Public relations – the JZ way

Understandably and justifiably so, PR practitioners shy away from controversial organisations or brands to protect their own reputations and as good standing ambassadors of their craft. The poor perception of PR or communications in many corporate organisations as a soft function or cousin to marketing is not doing the profession any good, either.

I recall about more than two years ago when I took the plunge and joined the Dr Rath Health Foundation as spokesperson to prove a point that as PR practitioners, regardless of the brand you represent, you can still tell an interesting story and let the readers make their own conclusion.

Media critical in achieving objectives

It was my belief that in order for the little known Foundation to attain its organisational goals in South Africa, the media was critical in achieving these objectives. But in taking a leaf out of Jacob Zuma's (JZ) book, it seems you can do without them (journalists and their editors), defying the hackneyed cliché – “the media can make you or break you”.

The Sunday Times tried on numerous occasions to vilify JZ, calling him all sorts of names, but instead of losing popularity, it increased by the day. The SABC, with access to more than 26 million South Africans did a splendid work promoting JZ's former archrival, Thabo Mbeki. But the delegates in Polokwane stuck with their man until the end.

While attending an ANC Youth League barbecue somewhere in Cape Town, I was presented with a 100% Zuma t-shirt as a gift. To test the waters and gauge public perception of the man who may become the country's president come 2009, on one Sunday afternoon, I wore the dreaded t-shirt and mixed and mingled with party revellers at the famous Umzoli's Burchery in Gugs.

Depending on your source of information that informs your opinion of the man, the reactions were at worst vitriolic, at best full of praise. I don't think anyone in this country has the ability to invoke so much passion from people of all walks of life.

Literally half the revellers, at least those who hadn't had enough to drink, were spurred into passionate debates about the economy and how will this suffer under his rule. His morals were questioned and polygamous lifestyle scorned upon.

Equally passionate

Equally passionate were the other lot in the crowd, arguing about how the poor and the working class will benefit if JZ takes over. But as they say the proof of the pudding is in the tasting – we shall wait and see.

What I found amazing, though, was the passion and zeal with which these two positions were advanced. It was reported some ANC diehards were not even on speaking terms until Polokwane decided who the winner was.

The question is: what lessons can communication practitioners draw from this episode in the ANC soap opera? Do we need to employ the same communication strategies or techniques to market our brands, CEOs and products? What can we learn from Zuma's media and marketing strategists?

I believe this case study alone is a minefield for researchers. I don't think we've even scratched the surface in digging up what I predict would transform the communications industry inside out, if not upside down. And the fact that some peasant from the dirt roads of eNkandla could be such an attractive brand defies everything I have studied about the craft of communications.

Another interesting dynamic in this Zuma saga is the role of perception in the sphere of public opinion and how communication professionals can leverage off it to produce brilliant communication programmes and campaigns. Communication practitioners work with perceptions. They use perception measurement tools to gauge the mood and trends of their targeted audiences.

Fingers on nation's pulse

In this particular case, the strategists behind JZ's campaign must have put their fingers accurately on the pulse of the nation and devised their strategies accordingly. Government and those who campaigned for President Mbeki went against the tide while Zuma was riding the crest unstoppably. Mbeki in his own admission said he relied heavily on his National Executive Committee (NEC) members disregarding the rising anti-Mbeki sentiment doing the rounds at the branches.

This is the folly for many in our profession. Without properly studying the trends in the market, they rely on horrendously expensive consultants to produce boring campaigns that do not resonate with the market. For any brand or product to sell, it must in one way or another connect emotively with its target audience.

Coming back to the issue of Zuma, quite frankly, I don't think he will be any better than Mbeki, if not worse. But in a country where abject poverty, lawlessness, disease rule supreme and a government perceived to be uncaring, elitist – Zuma's image of “I am one of you, I'm willing to listen” seems to have found fertile ground and is working in his favour.

Others argue that his simple lifestyle and a sense of fallibility as evidenced by his many mistakes (alleged rape, reckless utterances about HIV/AIDS, friendship with Shabir Shaik) make him human after all. Ironically, this strikes a chord with ordinary men in the street.

I challenge any communicator or marketer to think outside the box, and I bet my last penny, we can draw a few lessons from the JZ camp.