Today’s PR Model
The economic crisis has had a really huge impact on the way organizations do business in the Arab World. Over the past period, we have seen enterprises rethink their business models and shift to non-traditional tools and strategies. From the MENA perspective, advertising and communications companies here have carefully assessed their marketing strategies and adjusted their tactics accordingly to reflect regional and global economic realities.
The Customer is King, but are we just pawns? How the Middle East’s PR practitioners handle difficult clients
The Middle East’s PR community has been constantly waging a difficult war against “customer attrition,” or the loss of clients or customers, especially since the emergence of the global downturn. Industry-wide campaigns for improved retention have significantly escalated over the past years, driven by various factors such as unpredictable markets, globalization, and rapid shifts in audience profiles. These efforts are vital given the affirmation of both research and experience that the cost of retaining an existing customer is far less compared to that of acquiring a new one.
Trust or bust: global crisis redefines corporate communications
There are a lot of things we can do to regain someone’s lost trust. We can write a card, send an email, or make a phone call to explain and mend the situation. Regardless of the preferred method, the important thing to do is to communicate, and at the soonest possible time. How and when communication is done will determine if the relationship can be rebuilt and if it can still be sustained.
Communicating Through the Chaos
The wave of uncertainty unleashed by the global credit crunch has forced businesses in the Middle East to seriously re-evaluate their operational strategies. Across all industries, companies in the region are trying to pinpoint activities that can be either downscaled or dropped altogether without sacrificing viability.
Consumer centric campaigns will create a stronger Middle Eastern PR Industry
The UAE’s Public Relations (PR) industry continues to show signs of vibrancy and increased productivity amidst a global financial crisis that has managed to affect almost all businesses in the international and local market. As the demand for market driven campaigns is increasing, the industry has seen a dramatic shift wherein consumers are now exercising more awareness and influence over the products that they decide on purchasing and patronizing.
Say what? Do what? Deploying crunch-time communications when it counts
There is an old saying that spreading a nasty rumour is like ripping a feather pillow apart: while you may be able to gather back a majority of the feathers, some remain lost and floating around. The same may be said for crises in today’s highly-competitive markets; a sensitive issue, a scandal, or hints at corruption can leave doubts, criticisms and allegations floating around long after the situation has been resolved. Today’s PR firms must prepare strategies to swiftly and properly address and contain crises to avoid clients from drawing themselves into a protracted and unwinnable pillow fight.
Do Middle Eastern businesses really need Corporate Social Responsibility?
Experts continue to debate the significance of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in the Arab setting. CSR is formally defined as a concept whereby organizations safeguard the interests of society by taking responsibility for the effects of their activities on both the environment and various stakeholders such as customers, suppliers, employees, shareholders, and communities. While some groups view the concept as purely an act of enforced charity, others insist that CSR will play a key role in helping the region attain its growth potential.
PR’s
role in brand management
Most companies today are concerned about brand
management. Put simply brand management means
associating positive values with a given brand
– such as trust, integrity, value, etc.
Depending on the brand, it may be promoted as
value for money, premium, exclusive, durable,
strong, etc.
PR
and Advertising
In the cluttered world
of advertising, numerous ads cry for attention.
One is lucky if a particular ad is noticed.
Advertising lacks the power to sell a product
effectively,
