A Public Relations expert and Chief Executive Officer, Black House Media (BHM), Mr. Adekunle Ayeni has called on businesses to see public relations practice as a strategic aspect of business and governance.
Ayeni, in his report, to mark the World Public Relations Day, held recently, globally, described as a huge disservice for businesses not to recognize PR ‘for what it is’, and its importance to such businesses.
According to the BMH’s boss, the practice has become invaluable in the art of building relationships, preventing crises, achieving business objectives and preventing the kind of confusion that could ruin a company or lead nations to war.
In addition, he argues that PR practice provides employment for many individuals around the world, adding that in the United Kingdom alone, about 100,000 have their bread buttered in the practice.
Ayeni believes that just like other professionals, practitioners also go through educational and regulatory processes before being certified to practice; hence the need to accord them the same recognition given to professionals in other fields.
Besides, the BHM’s boss also believes that the established rules and ethics guiding the practice of public relations, organisational codes of conduct, principles for evaluation, and consequences for quackery, remain some of the factors that provide sanity for brand-building efforts in the field.
“I was not admitted into the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations until I had studied and obtained a diploma; and the Public Relations Consultants Association would not admit our agency unless I was an NIPR member. Maintaining my industry credentials requires continuous professional development,” he stated.
Ayeni also raises concerns that despite the very vast range of markets, functions and industries PR covers, a sizeable number of people are either oblivious of the essence of the PR, or just take it a practice that only plays a publicity media relations role.
“Many do not trust the profession (nearly 70 per cent of the general public, according to one PR Week survey). And, of course, we have those who blame an entire industry for the activities of hacks.
“A similar PR Week survey of 1,500 people in Britain found that ‘‘Nine in ten (92 per cent) people polled claim PR is primarily used to deceive the public, while an identical proportion claim that PR professionals ‘bend the truth’. It’s the same everywhere, from South Africa to India and Belgium,” he stated.
The BHM’s chief executive, therefore, argues that with such misrepresentations of what the practice stands for, it may be difficult for the public, especially brands to leverage the practice for the best value.
“Imagine not understanding what doctors do, and the many ways they could help prevent illness, cure sickness, and literally save our lives? Not being able to use them for individual or collective advantage because we don’t understand what they do; how they work?
Ayeni believes the time has come for the practice to correct some of the misrepresentations and the ignorance around it, as the world desperately unite against poverty, global warming, crime, disease, racism, and everything else that seeks to bring humanity to its knees.
He, therefore, called on all stakeholders to take advantage of the first-ever celebration of World PR Day, held on July 16, this year, to take a simple pledge of building trust, and integrity, through honesty, responsibility and fairness in communities and organisations; since the world needs it badly.
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