"We should grumble less about the black sheep"
Ueli Anken, President of the PR Association of Western Switzerland, on the market in Western Switzerland
Ueli Anken, President of the PR Association of French-speaking Switzerland, on the market in French-speaking SwitzerlandFarner has opened an office in Fribourg and two agencies in German-speaking Switzerland have entered into partnerships with PR agencies in French-speaking Switzerland. PR in French-speaking Switzerland is booming, but it's not easy for PR consultants to get a handle on it, says Ueli Anken, President of the PR Association of Western Switzerland. Where does the sudden interest in the French-speaking Swiss market come from?
Ueli Anken: Word has probably gotten around that French-speaking Switzerland is not simply a compact unit that can be easily integrated into a package of measures. On the contrary, French-speaking Switzerland is a diverse market. There is already a barrier between Geneva and Lausanne; the two markets function independently of each other. Then there are the economic centers with different cultural contexts. In the canton of Valais, for example, you can't do anything if you're not there. In the Jura, it would be difficult to operate from Lausanne. A Swiss-German agency that wants to offer national services to international clients is only credible if it can demonstrate solid connections in French-speaking Switzerland.
So the market in French-speaking Switzerland is difficult to serve from German-speaking Switzerland?
Anken: There are examples that prove the opposite. But the fact is that PR is a métier de proximité. A good example of this is Geneva with its international organizations. There are several international PR providers in Geneva, but they are not known at all in Lausanne. And if you look at little Switzerland from America or England, it is "one among the other countries". The first location is often Geneva, followed by Zurich and Basel. From this perspective, it is quite understandable that international organizations and companies from the West choose Geneva.
Companies in French-speaking Switzerland are still reluctant to use PR services. Why is that?
Anken: Over 80 percent of businesses in western Switzerland are small and medium-sized enterprises. And for them it's simply a question of budget. Instead of permanent support, they often come to us for one-off tasks.
But SMEs in particular urgently need PR?
Anken: Without a doubt. The core problem here is also to make the PR industry transparent to these companies and to explain to them what we can offer.
How do you respond to the frequently heard accusation that the PR industry itself needs PR?
Anken: That's not an accusation, but a statement with which I completely agree. We certainly need to fight even better on the various fronts so that the understanding of PR grows. We in the PR Association of French-speaking Switzerland will now join forces with other communication organizations and exchange experiences. We want to address the question of who is responsible for what. On the other hand, I don't believe that one-sided advertisements saying "PR is when..." will achieve anything. We need to seek dialog with decision-makers from the business world, the public sector and our potential clients and use concrete examples to show what PR is. The digital revolution, i.e. the whole technological change, gives us the opportunity to do this. PR is a profession that emerged from the industrial revolution 130 years ago. Today, we find ourselves in the same situation, which has an impact on society as a whole. And what is happening in this context with all the changes, from technological processes to democratic processes, requires an enormous amount of information and explanation. The demands and expectations placed on the economic and political players are enormous. And in this context, public relations work aimed at creating transparency will become increasingly important.
Is the skewed image of the PR industry also linked to the fact that, despite having a professional diploma, it is still possible for anyone to do PR?
Anken: This circumstance may indeed contribute to this. But for me, these are excuses. Jazz musician is also not a protected title, anyone can strum around as they please, but that doesn't mean that the music genre of jazz has a worse or better reputation. However, we have done a poor job in recent years in that we have concentrated too little on profiling via our core competencies. We should complain less about the black sheep and those from other sectors who graze under the hag in the PR sector, and instead make a name for ourselves through our work.
But it's always amazing how discreet PR people are when it comes to marketing their own services?
Anken: I believe that we as providers, each agency for itself, are not so bad at marketing our own services. On the other hand, there is a lack of transparency as an industry. We don't know how to distinguish ourselves in the overall concert of communication professions. And when I use the word "distinguish", I mean it in the noblest sense of the word. We need to be careful not to mix things up and to have the courage to explain clearly to our clients what PR is and what it is not.
However, it is a fact that more and more customers want a complete communication package. Accordingly, advertising and marketing agencies are also offering PR services. Does it still make sense from the client's point of view to contact a PR agency?
Anken: Offering clearly defined PR services certainly makes sense. For example, when it comes to explaining what joining the UN means for Switzerland in a democratic process or accompanying the introduction of e-voting, to name two current examples, the core competencies of public relations come into play. On the other hand, I am not at all opposed to an advertising agency writing a single press release in connection with a product promotion; there are some who do this quite well. In every profession, the requirements are constantly changing, and it would be boring if the profession of PR consultant didn't change too. Interview: Anita Vaucher
Ueli Anken: Word has probably gotten around that French-speaking Switzerland is not simply a compact unit that can be easily integrated into a package of measures. On the contrary, French-speaking Switzerland is a diverse market. There is already a barrier between Geneva and Lausanne; the two markets function independently of each other. Then there are the economic centers with different cultural contexts. In the canton of Valais, for example, you can't do anything if you're not there. In the Jura, it would be difficult to operate from Lausanne. A Swiss-German agency that wants to offer national services to international clients is only credible if it can demonstrate solid connections in French-speaking Switzerland.
So the market in French-speaking Switzerland is difficult to serve from German-speaking Switzerland?
Anken: There are examples that prove the opposite. But the fact is that PR is a métier de proximité. A good example of this is Geneva with its international organizations. There are several international PR providers in Geneva, but they are not known at all in Lausanne. And if you look at little Switzerland from America or England, it is "one among the other countries". The first location is often Geneva, followed by Zurich and Basel. From this perspective, it is quite understandable that international organizations and companies from the West choose Geneva.
Companies in French-speaking Switzerland are still reluctant to use PR services. Why is that?
Anken: Over 80 percent of businesses in western Switzerland are small and medium-sized enterprises. And for them it's simply a question of budget. Instead of permanent support, they often come to us for one-off tasks.
But SMEs in particular urgently need PR?
Anken: Without a doubt. The core problem here is also to make the PR industry transparent to these companies and to explain to them what we can offer.
How do you respond to the frequently heard accusation that the PR industry itself needs PR?
Anken: That's not an accusation, but a statement with which I completely agree. We certainly need to fight even better on the various fronts so that the understanding of PR grows. We in the PR Association of French-speaking Switzerland will now join forces with other communication organizations and exchange experiences. We want to address the question of who is responsible for what. On the other hand, I don't believe that one-sided advertisements saying "PR is when..." will achieve anything. We need to seek dialog with decision-makers from the business world, the public sector and our potential clients and use concrete examples to show what PR is. The digital revolution, i.e. the whole technological change, gives us the opportunity to do this. PR is a profession that emerged from the industrial revolution 130 years ago. Today, we find ourselves in the same situation, which has an impact on society as a whole. And what is happening in this context with all the changes, from technological processes to democratic processes, requires an enormous amount of information and explanation. The demands and expectations placed on the economic and political players are enormous. And in this context, public relations work aimed at creating transparency will become increasingly important.
Is the skewed image of the PR industry also linked to the fact that, despite having a professional diploma, it is still possible for anyone to do PR?
Anken: This circumstance may indeed contribute to this. But for me, these are excuses. Jazz musician is also not a protected title, anyone can strum around as they please, but that doesn't mean that the music genre of jazz has a worse or better reputation. However, we have done a poor job in recent years in that we have concentrated too little on profiling via our core competencies. We should complain less about the black sheep and those from other sectors who graze under the hag in the PR sector, and instead make a name for ourselves through our work.
But it's always amazing how discreet PR people are when it comes to marketing their own services?
Anken: I believe that we as providers, each agency for itself, are not so bad at marketing our own services. On the other hand, there is a lack of transparency as an industry. We don't know how to distinguish ourselves in the overall concert of communication professions. And when I use the word "distinguish", I mean it in the noblest sense of the word. We need to be careful not to mix things up and to have the courage to explain clearly to our clients what PR is and what it is not.
However, it is a fact that more and more customers want a complete communication package. Accordingly, advertising and marketing agencies are also offering PR services. Does it still make sense from the client's point of view to contact a PR agency?
Anken: Offering clearly defined PR services certainly makes sense. For example, when it comes to explaining what joining the UN means for Switzerland in a democratic process or accompanying the introduction of e-voting, to name two current examples, the core competencies of public relations come into play. On the other hand, I am not at all opposed to an advertising agency writing a single press release in connection with a product promotion; there are some who do this quite well. In every profession, the requirements are constantly changing, and it would be boring if the profession of PR consultant didn't change too. Interview: Anita Vaucher
