Why PR Is Upbeat

Public Relations people are basically optimistic, gifted with a positive outlook. When I ask my fellows about their prospects in our PR business, hardly any one says things are down, or will be worse.

In fact, in spite of numerous challenges in our business, they are hopeful. We are never deterred, let alone feel vanquished. If there is one thing that I have learned in this business, it is that the opportunities for doing better often outweigh the problems.

One explanation may be that PR, precisely is largely designed for creating new and better opportunities for business, helping solve and create strategies for growth, through building and enhancing positive relation ships with customers and other sectors. Even when sales are down, business will have need for creative strategies, which are increasingly the province of PR.

Instead of being downcast PR practitioners these days are hopeful, because they are busy. New fields are developing that offer fresh opportunities, including, for instance, medical tourism, and the heightened demand for PR in the use of digital media.

IT and health care PR, higher demand for which we predicted more than 10 years ago, continue to be top-level services. PR, more than ever, is used in helping sustain and enhance brands, in restore trust in business and political and institutions and strengthen CSR as strategy and commitment. And, of course, marketing communications and issues and crisis management continue to be availed and grow in sophistication and influence.

I am speaking here of PR in Philippines. Though PR practitioners generally work in the background, I know that they do significant, though often unheralded work. Sir Martin Sorrell, WPP Group CEO, spoke late last year (Institute of Public Relations) of the "remarkable renaissance " of PR. PR companies have had much to do with this.

Sir Martin said, "PR companies have learned their lessons. They are more professionally managed and spend more time on staff retention and incentivisation. Clients' satisfaction is valued. Quality and financial controls are firmly in place."

I am proud of working in a PR agency.