Viewpoint
Today’s PR Model
Nidal Abou Zaki, Managing Director of Orient Planet’s PR & Marketing, discusses the ramifications the crisis has had on the region and the overhaul the industry made to provide its clients with more targeted communication in line with the times.
Technological Benefits
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.
Since the emergence of the crisis, marketing, advertising and PR firms have been intensely reflecting on which directions to take in a rapidly changing marketplace. Yes, many of those who either refused to adapt or were slow to do so are now out of business. Given these challenging times companies need to think out of the box if they want to survive, more so to stay a step ahead of their field.
As for going digital, it has indeed been very helpful for our business, as there are many young and tech-savvy citizens in this region. The target audience for our clients is increasingly becoming very comfortable with digital media.
Digital channels facilitate faster, more accurate, efficient and interactive communication with our clients as well as the transmission of their key messages. They also provide a more personalised platform for us to respond to their queries and opinions.
Our online services form just a small part of our overall PR strategy, but they have elicited very positive responses from our clients. Our region has emerged as one of the most connected areas in the world so we need to tap information and communications technologies further to reinforce our business.
Clients Specificity
I would not say that we have a new PR model around. It would be more correct to say that we have enhanced and evolved PR practices to meet the needs of the times. After all, we are still following the basic principles of our profession. We have to keep in mind that today’s PR activities are a reflection of present economic conditions. So while the fundamentals are still there, we can observe new approaches that are often location-specific. For example, PR strategies that are very effective in the UAE are not necessarily recommendable for Saudi Arabia. There are trends that are emerging which reflect adjustments rather than major PR paradigm shifts.
One of these trends is more personalised partnerships between agencies and clients. This is a natural result of the widespread erosion of trust brought about by the global downturn. Agencies that have survived are those who have managed to maintain the trust of their clients.
Cost structures where more clients are looking for agencies who can deliver on the ground rather than just relying on big-name firms are also becoming popular.
For our part, our customers have become more specific about what they want from us and how we factor into their overall strategies. We have, in turn, become more involved in the enhancement of their image and relations. This will
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really benefit us in the long term as we will see more productive collaboration moving towards recovery.
The shift from analogue to digital consumer communications is also an important development. As I have mentioned before, clients in the region are very comfortable and familiar with digital channels. Moreover, digital methods are more cost- and performance- efficient so they enhance operations from both agency and client perspectives.
Clients now also prefer communications methods and results that fit their specific geographic markets. We currently maintain a regional network of offices across the Gulf, Levant and North Africa regions to be close to our clients and more attuned to their needs.
The Personal Approach
At the end of the day, PR is a reflection of the economy, and so I would say that budgeting is one of our most pressing issues. These days we have to work with smaller budgets to satisfy more demanding customers who want us to exceed their expectations.
The days of “mega events” typical across the Arab markets where industry splurged millions of dollars to get their message across are behind us. One-to-one or (targeted) marketing has replaced mass marketing, which was common prior to the downturn. The focus now is on smarter campaigns that deliver without straining resources.
I’d like to add that the emphasis on more personalised connections with our clients means that we will have to increase the scope and quality of our outputs considerably. As for the digital domain, we will need to evaluate various digital technologies and decide which ones we need to adopt and in what levels and functions we will use them.
As I mentioned earlier, there is a growing need for more localized communications which is why we have had to invest in new regional offices and staff accordingly. The changes sweeping our industry will definitely have effects on our budget and manpower, both of which we have to carefully address.
Overall there is now a greater appreciation for the role of PR in strengthening the region’s businesses against tough economic times. Our field is proving to be the more sustainable, efficient and cost-effective option over traditional marketing and advertising. The effect is that PR professionals are now highly motivated to pursue new and better ways to deliver our services.
We just have to constantly keep in mind that while these may be very challenging times, we are also in the midst of a period of great opportunities. |
