In this interview with AKIN ADEWAKUN, the Chief Executive Officer, Absolute PR, and Convener, Consumer Value Award, Akonte Ekine, enumerates the high points of Public Relations Practice in Nigeria, the challenges facing the practice, and his journey into consumer advocacy, among other sundry issues. Excerpts:
These are budget-cutting and belt-tightening economic times for companies and brands. What should PR be doing to justify its relevance in the marketing space, at this period, and ensure its slice of the marketing budget is not drastically impacted?
Well, PR is not an island, it is a part of a mix that is essential to the promotion, positioning and presentation of corporate philosophy across all channels and stakeholders’ value chain.
The most important thing is that the organizations have visions and road map and therefore will be able to decide the journey. It is important to note that PR is playing an inevitable role in the mix; from point of contact to corporate aspirations. PR is very key in the daily journey, and interaction with stakeholders. So, even, when the budget-cutting and belt–tightening are happening, there will be huge creative deployment to ensure that right engagements are sustained.
As a practitioner and a critical factor on the nation’s PR space, how would you access PR performances in impacting brands’ bottom lines in 2024, and what are your projections/outlook for the practice this year?
There could not have been a better time to evaluate PR than now. Primarily, in the messaging requirement in today’s market, as well as the engagement with technology, PR is contributing hugely, and it was able to do that effectively all through 2024. I am sure you will agree that, with the present dynamics of the nation’s economy, the most convincing way to engage now is PR even though it comes in various names today. The more reason I’m seeing it playing a crucial role in 2025.
There is a strong clamour within the Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) space for PR evaluation and measurement agencies, to enable brands and companies know the real impact/value/ contribution of PR to their fortunes. What’s your take on this?
Yes. I agree. Measurement is a very key part of PR. It is the starting of any PR initiative and the end of it. I am not sure there can be a campaign without evaluation. However, what should lead evaluation conversation is objective not space and sizes occupied It is the impact of the message such as change in behaviour and buying pattern due to engagements
Besides practising PR, you are also into consumer advocacy. How do you manage these two responsibilities?
I think it is our collective responsibility to know our rights as consumers and desire a better market experience. Now, Public Relations is about engagements and relationship managements, so if we look at consumer advocacy, it is an attempt at ensuring that the consumer is as happy as he or she could be through active content sharing that will improve knowledge, as well as enhance market experience.
The two are actually the same, just that the difference is in who you are talking to and when you are talking, based on the objectives
But what really informed your decision to go into consumer advocacy?
It all started from my experiences in the marketplace in different sectors of the economy. I once spent my money to buy a brand-new car, through a bank, and just two weeks after, the car developed a fault. Do you know that the seller and insurance company didn’t even show any interest in the situation, after I had complained to them? I invited a lawyer to do a letter to the vehicle sellers/manufacturer’s representative in Nigeria, and, even at that, they were unfazed. So, I was left dry, spending money on the car. Another experience was my flight from Abuja when another passenger and I were deprived of boarding because of a big man. I reported the matter to the Police station at the airport. I could not make the flight that day. I wrote to the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), the Consumer Protection Council (CPC), Lagos office, but never got a response. One day, from nowhere, I got a call that I should bring a witness or two to explain what happened. Unfortunately, the other man said he was not interested because his work would not allow him to do such a thing. I later found out he works with Standards Organization of Nigeria (SON). I was thinking that should make him more interested, but he wasn’t. So, I have a catalogue of experiences like most Nigerians. Besides, I had also followed Sola Salako Ajulo’s work to the point where I think she became a lone voice in this situation, but we deserve to have more people involved in the cry for better customer service in Nigeria. It is not easy earning money in this country and getting poor service in return
How would you now assess the level of awareness among the consuming public in Nigeria?
The awareness level is very low, can’t even place it above 20 percent, especially when you look into the CDE socio-economic class. The government can do better, but it is saddled with many issues that even affect consumer rights; from pricing issues that should be a major concern, to quality, we don’t see enough effort of regulators, including campaigns
In all these, a lot of people would want stricter legislation to deal with consumer rights infractions, while some believe what is actually needed is effective implementation of the existing laws. Where do you stand in these two arguments?
People are not even aware of the level or degree expected, and the environment is not as friendly as expected for one to even ask for one’s rights to be enforced.
We should invest more in getting people to know about the rights and then encourage service providers to keep their promises.
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