PR experts express high expectations for next year
By Oghale Mafuru
As the year gradually winds down, experts in the Public Relations sub-sector of the Integrated Marketing Communications Industry, IMC have expressed optimism for next year. According to them, these high expectations are attendant upon the milestones the profession attained in the out-going year.
Speaking to MARKETING EDGE, Akonte Ekine, Lead Strategist of Absolute PR Limited and Co-founder of Consumer Value Broadcasting disclosed that the PR profession witnessed an upward swing with more organisations and brands leveraging the unique expertise of professionals for effective communication.
“The industry in general is on an upward curve they has been an increase of activities. The tempo is high. You see, there is a high embrace on the part of corporate bodies adapting and using PR as a tool for communication. The entire landscape has changed. In those days you saw through the line, below the line and above the line. Now there is almost no line at all”.
Commenting on the institutionalisation of the Code of Conduct and its impact on repositioning the sector, Mr. Ekine affirms that in the outgoing year, the professional body saddled with the responsibility of ensuring the adherence to ethical standards, successfully instituted the necessary guidelines which have seen impressive compliance.
He said: “The first thing we also want to look at is the code of conduct that was mentioned in the early part of the year. So that code of conduct is one big thing that is happening in the industry and more people are joining the body by way of registering their firm to be part of PRCAN.
The Absolute PR boss disclosed that there was an increase in international partnerships for PR firms in the country, which further gives credence to its growth. He submitted that 2023 will be a consolidation of these strides as the general election is expected to force brands to engage PR professionals for impactful and result- oriented engagement with consumers.
“In general there is a positive note to the development of the practice in the country as international companies are coming for partnerships.
“I am not a prophet but the only thing I can say is that there are hopes that with the political campaigns that are on, by February trends will be higher. The noise level will increase and when that increases, it will put brands under pressure to try also to look for how to adequately be out there. So I believe we are going to start next year on a very good note as brand will have to think out of the box”.
For Inogbo Obinna, Principal PR Executive of Worktainment Limited, although the year 2022 witnessed an impressive growth, the menace of unregistered and unqualified professionals still plagues the sector.
“There are still people practicing PR and non-PR agency companies, even at high levels, without being NIPR members. This is illegal in Nigeria and these people should join the institute to be seen as credible. The health and reputation of brands are generally good because of the PR agencies and corporate communications departments in charge” he said.
“Many personalities don’t see the need to hire PR professionals to manage them, perhaps because of the financial cost involved. In the entertainment industry, ill-qualified managers abound, trying to manage celebrities, resulting in careers that don’t reach their full potential. In the C-suite we see CEOs who don’t maximize their power as the company face difficulties resulting in dwindling revenue”, he added.
Commenting on the electioneering activities, the PR expert noted that professionals have not been effectively utilized for political campaigns management for the 2023 general elections.
“In an election year we still have a lawyer, journalists and professional politicians in charge of presidential campaigns when PR professionals should be handling this important task of selling presidential candidates to Nigerians. PR professionals have to find a way into federal politics to let these people who want the highest offices in the land know that they need us to manage their communications ” he stressed.
Generally, professionals are upbeat about the prospects of the sector in the in-coming year. They expect to see more growth and compliance to ethical standards in 2023.
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