Mazen Hayek, Managing Director of MS&L's regional office in Dubai, talks with ArabAd about the PR industry and its evolution, challenges and opportunities.
ArabAd: Through specialisation, most agencies are becoming consultant agencies, left with only the creative side. Is there a need for PR, and do clients request a specialised PR agency?
Mazen Hayek: Yes. The need for public relations counsel and support activities is only increasing as reputation and stakeholder relationship management become increasingly important, not only to marketing managers, but to CEOs and company boards of directors as well. They recognise the link between these issues and achieving their business objectives.
In fact, a recent survey of business leaders found that "image and reputation" were the main criteria used by executives to judge a company, ahead of such factors as "financial performance". They understand that business performance is impacted both by how consumers view their company and their products and services, and by how a whole variety of other publics see them - including employees, suppliers, those living in the communities where the company operates, industry analysts and trade groups, among others.
As consumer purchasing and business-to-business decisions more and more are made based on intangibles such as brand affinity, companies looking to manage their reputations will make public relations an increasingly large part of their marketing mix.
AA: Are clients aware of the benefits of PR activities?
MH: Clients are smart. They understand the importance of building enduring relationships with the publics and equally recognize the significance of reputation management. However, if there is any disconnect, any lack of understanding, it is the responsibility of the PR community as a whole, which isn't doing enough to explain the power and benefits of the discipline. We need to effectively tell the story of PR's added value in a clear and relevant way that shows our contribution to a client's business objectives. We need to be particularly committed to getting this message into the executive offices and boardrooms of this region's many thriving businesses and organisations, where the role of strategic public relations counsel, whether in the form of investor relations, corporate social responsibility, financial communications or reputation management, is less familiar.
AA: We are witnessing a boom in PR activities and an increase in PR companies. Some of them are in-house, some independent, and the latest trend: the creation of advertising agencies of specialist PR companies, which are affiliated to international names. Can the market absorb all of this?
MH: The burgeoning number of PR agencies is partly the result of rising demand but also the result of two other, less positive, factors. The first is the lack of any implementation or enforcement of industry standards, such that anyone who wants to call himself or herself a PR professional can set up a shop. You don't find practicing architects or doctors who came into their professions without speciality knowledge, specific training and thorough testing. Second, there is an absence of specialised PR degree programs in the region's universities. While in almost any Western country, you'll find ten specialised PR degree programs, in this region, you'll find ten countries and not a single such program among them.
That said, it is clear that the market can absorb the growth in PR agencies. Why? Because public relations is a key part of the integrated marketing mix. We at MS&L, as a member of the Leo Burnett Group of Companies, Middle East and North Africa, see that more and more often, clients and potential clients are coming to the group with communications needs that are best met through an integrated, holistic approach that the group offers through its advertising, digital, CRM, media and public relations support.
Given these needs and those of many smaller companies with less elaborate marketing requirements, public relations is a specialised discipline that is increasingly in demand. Its sought-after services now run the gamut from corporate reputation management to launch event concept development to media relations to press release writing and distribution. Almost every organisation has need for all or a combination of these and other competencies, ensuring that a broad range of PR companies will remain in demand far into the future.
AA: There are complaints from publishers and editors from all over the Middle East about the abundance of press releases that they receive from different establishments. We are aware that reputable public relations officers send newsworthy material, but when it comes to other material, how can we solve this problem?
MH: Press releases are just one tool in the PR consultant's arsenal. Unfortunately, because it is relatively easy to produce - barring appropriate time taken to develop a strong news angle, key messages or targeted audiences and publications - it is one of the most prevalent and visible products of the PR industry. This certainly can lead to abuse, but looking forward, we see press releases playing a smaller and smaller part in the industry's toolbox.
Particularly in light of the growing understanding of how business objectives are impacted by reputation and image, companies see and seek public relations to provide increasingly sophisticated consulting that moves far beyond the press release.
This trend is already apparent in more developed PR markets in other parts of the world. We are seeing that while in the past, PR practitioners would give advice to clients on "what to say"; now PR consultants are advising clients on "what to do".
The where, when and how of communications also present the industry with a challenge: breaking the audio-visual barrier. We must commit ourselves to exploring the field of PR-funded radio and television programming. These communications should be innovative, interactive and targeted to those publics we wish to reach with our clients' messages.
AA: Do you have any assessment to the value of PR activities in this part of the world?
MH: There is tremendous growth potential for the public relations industry in the Middle East and North Africa, especially in the disciplines of reputation management, strategic media relations, corporate and financial communications, public affairs, product PR, healthcare and technology. Globalisation is accelerating; markets and consumers are becoming increasingly sophisticated and fragmented, and the media is more and more cluttered.
Given this, and the growing recognition in the region of the importance of a company, brand or institution's reputation and enduring relationships with consumers, clients and other stakeholders, public relations is set to experience sustained development. This discipline is uniquely positioned to help map the communications needs of clients and then develop plans that meet their business objectives and strengthen their bottom lines. How? By managing the quality of their messaging and assessing the quantity of the coverage.
AA: How effective is the Internet as a medium for public relations?
MH: By its nature, the Internet offers a rich platform on which to execute public relations campaigns. It is a powerful medium to spread viral messages, multimedia or otherwise, through email and email links to websites. Moreover, websites are a free and easily accessible place for stakeholders to find information about a company, brand or organization, as well as interact with it. Web-logs and bulletin boards are the "water-coolers" and "cafs" of the online world, where people interested in a particular topic gather to talk about issues of common concern. This provides an opportunity for public relations professionals to influence the discussion and to reach the much sought after opinion leaders, connectors and early adopters.
Having said that, in order for the Internet to become a truly effective medium for public relations activities, certain hurdles must be overcome. Firstly, Internet penetration in the region must be increased. Likewise, literacy rates must rise, as the Internet is of little use to those without reading skills. Thirdly, we need to expand the public space available to a free flow of ideas and an open exchange of opinion. Fourthly, and perhaps most importantly, we must move toward "knowledge economies" in this region, so that we can reach a point whereby "what's in our minds" becomes more valuable than "what's under our soil".
AA: What does your company offer that differs from your competitors?
MH: People, people, people. They are what make MS&L a multicultural agency with deep roots in the region and expertise from across the globe. Every day, we challenge ourselves to consistently produce work that delivers more of what PR can offer - hence adding value to our clients' businesses and generating tangible results. We owe our sustained growth to our clients who have placed their most precious assets in our care.
© ArabAd 2005
