In this chat, Founder/CEO, Skot Communications, Tokunbo George-Taylor, speaks with AKIN ADEWAKUN on her company’s acquisition of Hill+Knowlton Nigeria, its implications for the nation’s marketing communications industry, while predicting the shape Public Relations (PR) practice may likely take in the new year. Excerpts:
WHY we signed strategic asset and business transfer agreement with Hill+Knowlton( H& K) Nigeria.
Hill+Knowlton, a Public Relations agency, had been around in Nigeria for some time. They looked at the market dynamics, and wanted to concentrate more on some other regions. I, as the pioneer Managing Director of the agency for nine years, wanted more. I wanted to start my own business. So, it was an opportunity for me to acquire and start my own PR agency when the strategic asset and business deal came up; an opportunity for me to expand. Interestingly, some of the things you are seeing now, such as the logo, were created years ago in anticipation of this day.
The significance of the deal
For me, it’s a dream come true. Besides, it’s a beautiful transaction because it’s a business and asset transaction, which means that all their clients, all their employees, are transferred to our new outfit, Skot Communications. So, we are not losing anything from the transaction, and they too are losing nothing. We are not starting from ground zero, and the good news is that none of the members of staff resigned, and none of them will be affected by the new arrangement. It’s a very virile, hardworking and potent workforce, and they were all with me during the H&K days. Besides, none of the clients left, they are all happy to transfer their contracts to Skot Communications because of the trust they have in the team. So, it’s a very interesting journey, and we believe we are building on an existing legacy and expanding on it.
Nigeria’s Marketing Communication industry and Skot Communications
We want to be positioned as the voice, the reason being that voice is that one thing that every human being has. It is such a powerful thing for any individual or group. If there is no voice, everywhere will be silent. But with a voice, we believe anything is possible. So what we are here to do is to define your voice and define your messages. It is about connecting you with your audience, using your voice, and in that voice, your strategy, your messaging, and your connection with those people will come out. It’s a new start for us, but the good thing is that we have the experience. We know the landscape, even globally, because we have never operated as a local company. Though we are in Nigeria, we do West Africa as well, and we have a lot of clients there.
No factors really. The agency still exists in other African markets, South Africa and others. It only looked at the market dynamics in Nigeria, and felt it should focus more on some of these other countries for the long-term, in tune with its business operations. Fortunately, a willing buyer was also available. Remember, some of these clients are not only in Nigeria, but across sub-Sahara Africa. So they also had to be careful that whoever was buying would be able to guarantee some form of continuity for these clients. That was why the clients were very comfortable when we decided to buy out the company because they knew they would be dealing with somebody that knows the business. There had been that existing trust in the leadership and the capacity of the leadership. So there was that comfort and trust in that continuity of their business. But I believe there is still that existence of H & K through Skot Communications, in Nigeria. There is also an informal agreement that any business that comes to H&K that has Nigerian needs will be brought to us.
PR in Nigeria then and now
When Public Relations started here, it wasn’t as strong as Advertising. If you asked the average Nigerian then, they would tell you it’s all about putting adverts in the paper. People never understood what the practice was all about. But, over the years, the practice has evolved. PR professionals have found their niche, and they are doing the job excellently well.
What I see now is businesses. No matter how small, they are beginning to appreciate PR whether it’s advocacy, listing a product, profiling your brand, or executive profiling. People are now seeing that PR is extremely important to their business. Before, it used to be the multinationals that leveraged the opportunities provided by PR to enhance their businesses. But, today, we see a lot of Nigerian companies, knocking at the door saying ‘We want PR’. So I think the space has opened up, even government has seen what having a good PR strategy is capable of achieving.
PR Outlook in 2024
We are going to probably see more use of local PR professionals by public and private sector, especially from the public sector. The new regime, at the centre, is likely to engage more local PR professionals to tell their stories. For businesses this year, what is going to happen is that individual executives, desirous of enhancing their careers may also court the profession in the new year. So I think the PR business is really going to transform. Before, people did not see value. But now they can clearly see the value that it offers.
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