MIDDLE EAST
PR WEEK
WHAT NEXT
Eyes on the prize
When it comes to PRing the region’s PR industry, MEPRA’s proposed awards could
represent a huge step forward
Sam Armstrong
AS TOUGHER times continue to demand budget-friendly Negative perceptions about the credibility of PR still exist;
PR director
communications strategies, PR is increasingly looking less like these need to be openly acknowledged and directly challenged.
advertising’s ugly cousin and more like its rich uncle. Channelling resources to generate positive PR for an agency’s
Think PR
There remain nagging doubts, however, as to the industry’s work is a valuable investment. It is the agencies’ responsibility
ability to promote its value and build its regional reputation. For to stand up and celebrate their results, as they would those of
a sector under the spotlight, more needs to be done to support their clients.
the talent it holds and highlight its ongoing successes. At the 2008
Media and Marketing Conference, to cite one pitiful example, a
show of hands revealed only two PR professionals in the room—a
disappointing turnout that could be perceived as a general
statement of apathy.
On a wider scale, the Middle East PR Association (MEPRA) is
making significant strides to raise professional standards across
the region; but ownership also needs to be taken on an individual
level, by companies and consultants, to foster progress in their
industry and actively promote the field they work in. MEPRA’s
mooted plans to launch regional PR awards later this year may
just kick start this process. It’s to be hoped that the organisation
sees this through.
Awards such as the Dubai Lynx and the MENA Cristals recognise
the best creative work in the Middle East, yet the regional PR
industry lags far behind in bestowing its own accolades. PR-
specific awards will allow regional work to be taken more
seriously—and will help develop the industry. In particular, Dubai
Lynx’s Young Creatives category demonstrates a commitment to
nurturing emerging talent, something PR sorely needs.
Regular and systematic recognition of great work would help to
engage PR consultants in the pursuit of award-winning campaigns,
creative strategies and more diverse tactics. Elsewhere across the
globe, PR celebrates its successes with a host of national and
regional awards and the environment of competitive spirit drives
higher standards of quality.
BEST EVER
Let the games begin
Layth Dajani, CEO of The Content Factory, talks us through his all-time favourite PR campaign
THE PR campaign for the launch of the Wii gaming cff the Wii gaming console laid down the framework and wildlan y pressing buttons. Instead,
for the rebirth of Nintendo, which—at the time—was a dying br——at the time—was a dying brand. The Wii concept yyoou would actually stand up, step up
in itself was revolutionary and the initial brinitial branding of the product was just perfect. and swing!an
The Wii truly changed the way we play games and opened nepplay games and opened new horizons for creativiteativity y And then there’s the name, of
in software development. ccoourse. Wii. Having created the
The PR campaign was buzz arbu ound this new way of playing
undoubtedly inspired by Apple’s games, the name jusga t made sense!
ideology of creating grassroots Wii! FW un, requiring movement and
support then transforming ccooordination. Some loved the name,
that support into a cult-like otherot s hated it, but everyone was
ambassadorship that recruits talking about it. It was ealking about it. It wwa ven on popular American
supporters and attacks naysayers cartoon series South PSouuth ark.
with equal dedication. The All of this took thook the che console’s pre-launch awareness
platform and battleground was and buzz oveer the tr the ttoop. But the Wii launch that fp ollowed
laid out online, often through the was planned and exececuted to perfection. No room for
blogosphere. negativity. No one g. No one got hurt in sgot tampedes at stores. And
The revolutionary thinking there was an ame was an amplplee suppl s y of Wiis for people looking to
began with the concept of the buy one. Everyone wone who rwh ead about the Wii launch read
controller and how that made about something pabout something prretetty positive: a cheap system, fun
Wii truly for everyone. Wii’s for the family, and—y, and—unlik—u e many other newly launched
promotion didn’t focus on high- consoles—es—yyoou wu weere e likli ely to actually be able to get your
quality graphics or amazing hands on one.
sound effects, but on the new There are many e many other foth acets to the campaign—not
playing style, and how much least the buzz creaeatteed by ‘Wii partiesd ’ among groups of all
more participatory it was than backgrounds, fromom playgr pl oups to old people’s homes—
other gaming consoles. Playing but the basics but the basics say enough. Nintsay eeno endo created a fantastic
tennis with your son was no PR campaign whicampaign which delivh d ered a clear, positive message,
longer about sitting on a couch and enabled the coompany tmp o bounce back from the brink.
26 / 25 JANUARY 2009
www.mediaweekme.com
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