'PR must focus on a wider range of stakeholders'

The PR market in the Middle East is already crowded, so new names must fight for a piece of the action. We asked two new players about their plans to build their brand Caitlin West managing partner, Regester Larkin Dubai Amjed Shacker CEO, Buchanan Middle East

How have you gone about introducing your PR agency's name to the Middle East market?
: To date we have issued two press releases announcing the formation of the company and its official launch party. We are, however, noticing that our best introductions are happening through word of mouth.

: We have joined the Middle East Public Relations Association (MEPRA), we have contacted the Middle East PR and business press, and we are seeking to meet potential clients in the coming weeks and months.

Here's your chance to sell yourself. What are the qualities that differentiate your agency from the rest of the industry?
: We have a strong presence in local offices across the region. Clients deal with our executives as opposed to waiting for an alienated, remote figure residing some six hours away by plane. Additionally, the selection of team members is rather stringent and identifies ones with strong financial background.

: Regester Larkin is a specialist crisis and issues management consultancy that focuses on helping organisations anticipate, prepare for and manage threats to their reputation. We focus exclusively on offering services within this specialist discipline and are credited with pioneering many of the systems and processes that are now considered best practice. There are very few, if any, companies providing the type of specialist consultancy we offer in the Middle East.




What do clients take into account when selecting a PR agency? How important is 'reputation'?
: Clients want the assurance that an agency has resources on the ground in the respective market. And while reputation is a must, some think it's as good as the last job.

: Clients take into account a range of factors, such as experience, client base, size, location, fees and professional areas of expertise. To us, reputation is the most important factor.




Are there too many PR agencies in the Middle East?
: If the question refers to quality ones, then the unequivocal answer is a "NO!"

: No, I don't think so. In fact, I think there are too few specialist agencies in the region.




Will our PR industry split into separate disciplines, such as crisis management, financial, medical etc?
: For the time being I don't believe the split will happen. The industry suffers from a lack of resources which prevents such a split from taking form in the short term.

: Yes, our clients are telling us more and more that they don't want a 'one-stop-shop', but prefer working with a number of different consultancies that have real knowledge and experience in their professional area of expertise.




Do clients understand the value of PR, or are they primarily concerned with getting the cheapest rates?
: Both. However, the bigger corporations are willing to pay premium rates for superb service provided the latter is delivered.

: I think clients do understand the value. Our clients tell us that they buy our services because of our hands-on experience of crisis and issues management.




Do PR agencies rely too much on press releases and press conferences?
: For the most part this seems to be the norm. But Buchanan Middle East goes beyond these elementary services, surpassing them to the higher plateau of corporate governance, corporate social responsibility, investor relations, training and others.

: There is a tendency to solely focus on media relations in the Middle East, rather than building positive relations with a wider range of stakeholders, such as local communities, employees and customers.




Are lazy 'cut and paste' journalists preventing the development of PR skills in the region?
: One cannot simply single out a problem area and blame it for the current PR status quo. I believe the challenge is three-fold: lack of full client understanding of the role and merits of PR; lack of sufficient resources at agencies; lack of industry-specific journalists.

: I feel the main issue that prevents the development of skills in the region is that public relations focuses almost wholly on media relations, rather than other public relations disciplines, such as internal communications, public affairs, investor relations, electronic communications, community relations and crisis and issues management.




Give us your definition of 'public relations' in less than 50 words.
: PR is the art of managing an entity's image through a series of exercises designed to communicate the merits of the entity to beneficiaries (investors, clients, etc.).

: Public relations is a discipline that protects and enhances an organisation's reputation through building positive relations between the organisation and its different stakeholders.




Describe the position that you hope your business will have reached in two years' time?
: I envisage Buchanan to be the premium agency in the Middle East in the next two to three years. We will achieve this by heavily depending on local understanding in our respective markets, with a wealth of international expertise.

: In two years' time, we hope to be working with a broad range of clients across the Middle East from a variety of industry sectors on both crisis and issues management projects. We would like to replicate the success we have had in the UK and to establish a strong reputation for excellence and integrity.

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