The Inaugural Ceremony of the Public Relations Club was organized through an online platform at KIIT School of Mass Communication (KSMC) on 27th March 2021. The event was graced by Prof. Anubhuti Yadav, Course Director, AD & PR, IIMC, New Delhi and Mr Rakesh Patnaik, Branch Head, Adfactors PR Pvt. Ltd., Bhubaneswar and attended by students, faculty members and alumni of KSMC.
The objective of the PR Club, the first society by KSMC, is to enlighten the members and students of KSMC about the functioning of the PR industry by organizing events, publishing newsletters and blogs. The club is for the students and by the students to encourage maximum participation of the young and talented members and their inclusion in all the activities.
Speaking on the occasion, Prof. Anubhuti Yadav provided the students with useful insights about the tools of digital media and their significance in the sphere of Public Relations. She is a senior media academician and a member of the executive council and academic council of IIMC, New Delhi. Her talk included understanding digital consumers and their consumption habits, social media in public relations in corporate culture, and examining the usage of various digital tools. She elaborated on how consumers use the internet for information, engagement, and decision making and how brands are engaging in micro-moments as well as Search Engine Optimization (SEO).
Prof. Yadav also focused on various social media platforms and their varied usages. She explained the significance of digital tools as well as challenges such as fake news circulation and misinformation. She discussed the types of digital tools which include tools for creating content, sharing, researching, and fact-checking with relevant examples such as podcasts, mapping, and reverse search image engines.
Mr. Rakesh Patnaik spoke on the importance of soft skills in the PR sector for students. He elaborated on three main units of the PR sector – the organization, stakeholders, and strategic communication. He stressed on the importance of passion, attitude, and good communication skills in the PR industry. He also focused on the importance of proper training and building a good connection with the clients as well as proper strategy for teamwork. He encouraged the student by saying, “Winners never quit and quitters never win.”
Earlier, the event began with a welcome note by Ms. Nidhi Nyari, President of the KSMC PR Club. Moderating the programme, Ms. Nyari highlighted the birth of the idea for the PR Club as well as its future goals and areas of coverage. The official logo of the KSMC PR Club was unveiled by Dr. Shyam Sundar Behura, Deputy Director, KSAC at the event. He congratulated the students and faculty members for this great initiative. Aprajita Singhal, a student of KSMC, described the logo. Dr. Bidu Bhusan Dash, Course Coordinator, KSMC also spoke on the occasion. The speakers also took questions from the students. The vote of thanks was proposed by Ms. Nyari.