"This is not PR in Arabia, it is free advertising flavored with coincidental publicity".
This is the one statement I always use to describe this practice in our part of the world. It is quiet interesting to see a non Arab who have never lived in Arabia, or known an Arab except through the Hollywood propaganda, practicing PR proudly and with attitude in our markets. As I know, PR is the art to communicate via channels that advertising cannot reach or utilize. As I know, PR is an art of communication that can only serve the objective if found in a certain environment that accommodates a democratic practice, fair competition and the knowledge of how to loose a battle and the science of winning it.
We all know that PR helps other communication vehicles to reach areas that are not passable, in the west its the minds, in Arabia, ITS THE HEART. Arabia has had its glory days when both heart and mind were vibrant and active, but not anymore. As the physicians say, the brain is another muscle, if you do not train it, it will become dull and less efficient. Well, this is the case nowadays with our EMRGING PEOPLE IN EMERGING MARKETS. Our minds are at rest, yet our hearts are still pumping. So the question is, if I want to practice PR, isn't it a requirement that I know the WAY to the hearts of Arabians?
My answer is a definite yes but this is not enough. Having a clear knowledge of this WAY, mastering it and possessing the ability to become the controller makes you a successful PR practitioner. Having said that, I would challenge any PR guru coming from the East or West to explain how he/she is planning to reach the hearts of Arabs when not knowing what makes these hearts, happy, sad, satisfied, frustrated, relieved, depressed... Didn't we all agree that what makes a person happy in the US might not even mean a thing to someone in Japan? Why are we taking Arabians for granted? Why does an English PR practitioner thinks that his PR approach reflected by his UK experience works well on the targeted audience in the Gulf and sometimes the whole middle east?? Does a western PR practitioner think that we lost our emotional identity in addition to our intelligence identity? What have inspired the Singaporean PR practitioner to make him/her apply for a PR senior job in our region with no clue of how we live, eat, drink, buy, sell, love, hate, marry, divorce, talk, speak, listen, hear... Isn't PR all about insights? Didn't these practitioners rely on their own local insights to be able to set proper and efficient PR strategies and approaches in their markets?
It is quiet shocking when you see a PR practitioner who have lived in our region for 10 years and he/she still eats in public places during the month of Ramadan because they didn't know/forgot/ignored that it's not something welcome by the people fasting. How do I accept/expect this senior PR practitioner to have the qualifications needed to put a PR approach that will make me change my behavior, follow a new trend or enhance my company’s deteriorated image?
The PR industry in Arabia is not of Arabic characteristics or genes, it is like everything else, imported. Shall we continue to use this product that has proved it's impotency? This is what I will talk about in the coming chapter trying to draw a road map for a new creation of a PR industry (made in Arabia).
Have a good day,
Hameed Halwani
This is the one statement I always use to describe this practice in our part of the world. It is quiet interesting to see a non Arab who have never lived in Arabia, or known an Arab except through the Hollywood propaganda, practicing PR proudly and with attitude in our markets. As I know, PR is the art to communicate via channels that advertising cannot reach or utilize. As I know, PR is an art of communication that can only serve the objective if found in a certain environment that accommodates a democratic practice, fair competition and the knowledge of how to loose a battle and the science of winning it.
We all know that PR helps other communication vehicles to reach areas that are not passable, in the west its the minds, in Arabia, ITS THE HEART. Arabia has had its glory days when both heart and mind were vibrant and active, but not anymore. As the physicians say, the brain is another muscle, if you do not train it, it will become dull and less efficient. Well, this is the case nowadays with our EMRGING PEOPLE IN EMERGING MARKETS. Our minds are at rest, yet our hearts are still pumping. So the question is, if I want to practice PR, isn't it a requirement that I know the WAY to the hearts of Arabians?
My answer is a definite yes but this is not enough. Having a clear knowledge of this WAY, mastering it and possessing the ability to become the controller makes you a successful PR practitioner. Having said that, I would challenge any PR guru coming from the East or West to explain how he/she is planning to reach the hearts of Arabs when not knowing what makes these hearts, happy, sad, satisfied, frustrated, relieved, depressed... Didn't we all agree that what makes a person happy in the US might not even mean a thing to someone in Japan? Why are we taking Arabians for granted? Why does an English PR practitioner thinks that his PR approach reflected by his UK experience works well on the targeted audience in the Gulf and sometimes the whole middle east?? Does a western PR practitioner think that we lost our emotional identity in addition to our intelligence identity? What have inspired the Singaporean PR practitioner to make him/her apply for a PR senior job in our region with no clue of how we live, eat, drink, buy, sell, love, hate, marry, divorce, talk, speak, listen, hear... Isn't PR all about insights? Didn't these practitioners rely on their own local insights to be able to set proper and efficient PR strategies and approaches in their markets?
It is quiet shocking when you see a PR practitioner who have lived in our region for 10 years and he/she still eats in public places during the month of Ramadan because they didn't know/forgot/ignored that it's not something welcome by the people fasting. How do I accept/expect this senior PR practitioner to have the qualifications needed to put a PR approach that will make me change my behavior, follow a new trend or enhance my company’s deteriorated image?
The PR industry in Arabia is not of Arabic characteristics or genes, it is like everything else, imported. Shall we continue to use this product that has proved it's impotency? This is what I will talk about in the coming chapter trying to draw a road map for a new creation of a PR industry (made in Arabia).
Have a good day,
Hameed Halwani
1 comment:
Well written article.
Post a Comment