Interview of Shruti Mishra, Founder and CEO, IImage Stereo Marcom Pvt Ltd.
1.Your entrepreneurial journey has been closely tied to the evolving PR and marketing communications industry. What inspired you to start out, and how has that early vision changed over time?
My journey has always been guided by curiosity rather than certainty. I began as a mathematics student but felt drawn to storytelling and human connection which led me into broadcast journalism. Nearly a decade as a news anchor taught me how narratives influence perception and trust at scale. Over time I realised I wanted to move from reporting stories to shaping them. That shift took me into marketing communications and eventually entrepreneurship. When I founded IImage Stereo Marcom, the vision evolved from visibility to value creation. Today my focus is on building authentic brand narratives that align business intent with audience trust.
- As 2025 comes to a close, what were the most significant shifts you observed in the PR and marcom landscape?
2025 was the year PR firmly moved into the business strategy space. Indian brands like Tata Motors EV demonstrated this shift well, focusing not just on product launches but on long term narratives around sustainability, innovation and national pride. Similarly, Zomato matured its tone, balancing humour with responsibility as public scrutiny increased. Another major shift was founder led communication becoming more intentional and measured. Brands realised that visibility without context can dilute trust. PR became less about noise and more about narrative ownership, stakeholder alignment and sustained credibility across earned, owned and shared platforms.
- From your experience this year, what key lessons did 2025 offer communication leaders in navigating credibility storytelling and audience trust?
A key lesson from 2025 was that credibility is strongest when communication mirrors action. The Mahindra Group offers a powerful example through its consistent leadership messaging around innovation sustainability and community impact backed by visible execution. During moments of scrutiny the brand relied on transparency leadership presence and fact based communication rather than over explanation. The year also reinforced that audiences value honesty over polish. Clear intent steady tone and timely response matter more than perfection. Communication leaders learned that trust is built gradually through consistency listening and alignment between what a brand says and what it does.
- Looking ahead to 2026 how do you see PR and marketing communications evolving and what will define meaningful impact in the years ahead?
PR and marketing are moving in the line of Dhurandhar marketing where momentum is built through precision timing and layered storytelling. A strong example is the film, ‘Dhurandhar’ which generated intrigue through controlled information character driven buzz and strategic silence. The marketing did not rely on content overload but on anticipation making the conversation travel organically. This approach shows how even an average product can gain disproportionate attention through smart narrative engineering. Going ahead impact will be defined by the ability to create cultural relevance while sustaining credibility. Attention may open doors but trust will determine longevity.
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