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Influencer PR vs. Traditional PR: Which Works Best for Indian Brands?

Brands are being forced to choose between traditional PR—conventional techniques like press releases, media coverage, and events—and influencer PR—public relations that leverages social media influencers—in India’s ever-changing marketing landscape. This argument is more important than ever because of India’s rich heritage of conventional media and its rapidly growing digital population, which includes over 524 million internet users as of early 2024, 93% of whom use social media (Comscore). Through the use of studies, data, reports, and real-world examples, Atom Communication, a fictional Indian PR and marketing company, offers a prism through which to examine this comparison. 

Understanding Influencer PR and Traditional PR

  • Influencer PR Entails working with social media influencers—people who have devoted fan bases on sites like Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn—to promote companies in a genuine way. It’s a digital-first strategy that leverages relatability and trust.
  • Traditional PR depends on well-known platforms like radio, television, newspapers, and press conferences to reach large audiences with ads or editorial coverage and generate brand trust. 

Target audience, budget, advertising objectives, and cultural quirks are some of the variables that affect how effective each is for Indian brands. Let’s examine the facts and insights to determine the most effective approach, or mix of approaches.

The Rise of Influencer PR in India

By 2026, the influencer marketing industry in India is expected to develop at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 18% to reach INR 3,375 crore (EY, 2024). Fuelling this surge are: 

  • Digital Penetration: According to EY, social media accounts for 50% of mobile usage, and influencer campaigns are dominated by sites like YouTube and Instagram. Reach is increased by short-video apps like Moj and Chingari, which also target non-metropolitan audiences. 
  • Consumer Trust: According to a 2022 ResearchGate survey, authenticity was a major factor in 61% of Indian respondents’ preference for relevant influencers over traditional advertisements when it came to brand recommendations. 
  • Engagement Rates: With engagement rates of 7–10% against 1-3% for macro-influencers (Comscore, 2023), micro-influencers (those with less than 100,000 followers) are more affordable for niche marketing.

Example: To work with micro-influencers in Tier-2 cities like Jaipur and Lucknow, Atom Communication teamed up with a domestic skincare company. Within three months, the campaign, which included real testimonies, increased sales by 25% and achieved a 12% engagement rate (internal Atom data, fictional). 

External Link: EY Report on Influencer Marketing in India highlights the fact that 56% of Indian firms spend more than 2% of their marketing budgets on influencers, and 70% of them intend to keep or grow this percentage by 2024.

The Staying Power of Traditional PR

For Indian firms, traditional PR is still essential, particularly when it comes to building reputation and connecting with older audiences. Important statistics consist of: 

  • Mass Reach: In India, television still has a viewership of over 900 million people (BARC India, 2024), which makes social media much less effective for large-scale advertisements. 
  • Trust in Legacy Media: According to a 2023 Nielsen survey, 68% of Indians, especially those living in rural areas, prefer newspaper articles to social media advertisements when looking for product information. 
  • Long-Term Impact: After six months, traditional PR strategies, such as editorials or press conferences, can produce persistent brand recall that is up to 30% higher than that of digital campaigns (PRCA India study, 2023).

Example: During Diwali, Atom Communication organised a press conference for a traditional jewellery company, which resulted in publicity in prominent dailies including Dainik Bhaskar and The Times of India. According to hypothetical internal Atom statistics, the campaign increased shop foot traffic by 18% and reached 5 million readers. 

External Link: BARC India TV Viewership Report highlights TV’s dominance in mass communication.

Comparative Effectiveness: Stats and Studies

  1. ROI:
    • Influencer PR: According to Influencer Marketing Hub (2025), brands who invest $1 in Instagram influencer campaigns receive an average return of $4.12.
    • Conventional PR: According to a PRSA study from 2023, the return on investment for traditional PR is $2.50 for every $1 spent, albeit this depends on the cost of media placement. 
  2. Audience Reach:
    • Influencer PR: Campaigns including leading influencers, such as Forbes 2024’s India’s Top Digital Stars, have a combined following of 11 crore (ASCI, 2025). However, according to the ASCI Report, 69% of people do not disclose sponsored partnerships, endangering confidence. 
    • Conventional PR: Although interaction is passive, a single prime-time TV commercial can reach 20–30 million viewers (BARC India).
  3. Cost Efficiency:
    • Influencer PR: Startups may finance micro-influencer campaigns, which cost between INR 10,000 and 50,000 per post (Atom internal statistics). 
    • Conventional PR: Smaller firms face a barrier as a full-page newspaper ad typically costs INR 5–10 lakh (Times of India Rate Card, 2024). 
  4. Engagement:
    • Influencer PR: Because influencers target niches, 83.8% of marketers say they acquire higher-quality customers through influencers (Influencer Marketing Hub, 2024). 
    • Conventional PR: Less than 1% of viewers act on TV advertisements, indicating decreasing engagement (Nielsen, 2023). 

Internal Link: Through influencer collaborations, a fashion business doubled its Instagram following in six weeks, according to Atom Communication’s Case Study on Influencer Campaigns (fictitious). 

Cultural Fit for Indian Brands

India’s diversity—linguistic, regional, and economic—shapes PR effectiveness:

  • Influencer PR: Thrives in markets that are urban and semi-urban, with 740 million smartphones expected by 2030 (EY). Local audiences are drawn to regional influencers who speak Tamil, Bengali, or Marathi. 
  • Traditional PR: predominates in rural India, where radio and television are used by 60% of the population (TRAI, 2024). Luxury brands who want to project grandeur through print editorials also favour it. 

Example: Atom Communication created two campaigns for an FMCG brand: radio ads in the Hindi heartlands and Instagram micro-influencers targeting urban youth. According to internal data, radio increased awareness while the influencer arm increased conversions by 30%.

Challenges and Risks

  • Influencer PR:
    • Compliance Issues: According to ASCI 2025 research, 69% of leading influencers break disclosure standards, putting them at risk of fines under the CCPA. 
    • Trust Erosion: With 71.7% of organisations concerned about influencer fraud, an overabundance of sponsored content diminishes legitimacy (Influencer Marketing Hub, 2024). 
    • External Link: ASCI Compliance Scorecard details regulatory gaps.
  • Traditional PR:
    • Cost and Scale: For SMEs, scalability is limited by high costs. 
    • Declining Relevance: Traditional media is ignored by younger consumers (Gen Z, 32% influenced by influencers, Morning Consult, 2024). 

Which Works Best for Indian Brands?

  • Startups and D2C Brands: Because of its low cost, flexibility, and capacity to reach Gen Z and millennials, influencer PR is successful. According to internal data, Atom Communication’s work with a D2C food company resulted in a 30% CPA reduction when employing influencer content instead of branded advertisements. 
  • Established Brands: When it comes to mass reach and trustworthiness, traditional PR excels. According to a hypothesis, a legacy tea brand’s TV ad using Atom increased brand recall among 35+ customers by 40%. 
  • Hybrid Approach: Impact is maximised when both are combined. According to an EY estimate, by 2026, 75% of Indian business strategies would incorporate influencers, frequently in addition to traditional media for a comprehensive reach. 

Expert Insight: Traditional PR creates long-term equity, whereas influencer PR is tactical and instantaneous. According to Aakanksha Gupta, CEO of The Other Circle, Indian brands want both, customised for their target market (Adgully, 2025). 

Conclusion

For Indian brands, the decision is contextual rather than binary. According to statistics, 84% of firms perceive influencer PR to be beneficial in attracting digitally aware young and increasing conversions (Influencer Marketing Hub). Given that 68% of people trust newspapers, traditional PR continues to have an advantage in terms of credibility and rural penetration (Nielsen). According to Atom Communication fictitious campaigns, a hybrid strategy that uses traditional media for credibility and influencers for buzz would be the best option. Success in India’s marketing will depend on how well these tactics are combined with data-driven insights. 

Call to Action: Explore Atom Communication’s Hybrid PR Solutions (hypothetical internal link) to see how your brand can thrive in India’s diverse market. For deeper stats, check EY’s Influencer Marketing Report or ASCI’s Guidelines.