. By showcasing ground-level efforts with evidence, testimonials, and clear communication, PR builds a trustworthy bridge between the community, donors, media, and the larger public.
Keeping everything transparent helps in preventing any misinformation, ensuring that resources reach the right place without being lost to the unknown.
Build unity in the community
PR helps in strengthening the voices of those who have long worked in silence. By giving recognition to local people, volunteers, and social groups, PR gives them a sense of identity and belonging. It helps in building a sense of unity among the audience. Whether it is about empowering women, recognizing the contribution of workers cleaning drains, or the garbage pickers, it is through these PR campaigns that brands evoke a sense of acceptance for these people among the hearts of the audiences.
PR is not just about publicity; it is about purpose driven communication. PR professionals don’t just tell stories, they give rise to something bigger, better and stronger, something that drives the revolutionary change in society. In humanitarian action, PR has the power to give the voiceless a platform, turn compassion into collective action, and transform local struggles into global responsibility. The more we recognize PR as a tool for social change, the closer we move toward a world where no voice is too small to be heard.