Gogulan Dorairajoo, CEO of Rantau+, believes that public relations and communications agencies remain valuable assets for brands. Despite the disruptions caused by digitalisation, social media, and emerging tools like ChatGPT, agencies continue to play an essential role in navigating the evolving nature of consumer behaviour.
While some brands look to influencers to push their products, Gogulan said some may lack the nuanced understanding of brand positioning, stakeholder management, cultural sensitivity, and unbiased insights that public relations agencies bring.
“Agencies can craft bespoke narratives rooted in research, aligned with brand goals and delivered with ‘human’ emotions to connect with people – something no tool can fully replicate,” said Gogulan, pointing to Rantau+ winning three awards at the recent The Drum Awards Festival for its campaigns that champion ecosystem regeneration and digital empowerment.
“Effective communications rely heavily on relationships with media, stakeholders, and even influencers, which require a human touch.
“We can also navigate crises with empathy, accuracy, and speed, which is a critical skill set that tools cannot replace.”
He said agencies can stand out by combining creativity with storytelling and aligning with causes that matter to the audience, ensuring deeper emotional connections.
Gogulan also stressed the importance of data.
“We use analytics to craft more personalised campaigns that resonate with target groups. Innovative storytelling ideas paired with compelling narratives create memorable campaigns,” he said.
“There is also a balancing act of long-term equity versus immediate results. We can build consistent brand messaging over time while leveraging short-term tactics like influencer marketing and real-time engagement to achieve quick wins.”
The agency’s work on the Selangor Maritime Gateway (SMG) initiative won a gold in The Drum Awards Festival for the PR for Government or Private Sector category and a silver in Social Purpose: Environment.
This entry, titled ‘Engagement to Action: Transformative Partnerships for Klang River’, was executed for Landasan Lumayan Sdn Bhd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Menteri Besar Selangor (Incorporated).
It aims to bring awareness to the revitalisation efforts for Selangor’s Klang River and its surrounding areas by emphasising the importance of river stewardship and biodiversity conservation.
The campaign also addresses the often-overlooked mangrove ecosystems, which together play a crucial role in climate resilience, water security, and biodiversity protection. However, beyond environmental goals, the campaign’s core challenge was reconnecting communities with the river, inspiring collective responsibility, and fostering a renewed appreciation for Klang River’s ecosystem.
“Purpose-driven campaigns must be genuine and not performative to resonate authentically with audiences. We continuously build relationships to drive authenticity, impact, and accountability,” he said.
“We use honest and clear communication to build affinity into these award-winning campaigns.
“These wins are not just for Rantau+, but for all our clients and partners who strive for impactful, purposeful change. This moment shines a spotlight on the transformative work being done by Malaysian organisations for people and the planet.”
Rantau+ also won a bronze for its campaign with MEASAT, Malaysia’s leading satellite solutions provider, in the Social Purpose: Community Engagement category.
Gogulan acknowledged that agencies must embrace digital tools but stressed the importance of a personal, human-centred approach in any campaign.
“At the core of it all is empathy. While technology improves efficiency, the heart of every campaign lies in understanding people’s needs and aspirations,” said Gogulan.
“Use digital tools to streamline processes and amplify efforts, not to replace human creativity and intuition. We can leverage interactive platforms to create immersive, emotionally engaging narratives.
“Data analytics and AI tools enable deeper insights into audience preferences, ensuring campaigns feel personalised and relatable.”
