Public relations and corporate communications are no longer quiet functions operating behind the scenes. They now sit firmly at the nucleus of brand strategy, reputation management and stakeholder trust. As digital platforms sharpen timelines and social media boosts every message, the discipline has developed a sharper edge and an influential voice. It is this evolving reality that the afaqs! CommuniCon Awards 2026 seeks to capture and dissect.

Slated for March 2026 in the city of Mumbai, CommuniCon returns at a time when the industry is recalibrating its role in an unrelentingly connected world. Part conference, part awards, CommuniCon 2026 endeavours to recognise excellence and engender reflection, debate, and conversation that charts futures. The emphasis is explicit: This is about understanding power, responsibility, and impact-not merely about celebrating output.

Event overview

The afaqs! CommuniCon Awards & Conference 2026 marks the third chapter of a movement to celebrate the craft, strategy, and impact of modern public relations. Anchored in the insight The power of PR & corp comm: shaping the future of communication in a connected world, it recognises how fundamentally different the profession is now from what it was a few years ago.

At the heart of CommuniCon lies the awards programme. Carefully crafted with 28 categories, the awards are intended to reflect the entire spectrum of work created across PR agencies, integrated communications firms, and brand-side communications teams. From reputation building and crisis management through to purpose-led storytelling and stakeholder engagement, the categories have been structured to mirror real-world challenges and achievements.

Two top honours stand out. Best PR Agency of the Year and Best Brand of the Year are positioned as benchmark titles, reserved for organisations that demonstrate sustained excellence, strategic clarity, and measurable impact. Entries are strictly limited to PR agencies and brand marketers, reinforcing the platform’s focus on serious, professional practice rather than general marketing campaigns.

Alongside the awards, the conference element is expected to nurture a textured, insight-driven environment. Discussions will explore how PR has shifted from a support role to a strategic function with direct access to audiences, investors and the public. The format encourages listening as much as speaking, with room for nuanced discussions rather than definitive answers.

Award categories

The CommuniCon Awards bring together a carefully layered set of categories that reflect how wide, and how demanding, the PR and corporate communications mandate has become. The Campaign Awards recognise work that balances intent with execution, ranging from internal communication and sustainability-led narratives to content marketing, influencer programmes and innovation. They also account for context. Campaigns are evaluated across scenarios such as product launches, crisis management, IPOs and regional or challenger brands, with enterprise-size categories ensuring scale is judged fairly.

Alongside this sits a robust set of Sector Awards, acknowledging that good PR does not look the same everywhere. From BFSI and automobiles to education, fashion and lifestyle, media and entertainment, retail, real estate, sports and gaming, and travel and tourism, these categories reward storytelling that understands its industry before it seeks attention. Government, public sector and not-for-profit work are included too, reflecting the growing importance of credibility and public impact.

At the top are two Special Awards that look beyond individual campaigns. Brand of the Year and PR Agency of the Year recognise consistency, leadership and long-term influence. In other words, not just moments that worked, but reputations that were built and sustained.

Who should participate

The awards and conference are open to a focused set of participants, ensuring relevance and depth of conversation.

• PR agencies will find a platform that understands the complexity of their mandate and the ever-changing expectations of clients.

• Integrated communications agencies can show how PR-led thinking collaborates with other disciplines, without being overshadowed.

• The corporate communication departments can gain an opportunity to highlight in-house excellence and strategic leadership.

• A special invitation is also extended to the CSR departments, given the rise of communications in social impact, sustainability, and purpose.

The afaqs! CommuniCon Awards 2026 provides a timely forum to acknowledge brilliance, question assumptions, and debate with peers who are shaping the discipline from within. For professionals invested in the future of PR and corporate communications, March 2026 in Mumbai promises a conversation worth participating in.