Adgcraft Communication is a PR agency, established on 7 July 2021 in Noida by Abhinay Kumar Singh. In this span, the agency has grown from a start of two members to 36+ members. Now, with branch offices in Lucknow, Surat, Bangalore, and Mumbai, the agency has successfully broadened its horizons.
From its inception, Adgcraft Communications has propelled forward, beginning with four clients and serving 25+ retainer clients. The agency has served over 100 brands underscoring their remarkable journey. Adgcraft Communications stands as a one-stop shop, poised to cater to all communication needs.
Its saus that its vision is to be a global brand, providing wholesome brand communications at all levels. The mission is to deliver complex brand communications in the simplest manner to the world!”
At Adgcraft Communications, dedication to excellence and zeal for effective communication form the pillars of their operation. They’re committed to providing PR and communication solutions precisely tailored to their clients’ unique requirements.
It said that its USP is ‘Your Story is your strength, and communication is ours’.
Medianews4u.com caught up with Abhinay Kumar Singh, Founder and MD, Adgcraft Communications
1. What was the gap seen in the market when Adgcraft Communications launched in 2021?
Adgcraft was launched at a unique time, during the second wave of COVID-19 in 2021, when the world was grappling with unprecedented challenges. Starting a business amidst a global pandemic required a deep understanding of the market and the ability to identify unmet needs.
Before founding Adgcraft, I had over a decade of experience in public relations, working with more than 100 companies across various industries. During this time, I witnessed the rapid growth of the startup ecosystem. However, I noticed a significant gap: while startups were securing substantial funding and gaining media attention, their stories weren’t always being communicated in a way that resonated with their target audiences.
My dual experience—working closely with startups and collaborating with the ministry—gave me a unique perspective. I realized that while entrepreneurs excel at innovating and building their businesses, many struggle with effectively telling their stories. They needed more than just media coverage; they needed strategic communication that educates and engages their audience.
At Adgcraft, our mission is not just to secure media placements but to create powerful narratives that establish and grow businesses. We focus on educating the audience, crafting stories that not only promote the startup but also resonate on a deeper level, ensuring long-term success.
In the span of our 1,000 days in business, we’ve crafted and published over 5,000 impactful stories. These narratives have not only fueled business growth but have also inspired many, bridging the communication gap for startups and helping them connect with their audiences in meaningful ways.
2. What strategy was followed that allowed the agency to scale from four clients to over 25 retainer clients and over 120 brands?
I am a firm believer in the Geeta Sloka, ‘Karmanye Vadhikaraste Ma Phaleshu Kadachana,’ where Bhagwan Shree Krishna teaches us to focus on our duties without attachment to the outcomes. This philosophy is deeply ingrained in our company culture. For us, the word ‘duty’ or ‘karma’ is vital. From day one, we’ve committed to giving our best and staying open to feedback, always focusing on the work at hand rather than being preoccupied with results.
Internally, we operate on three fundamental principles every day: ‘Let’s learn more about our clients,’ ‘Let’s share knowledge with our colleagues,’ and ‘Respect every professional commitment.’ These daily mantras guide our work ethic and ensure we remain aligned with our clients’ needs.
The success of any company is rooted in its team, and I strongly believe that our growth is a direct result of the dedication and motivation of our 30+ team members. I’ve worked tirelessly to provide them with a platform where they can continuously learn about the industry, take responsibility for their roles, and create meaningful impacts in their daily work.
When it comes to strategy, our approach has always centered around understanding and addressing the unique needs of each client. We don’t just aim to promote our clients; we focus on educating their target audiences. This is achieved through a rigorous four-month exercise, during which we employ all available PR tools to engage and educate the audience. We emphasise transparency, avoid making false promises, and act as an extension of our clients’ teams, ensuring their feedback is at the core of our strategies.
This methodical and client-focused approach, combined with our commitment to continuous learning and adaptation, has been key to our ability to scale from four clients to over 25 retainer clients and more than 120 brands. It’s a testament to the power of consistent effort, team collaboration, and a deep understanding of our clients’ goals.
3. What are the verticals that Adgcraft Communications focuses on as it has domain expertise in them?
As a growing agency with a strong and dedicated team, we are very intentional about the verticals we focus on. Over the past 1,000 days, we’ve built a robust portfolio of case studies across a range of industries, including real estate, automotive, BFSI (Banking, Financial Services, and Insurance), advertising and marketing, education, health, technology, and AI.
In each of these sectors, we offer comprehensive solutions, from end-to-end PR services to specialized training for our teams. Our goal is to ensure that our expertise is not just broad but also deep, allowing us to address the unique needs and challenges within each industry.
For example, in the real estate sector, we work with clients across various domains such as construction, interior design, architecture, and real estate e-commerce. Our teams are well-versed in the specific intricacies of these areas, ensuring that our strategies are tailored to meet the distinct demands of each client.
We’re proud to say that we have developed a minimum of 10-15 case studies in each vertical, showcasing our commitment and extensive experience across these diverse fields. This breadth of expertise not only highlights our versatility as an agency but also our dedication to delivering impactful and informed PR solutions across multiple industries.
4. Is quantifying the success and impact of PR a challenge for the industry?
This is a very interesting question and one that I am often asked. I believe that if you want to measure the impact of PR, the scale should be time. PR is inherently about building perceptions and establishing a brand’s reputation over time, which isn’t always immediately measurable. The key is to align your measurement with your goals: short-term goals might require fewer resources and yield quicker results, while long-term PR goals necessitate a greater investment of resources and more consistent content delivery to the audience.
Success in PR is often gauged by the frequency and quality of message repetition and the resulting brand perception. While traditional metrics, such as comparing PR value to advertising costs, can offer some insight, the true impact of PR is best seen in long-term reputation building and how well the audience understands and connects with the brand. Our approach at Adgcraft includes continuously analysing feedback and adjusting our strategies to ensure the effectiveness of our PR activities.
Think of PR as planting seeds. Just as a gardener understands that seeds need consistent care and time to grow, PR activities require regular engagement to build a strong presence and foster trust. It’s a blend of qualitative and quantitative metrics. Research shows that for every unit of advertising value, PR can offer up to three times the engagement and influence. This is because PR not only generates media coverage but also builds trust and credibility, creating a more profound and lasting impact.
In summary, while quantifying PR’s success can be challenging, focusing on long-term goals, consistent engagement, and a balanced approach to metrics can provide a clearer picture of its true impact.
5. Has digital made it easier to measure the real-time impact of PR activities?
Integrating digital tools into PR is essential for any modern PR agency, and these tools have indeed made it significantly easier to measure the real-time impact of our activities. In the past, gathering feedback from traditional media channels like TV, radio, and print was a slow and often cumbersome process. Today, with the advent of various digital platforms—such as social media, websites, and apps—we have immediate access to a wealth of data that provides valuable insights into how our messages are being received.
For instance, when we launch a PR campaign or publish an article, digital channels enable us to track key metrics like views, engagement, and audience sentiment in real time. This instant feedback is crucial because it allows us to quickly assess the effectiveness of our messaging and make any necessary adjustments to ensure the campaign resonates with our target audience.
By leveraging these digital tools, we can monitor performance across multiple channels simultaneously, analyse detailed feedback, and adapt our strategies on the fly. This ability to respond in real time ensures that our PR efforts are more precise, responsive, and closely aligned with our audience’s evolving preferences.
6. Could you give me recent examples of work by Adgcraft Communications done that stands out?
One of our standout projects at Adgcraft Communications is our ongoing partnership with KlugKlug, a precise influencer marketing platform. Over the past 500 days, we’ve focussed on educating brands about effective influencer marketing through a variety of PR tools and authored articles.
A particularly notable campaign involved a case study that went viral across media and social platforms, achieving remarkable reach and engagement. The campaign was designed to educate brands on the strategic use of influencers and highlighted the often-overlooked potential of tier-2 and tier-3 influencers. These influencers, who are typically underutilised, can offer significant value, yet only 10% of them are compensated by 90% of brands.
Our campaign aimed to democratize influencer marketing by bringing attention to these core influencers, creating more equitable opportunities in the industry. Additionally, we addressed the issue of false and misleading claims in advertising, promoting transparency and authenticity. This approach not only helped brands make more informed decisions and build trust with their audiences but also reinforced the importance of ethical marketing practices.
This project exemplifies our commitment to innovative and impactful PR strategies, as well as our dedication to fostering ethical standards within the industry.
7. False, misleading claims have been a problem in advertising which is why now advertisers have to submit a self-declaration certificate online. Does PR face the same challenge about spreading misinformation?
I may sound old school with my perspective, but I firmly believe that the truth always prevails. While falsehoods might offer a temporary allure, they ultimately harm both the brand and the individual in the long run. For me, PR is synonymous with trust, and it forms the bedrock of any communication strategy.
Although PR does not currently face the same formal requirements as advertising, we take the issue of misinformation very seriously. Our on-boarding process includes rigorous vetting to ensure that we adhere to the highest ethical standards. We emphasise transparency and ethical practices in all our communications to uphold the integrity of our work.
Should regulatory norms similar to those in advertising be introduced, we are fully prepared to comply. Our commitment remains steadfast in maintaining accuracy and integrity in our PR activities to prevent the spread of misinformation. Ensuring truthful and reliable communication is at the core of what we do, and we continually strive to uphold these principles in every aspect of our work.
8. What role does AI play for Adgcraft Communications?
AI represents the future and has become crucial across various industries, including PR. At Adgcraft Communications, we embrace AI as a valuable tool in our operations, though we don’t rely on it entirely. AI plays a significant role in content creation, data analysis, and evaluating campaign performance.
Integrating AI tools allows us to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of our communication strategies. It enables us to analyse data more swiftly and accurately, providing valuable insights that help us refine and inform our strategies. This data-driven approach helps us anticipate trends and continually improve our practices.
In essence, while AI is a key component in our mission to deliver innovative and high-quality PR solutions, we maintain a balanced approach, combining AI capabilities with our team’s expertise and creativity to ensure the best results.
9. Has Adgcraft Communications dealt with crisis management for a brand? What tactics work in this situation?
Crisis situations can arise in any business, and managing communications during these times can be particularly challenging. At Adgcraft Communications, we emphasise a proactive approach to mitigate potential crises before they occur.
We are fortunate that our proactive strategies have allowed us to avoid many major crises. Our approach focuses on empowering clients to prevent PR pitfalls by implementing a straightforward process: Recognize, Respond, and Restructure. When a crisis does arise, we start by identifying the root cause of the issue, acknowledging it transparently, and then developing and implementing appropriate solutions.
Our tactics adhere to standard global practices in crisis management. We aim not only to address the immediate situation effectively but also to implement measures that prevent similar issues in the future. This approach ensures that we manage crises in a way that minimizes damage and strengthens our clients’ reputations in the long term.
10. For PR to really work do clients and brands need to look at it from a long-term point of view as opposed to a quarter-to-quarter activity?
The approach to PR largely depends on the company’s goals. If there are only a few announcements to be made, it is considered short-term PR. If a client has a long-term plan, we break it down into quarterly segments.
For example, one quarter might focus on sharing basic information about the company while establishing the company and its spokesperson as thought leaders in the industry can be a long term approach.
For new clients, we often start with an initial engagement period of four months, extend it to a year, and potentially continue longer, depending on their needs and objectives.
Brands, especially larger ones like Tata or Reliance, benefit from a long-term approach, which helps build trust and credibility over time. Maintaining and nurturing these relationships is crucial in PR, as it values long-term engagement and consistent communication.
Thus, while short-term goals are important, a long-term view is essential for achieving meaningful and lasting results in PR.
11. Someone recently said that there are big companies that use PR agencies to prevent negative stories from coming out. Is the relationship between PR and journalism sometimes uneasy?
In any professional relationship, including that between PR practitioners and journalists, managing expectations is crucial. It’s important to approach this relationship with transparency and mutual respect. While there may be instances where companies use PR agencies to manage or mitigate negative stories, our focus at Adgcraft is on maintaining integrity and fostering positive, productive interactions.
We emphasise clear communication and respect in all our dealings. Our training underscores the importance of handling communication in a manner that is considerate of journalists’ time, responsibilities, and job requirements, avoiding any overstepping of boundaries.
Our goal is to support journalists by providing accurate, well-researched information and solid proposals, which helps them craft compelling and truthful stories. Building and nurturing long-term relationships is key, even as we manage specific campaigns or address immediate concerns.
We also make it a point to educate our clients about the PR process, ensuring they have a clear understanding of how PR works and what to expect. This helps align expectations and supports a more collaborative and effective relationship with the media.
12. Is issuing press releases only a small part of a PR agency’s job?
Issuing press releases is indeed just one facet of a PR agency’s role, not the entirety. While press releases are a valuable tool for communicating specific announcements to the media, they represent only a part of a comprehensive PR strategy.
For example, in some regions like Japan, PR might be narrowly perceived as primarily involving announcements. However, effective PR encompasses much more than just issuing press releases. A well-rounded PR strategy involves a range of tools and tactics designed to build and manage a brand’s reputation.
This includes promoting work culture, financial achievements, and innovations, as well as engaging with different audiences through various channels. It’s about creating a holistic communication approach that goes beyond mere announcements to encompass broader aspects of the company’s story and values.
While press releases are important, they are part of a broader, multifaceted approach to communication and brand management. A successful PR strategy leverages diverse methods to build a strong, well-rounded presence for the brand.
