Public relations (PR) agencies are often touted as essential partners in shaping a brand’s image, but are they truly delivering value to clients?
To find out, Campaign Middle East spoke to client-side spokespeople and Dubai-based PR agency PRHub to weigh both opinions on the topic.
The discussion below explores the effectiveness of PR agencies, weighing their contributions against costs, and examines whether they remain a crucial asset in today’s fast-paced, digital-driven marketing landscape.
“To effectively serve clients, PR agencies in this region must strike a balance between global vision and local expertise,” said Daniil Dymshits, the CEO of PRHub.
“By positioning themselves as global players capable of crafting award-winning campaigns, agencies can demonstrate their ability to compete internationally,” Dymshits explained.
From a brand’s perspective, this sentiment is agreed upon by communications leadership that works with PR agencies.
The value of PR to brands
“Collaborating with an outsourced PR agency allows for more efficient and effective results than relying solely on an in-house team,” said Yana Kuznetsova, Marketing Manager at Syrve MENA, a technology provider for hospitality enterprises in the region.
Kuznetsova also listed the expectations Syrve MENA looks for when assessing the value of collaborating with an agency.
“When working with a PR agency, you expect them to leverage their experience to deliver strategic media placements and maintain consistent, impactful brand messaging,” she said.
“Additionally, they organise interviews with our top management, such as our CEO’s recent appearances on business TV channels and podcasts. This strategic approach increases our visibility and credibility in the market,” Kuznetsova added.
Is collaborating with agencies really worth it?
Andrew Baturin, Chief Marketing Officer at Tumodo, weighs the reasons between keeping PR work in-house against outsourcing the responsibility to a third-party agency.
“Both options have their pros and cons,” Baturin said.
“The main advantage of having an in-house specialist is greater control and deeper immersion, but you’ll need to invest a lot of time in training and familiarising them with your company’s specifics.
On the other hand, an agency provides access to a larger contact base and the ability to achieve the desired results quickly. If the agency has a lot of proven successful cases and a well-developed network of journalists, then this option might be the most optimal for your company,” Baturin explained.
Different approaches, refined expertise
Baturin also emphasised the need for PR agencies for businesses to operate within a certain consumer market.
“PR is a crucial tool for companies operating in the B2B segment since the customer acquisition and contract signing cycle is much longer than B2C,” he said. “Therefore, it’s important to establish effective communication, including enhancing your company’s expertise in its market.”
“PR offers this opportunity and handles the task well. As a business travel company, PR also helps us find new corporate clients, thanks to Tumodo’s strong media presence in the MENA region and our positioning as an expert in the industry,” Baturin said.
To sum it all up, Dymshits explained, “PR executives typically offer a broader perspective and a wealth of experience that in-house teams may not possess.”
“By working with diverse clients across various industries, agencies deeply understand different target audiences, market trends, and competitive landscapes.
This exposure enables them to develop creative and innovative PR strategies that are often difficult for in-house teams to replicate, as they are typically focused on a single brand and industry,” he said.
