Fleishman alliance boosts Tell-Em service muscle

Gigi Mulira, country manager for Tell-Em Public Relations Uganda said the affiliation with the US-based firm, is bolstering the firm's competence to serve global clients on the continent.

"We are part of a very strong global PR network and most importantly we can now offer clients a truly pan-African network which is increasingly important for global brands," Mulira said in an interview on Tuesday, 7 December 2010.

Increasing strategic alliances

She was reacting to questions about Tell-Em's strategy in the face of increasing strategic alliances from competitors in East Africa. The firm has serviced some of the world's largest companies including; Coca-Cola, Nokia, Visa, Toyota, MTV, Intel, British Airways and East African Breweries Limited.

Tell-Em and Fleishman teamed up in 2008, to achieve operational scale and improve their level of services in Africa. Tell-Em which is headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya also has operations in Uganda and Tanzania.

Fleishman has offices in 80 countries globally including Johannesburg and Cape Town in South Africa, and associate offices in Egypt, Kenya and Nigeria. Fleishman also works with local agencies in Mozambique, DRC, Botswana, Zambia and Angola.

Tell-Em's expansion strategy has seen other East African companies including; Morigan Ogilvy, Scanad Group and Fireworks Advertising, widen their continental footprint through new affiliations and share swaps.

Fireworks, Aracy Communications affiliation

The most recent affiliation has been between; Fireworks Advertising in Uganda, and South Africa-based Arcay Communications Africa. The affiliation gave the Kampala-based agency a footprint that covers 50 African markets, according to Caleb Owino, MD of Fireworks Advertising.

Prior to their tie, Ogilvy & Mather Worldwide and Scangroup Limited in Kenya, joined hands to create a pan-Africa joint venture via a share swap transaction. The move was aimed at strengthen their business and growth in sub-Saharan Africa.

Mulira said the affiliation has given Tell-Em worldwide resources in terms of using the Fleishman network for assistance and media training, online communication, and strategic support in niche sectors.

Image boosted abroad

She added that the relationship has also boosted Tell-Em's image among international clients. "I think potential clients will have extra peace of mind that they are dealing with a local agency that is part of a strong global network, with high global standards," she said.

This year, Tell-Em won its seventh award from the Public Relations Society of Kenya, (PRSK). It's most recent award is Best Event and Best PR Campaign which it received at the 2010 PRSK Awards in Nairobi.