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Chinese Whispers

Ever play chinese whispers when you were a child? You whisper one thing into someone’s ear and they hear it as something else and transfer it on to the next person. It was fun then, but now that we’re all grown up, most of us have seen for ourselves what the wrong piece of information can do in the business world.

A rumor is like a virus; it spreads as fast and can be as devastating. It happens to celebrities every day, especially in the tabloids. It can greatly affect popularity when someone’s favorite celeb is depicted negatively, even if it later turns out to be untrue.

On a larger scale, a simple rumor can put the reputation of a company at stake. In 1994 an email was circulated which stated that an executive at Procter & Gamble appeared on TV and said that he was a Satanist, and that the profit from the company went to Satanism! After the company’s image had been distorted in the eyes of the public, it turned out that the rumor was false and that no executive had been on TV at all.

So why is it that people take whatever they hear for granted as truth, without double checking the facts? The answer is easy, it just requires less mental and physical energy. Psychological studies have suggested that people choose to believe what they hear, not because they are gullible, but because it’s easier and doesn’t require much energy. It’s easier to believe something because everyone’s saying it rather than going through the hassle of researching it to make sure it’s fact and not fiction. So the question here is what would prevent the actual rumor from spreading like the plague?

In PR we handle the problem as soon as it starts, and even prepare for it beforehand, because speed is the name of the game. Involving online media as much as possible is essential and this includes posting videos on YouTube and comments on blogs. Being transparent with traditional media, maintaining good relationships with them and giving them a firsthand look in on events is a reliable way to help discredit rumors at an early stage - before they do damage that sometimes cannot be undone.

Have You Made the Switch?

With the help of PWS Cairo, Philips launched the Green Switch campaign to raise awareness about the benefits of switching from inefficient to energy efficient lighting solutions. The switch is simple, whether at home or at work, using energy efficient light bulbs can help save energy and is more responsible towards the environment.
With today’s environmental concerns it’s vital to work towards improvement. One of the main reasons to make the switch is because it reduces carbon emissions; if the world were to switch from older to newer lighting technologies it would save 630 million tons of carbon annually.
One of the main aims of the campaign is to speed up the switch rate, which is currently too slow. At the current rate it will take 30 years to start benefiting from today’s energy savings.

Currently about 2/3 of all lighting around the world is energy inefficient and is based on technologies from 1970. Now that newer technology is available it can provide up to 80% in energy savings.

Why all the stress on lighting? Out of all the electricity generated worldwide, 19% is used for lighting, which means if we’re looking to save energy it’s important to take lighting into perspective as a key component, since it makes up almost 1/5 of all electricity usage.

Raising awareness about the reasons for the switch is the first step in turning its benefits into a reality. For more info visit: http://www.asimpleswitch.com/global

Crisis Management

A crisis is an act that can occur anytime, simply because they are – mostly – completely beyond the control of the people they affect. While the ability to control the appearance of a crisis isn’t possible, the ability to handle it correctly is, which is where the role of PR comes to the fore and becomes crucial in creating a positive (or at least less negative) outcome.

It is also possible to prepare for crises by having set out beforehand potential risks, and methods with which to handle these risks in case they arise as crises. Despite the best-laid out plans however, the unexpected can always develop, and so flexibility and adaptability are key in preparing for a crisis.

Crises are different from other problems that companies may face because a crisis by its very nature is an unpredictable, dramatic situation that can pose a serious threat to the company and its performance. Crises by their very nature are often very attractive to the media, and media coverage of a crisis often exacerbates the situation, which means that companies usually only have a very small timeframe in which they can respond to a crisis before it spirals out of control. It is this combination of unpredictability, spectacle and timeframe that makes a crisis so unique.

Different things that can be categorized as a crisis include rumors that threaten the image or even the existence of a company, deception or misconduct on the part of the company which when discovered leads to a crisis and even unexpected changes in the environment in which the company operates.

Natural disasters, for example an earthquake, can destroy a real estate company’s properties; while the trial of a company’s CEO can wreck an entire company’s stock market performance. How a company reacts to these situations can have drastic, long-term effects, and can many times be the pivot on which the company’s very existence balances.

One of the key elements when dealing with a crisis is to act quickly. Time is short when it comes to such situations and the longer it takes for a response the worse the situation becomes. It’s also very important to communicate honestly about the reality of the situation. Trying to hide the facts will simply result in the crisis becoming worse, so companies should always be truthful – in worst case scenarios, rumors and untruths escalate and feed off themselves until they reach a stage where it is simply impossible to rescue any sort of positive outcome, and PR is relegated to damage control.

A quick and honest response helps establish and maintain trust with the public, and when communicating during a crisis the perceptions and opinions of the public should be taken into account. After overcoming a crisis, it’s always important to take measures to avoid a similar situation from occurring again.

The credibility of an organization is to a large extent dependent on the public’s perception of how they acted during a crisis. No company wants to lose all it has worked for as a result of a crisis that was mishandled; this is why professional and strategic crisis management methods should be used whenever a crisis occurs and more importantly, before it happens.

Cultivating a Sound Reputation Online

Corporate success is highly dependent on the company’s image, which is substantially contributed to by a good reputation. With the dominance of the internet, online reputation management is vital in maintaining a desirable image.

While the terms reputation management and crisis management are at times used interchangeably, there is a key difference between the two concepts. “Crisis” management refers to an actual event that takes place which leads to a crisis that needs to be managed. On the other hand “reputation” management does not emerge out of a single event, instead it is an accumulation of the company’s actions and the publics perspectives that come together to form its reputation, which is managed on a daily basis not only when a crisis arises.

After differentiating between these two concepts, it begins to make sense how crucial the internet is in terms of reputation management. It’s a convenient place to make an opinion or experience heard, and what better place to go than one that allows access to people all over the world instantly. So if there is a need for venting about a negative experience with a company or the need to voice the effectiveness of a certain product, most likely people will turn to the internet.

Of course voicing positive opinions that encourage further dealings with a certain company are what corporations want, but what can be done about the negative comments making their way around the world? The answer is reputation management.

Online reputation management can identify negative publicity on the internet and minimize the impact; this can be done for example by correcting misconceptions or responding to complaints that have been made. But online presence is key to success; no corporation worth its salt can afford to be absent from the internet now, and every business wants a positive image projected. This can only be achieved through increasing positive and relevant exposure.

In dealing with the public and maintaining a respectable image, corporations need to be willing to pursuit honest forms of communication; silence has never been the answer to queries or accusations, nor will it ever be.

The role of online reputation management is to provide companies with an opportunity to increase their ability to communicate with their publics and to be heard. Corporations that do not take into perspective the power of online communication can face undesirable consequences.

A recent case where this happened is the example of Neal’s Yard Remedies, a company that was given the opportunity to communicate openly with the public. The Guardian Ethical Living Blog runs a series called “You ask, they answer” where they shed light on a specific corporation allowing readers to post questions or comments. The corporation then willingly participates by answering to these posts. In the case of Neal’s Yard, the questions ranged from the use of organic products to validating the medical efficiency of some the company’s homeopathy products.

Neal’s Yard Remedies did not respond to more than two hundred questions put forth by the public. They decided not to participate in the debate after having previously assured the Guardian that they would. The company’s silence has inevitably brought about a negative image that has had dire consequences, and may have lead to the recall of one of its long standing products.

A company’s reputation takes time and effort to develop, but it can be destroyed in the blink of an eye. Being unable to monitor, participate or manage daily activities that to a large extent take place online can have long lasting consequences if not planned for and dealt with strategically.

PR – What can it do for me?

In Egypt, PR is often confused with other fields such as advertising and marketing, but it’s important to remember that true success in today’s world is all about positively influencing opinions.

Advocates (a person who holds a positive opinion) of a business, product or brand are the key influencers in today’s global business climate, and despite liking to believe that they make their own decisions, people are more likely to be influenced by opinion leaders, word-of-mouth or simply friends whose opinions they trust.

The world of communication has changed drastically, and now the internet is where everyone goes for information. Whether they want to travel, just go out for dinner or buy a new car, they can find other people’s reviews, opinions and suggestions instantly. This information ultimately contributes to the choices and purchases that they make. As much as companies want to believe that one unsatisfied customer or one unhappy employee won’t have much of an impact, they are sorely mistaken. Every move makes a difference.

Advocates waste no time in making themselves heard and the means to do this have never been easier. The louder, stronger voice is the one that gets heard. Despite the fact that this is more evident elsewhere, in Egypt people are beginning to take stronger stances on key issues, such as the environment, social causes and government decisions.

The fact that people in Egypt tend to underestimate the power of communication is why many people don’t have a correct understanding of what PR is, and what it can do. While it took years to grasp the importance of advertising and get on board, now companies are slowly beginning to understand that PR can push them forward, whilst other variables might be slowing them down.

PR helps organizations interact with a variety of groups. Some of those are easily recognized simply as the media and consumers. But it is not that simple, there is also the government, the community, and investors to think about. PR specialist’s work with a company’s many different stakeholders to produce effective outcomes for their clients.

People are surrounded by the work of PR on a daily basis, they just don’t realize it. An article in a paper about the launch of a new line of products - that’s no ordinary article. Hearing about how a company managed a crisis and was able to overcome it, watching a press conference on TV, or browsing through a brochure - all of these things we take for granted in our daily lives, and much more, boil down to the work of PR.

So why is the field gaining momentum in Egypt now? The answer is simple. There is an increasing need for effective communication. With more multi-national companies in the country who are already applying the work of PR in dealing with their publics, it’s no surprise that they are careful to use these same activities whilst operating in Egypt. While such companies have appreciated the contributions of PR to their success for years, Egyptian companies are just beginning to grasp its very essence.

PR specialists give their clients strategic support through PR tools such as corporate positioning and message development, crisis management and media training. It helps them with public affairs, through strategic government relations, issues monitoring and stakeholder mapping. In addition, it assists them in managing events, CSR, and media relations - these are just a few of the services that a good PR company can provide.

The outlook for PR is promising. The field is continuing to grow steadily and is gaining popularity, and although Egypt has yet to witness the power of PR on a fully-fledged scale, it is definitely on its way there.

The Good Book of Badvocacy

Read The Good Book of Badvocacy

Advocacy: Creating a legion of fans and believers

The days when customers had no choice but to believe what companies claimed about their products are well and truly gone.

Consumers now have access to more information and are more educated and aware than ever before. Opinions are not just shaped by the media and institutions anymore as we increasingly turn to each other for news and information.

Individuals are fully exploiting their new found power and their ability to influence company behaviour – so much so that companies are now actively seeking consumer input in the early development stages of their products and services. The power to influence individually or in groups is called Advocacy, and it has emerged as the most trusted source of information and communication today.

Taking consumers in the UAE who have traditionally voiced their opinions through letters to print media as an example, it has become clear that this trend has now shifted online. Facebook, the most popular international social networking platform in the Middle East with close to 1.2 million users in the GCC, is not only being used to connect with friends but as a tool for users to drive awareness for causes and push for change. This was recently witnessed with both Atlantis and Emirates Airline, where Facebook groups were formed to apply pressure in an effort to alter company behavior.

As internet use continues to grow at a phenomenal rate in Egypt and the region, there is no denying that the popularity of online communication is on the rise, with digital tools such as Twitter and blogging taking the centre stage. The internet will play an increasingly important role in the future success of brands because over 50% of the population in the Middle East is under the age of 24 and they are spending most of their time online.

There was no better case study about how to capitalize on new media technologies then watching Barack Obama use the new media environment on his road to the White House. Obama harnessed the power of the Internet to give millions of Americans a sense of involvement in his campaign. His online strategy revolutionized the use of the Web as a political tool and as of November 2008, Obama had 1.5 million friends on Facebook and MySpace (vs. 203,343 for John McCain). Guess who became President?

As corporate regulations tighten, companies in the Middle East will need to learn to relinquish control and become more transparent by opening their doors and learning to have a dialogue with their target audience.

These companies have often relied too heavily on press releases, events (and even just advertising) to get their messages out, but as the market becomes more competitive and Advocacy catches on in the Arab world, it will become clear that businesses need to listen to their customers and embrace the online world to build a legion of believers, supporters, allies and fans to take their brand, products and services to the next level.

To learn how to harness the power of Advocacy for the benefit of your business contact us.

Taking Green Digital

Weber Shandwick's Brendan May and James Warren on how to utilise social media to communicate sustainability messages.

Introducing PWS

Promoseven Weber Shandwick (PWS) is the local bureau of Weber Shandwick, the world’s leading public relations firm.

We are Egypt’s largest public relations firm and serve local, regional and international clients including corporations, governments, NGOs and institutions. We offer full service public relations strategy, reputation management, support and counsel.

Promoseven Weber Shandwick’s mission is to build, strengthen and leverage the reputation capital of our clients through positive public relations and effective communications strategies.

As Egypt’s only multi-disciplinary firm we are organized by practice groups, specialty teams and industry sector experts. This maximizes flexibility and leverages local knowledge, regional support and global strength. Our team consists of communication’s professionals delivering strategic counsel, coupled with local knowledge and global expertise.