Telling it like it is

What is Tell-Em hoping to gain from this affiliation?
We are now part of a very strong global PR network and most importantly, we can now offer clients a truly pan-African network as Fleishman have offices in South Africa and they have associate offices in West and North Africa.

I also think that there are concerns by new companies entering the East African market that they may not experience global standards in terms of client servicing, writing and planning. As a local agency, we have also demonstrated our value on the results we have achieved for our clients. Now that we have the Fleishman Hillard (FH) affiliation, I think potential clients will have greater peace of mind that they are dealing with a local agency that is part of a strong global network, with high global standards.

The association with FH will also mean our staff receives global training and key insights into PR focus areas such as presentations, strategic planning and positioning.

What will the affiliation mean for both companies?

The affiliation will give Tell-Em PR worldwide resources in terms of using the FH network for assistance in media training, online communication, and strategic support in niche areas such as healthcare, technology and new media. We will also be able to offer clients a seamless African network, which is increasingly important for global brands. By including us in the FH network, Fleishman will have representation in East Africa. Their clients who want to venture into the region will know that they can work with an East African agency that has global standards, matched with strong local knowledge and demonstrated results.

Will we now see Tell-Em handling clients in West and North Africa?

The affiliation will now mean for our clients that if they want to implement a campaign or project in West or North Africa, we can work with the local FH office in these areas – this means peace of mind for clients – we can assure them of the same standards of client service across the continent.

What does the affiliation mean for your current clients?

Our clients will now benefit from our agency being able to tap into a global agency – for example, if we need information on a business awards scheme we can email the FH network for any experience or case study in this area and we can then tailor that experience to fit the East African market. We can also draw on the expertise of global PR professionals in the areas of media training, public affairs, crisis communication and new media.

What do you have in store in the coming months?

We are planning to hold a seminar on new media and online communication- we want to lead the way in this very important area, we want to help educate our clients and ensure that our consultants and our clients understand the implications of new media and how best to use new media channels such as blogging, social networking etc.

How do you describe the PR industry in Kenya over the last 10 years?

The PR industry in Kenya has changed a great deal in the last few years. It has become more sophisticated, both clients and agencies are looking at new ways to target their key audiences. I also think that PR is Kenya is becoming much more about strategy and positioning – clients see that PR is so much more than event management. Clients are also understanding that PR can have a real impact on their business, positioning and bottom-line, so they are investing more into PR and expecting more in return. Strategic planning is now the focus rather than catering management for an event!

What are the challenges of the PR business in the region?

Budgets are always a challenge, there is an acceptance for firms to pay top dollar for advertising agencies – yet a well-defined strategic PR campaign can deliver the same results for a fraction of the cost of a major advertising campaign. Historically multinationals and global brands have tended to invest in PR in Kenya, however now more Kenyan companies are seeing the worth and value of a well-managed PR campaign, so certainly the client base is becoming a good mix of local and international companies.

We designed and managed the PR campaign for the AccessKenya IPO last year and the company did minimal advertising. We achieved 273 media hits including two front pages of the Business Daily (Kenya's only daily business paper). The total value of the media coverage was over US$150,000 in media space. Because of the very positive media coverage, the IPO was oversubscribed by 370%. PR also hugely boosted the general awareness of AccessKenya and it is now seen as the market leader, its customer numbers also exceeded the target for 2007, (the target was set at 1800 and the Group achieved a total of 1950).

Companies also want to work with PR agencies that have a strong reach across East Africa, not just Kenya. So it is very important that you can extend your agency across borders.

Many companies are expanding to other regions in Africa especially East Africa. What is this they are seeing?

Africa has been in the business and investment shadows for decades and it's only been in the last few years that international investors and companies are seeing the value and growth of African economies. There are many challenges for business in Africa, but I think East Africa has made real progress and certainly the growth figures for the region in 2007 show that there are major opportunities for business – especially in the ICT sector.

I think companies realise that as long as you evaluate the risks there are huge gains to be made here and certainly with more developed markets maturing and flattening out, the prospect of new and developing markets becomes more enticing. The mobile phone industry of a good example of this – Africa is the global leader in terms of growth in this sector, (the Communication Commission of Kenya recently reported that mobile phone usage grew by 107% in Kenya over the last two years).

I also think much more global media attention is paid to Africa now. Certainly, there is a huge amount of stories on aid, donor funding, NGOs etc, but companies operating in Africa, or sourcing supplies from Africa, are facing challenging questions from their consumers and stakeholders. Debates on fair trade, sustainable water projects, carbon emissions, air miles for agriculture and horticulture products and responsible tourism are all taking place with Africa as a key player.

It is critical that companies and brands operating in Africa have a strong position on how they are working and operating in Africa. I am very pleased that companies such as Diageo and The Coca-Cola Company take this position very seriously and have produced corporate citizenship reports, environmental policies that show how they are working and supporting business and communities across the continent.

In the next five years, Kenya's economy is expected to pass the double digit. Are we likely to see local communication and PR companies merging? Forming affiliations with international companies? What will be the trend?

I think all major sectors in the Kenyan economy will see much more interest from outside. The media has expanded, especially in broadcast, and certainly PR campaigns have to be more sophisticated and more targeted to ensure results. My feeling is that while there will be a greater spend on PR in Kenya over the next few years, clients will expect more sophisticated campaigns that use a range of media to convey messages. Clients will expect PR agencies to advise them on how they can use new technologies to interact with their stakeholders and communicate with their customers. They will also expect agencies to deliver communication campaigns that focus on key issues and agencies must have an understanding of their client's stakeholder base.

I do think local agencies in the region will be looking to merge or become part of a bigger network. Agencies in South Africa and the West, also know that they can't simply turn up in East Africa and open a business. Local knowledge, contacts and relationships are extremely important in this market so I think the smarter global agencies will be looking for mergers and affiliations rather than just turning up and hoping that a “one size” fits all campaign can work in this market – it won't be successful. East African clients are looking for East African experience. Clients are pleased if you have global experience and support but it must be matched by local experience.

I also think that some smaller agencies may miss out on business if a client feels that they cannot offer a certain scale of resources. There are some agencies saying that they offer a pan-African network, but if they have only two or three people in their offices in South, West, East and North Africa they cannot offer clients a well-resourced PR network for Africa.

What are the PR trends we can expect this year?

I think online communication is an area that PR firms can't ignore. The first phase of the internet was all about information – collecting, storing, and downloading information. Now the second phase of the internet is about communication. It's about giving the individual a voice and allowing their opinion to be heard. In fact, it true democracy at work and as PR professionals we need to ensure that we understand the impact of this new wave of communication for our clients – how does this impact and effect their brands, their reputation and their message?

I also think issues such as fair trade, environmental sustainability, and responsible tourism will be given a greater focus for the business sector here.

What next for Tell-Em PR?

We have acquired a very strong reputation for delivering excellent client service and real and measurable results so we want to ensure we maintain and strengthen this position and our affiliation with FH will help us achieve this goal.

We are expanding, the number of consultants with the agency is growing and we are thrilled that we attract the top talent in both media and PR. We want to show clients that we are a regional agency and can work across borders. We are planning to open a fully serviced office in Uganda this year. We have managed and implemented campaigns in Uganda, Tanzania and Ethiopia and we are soon to begin a project in Rwanda.

We also want our clients to know that campaigns should focus more exclusively on stakeholders and that a range of activities designed to address key stakeholders and their issues should be used in conjunction with mainstream media relations. PR is more than just a photo in the newspaper and event management.

We want to be seen as an innovative PR agency that is able to identify the key issues for our clients and work with them to develop a communication strategy that delivers impact and real results.

Elizabeth has fourteen years of PR experience. She has strong international experience having worked for one of the world's largest Public Relations firms, Hill and Knowlton in London and their associate office in Brisbane, Australia for five years from 1994 to 1999. Elizabeth has worked in a range of sectors including finance, insurance, brewing, consumer, entertainment, oil and energy, ICT, transport and the tourism industry. She has extensive experience in both corporate and brand PR and has won awards for several of her campaigns.