Peter Mutie
Diana Okon-Effiong, Calabar
African leaders have been charged to embrace the culture of reputation management and branding in order to positively influence perceptions of their countries and products by the global community.
Mr. Peter Mutie, the President, African Public Relations Association (APRA), made the call in Calabar while contributing to a paper on “Reputation Management for Country Branding’’.
The Paper was presented on Friday by Robyn de Villiers, Chairperson and Chief Executive Officer, Burson-Marsteller, responsible for South Africa and the Continent, at a 3-day conference of APRA in Calabar.
Mutie said reputation management would also foster good governance and ensure that sustainable valuable nations and products brands emerged from the continent.
Mutie said reputation management would also foster good governance and ensure that sustainable valuable nations and products brands emerged from the continent.
He also urged member of APRA to engage productively in their countries to push African brands in governance, personalities, products and nations.
“To achieve this we must wake up in Africa and start branding our own brand. You are only relevant if you have value. That is our role and we must do it. This is because if you wait for someone else they will not do it and APRA should stand up and take the lead,’’ he said.
Robyn de Villiers had in the paper explained why African governments, countries needed to manage their reputation.
She said that since trust is low, individuals, organisations and governments in Africa should always engage professionals in image or reputation management.
Reputation springs from feelings based on perception. Find out what people think about you and you will be shocked. It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to destroy it. You get the reputation you deserve. If you don’t manage it others will do it for you. Always engage professionals while doing business because issues are properly managed. Make sure you keep good records.
“Reputation drives support and business relationships. Policy makers need to be enlightened on these issues. It is very important for countries and organisations to have a good reputation. There is crisis everywhere and there is need for experts to manage it. African countries need to strengthen their brand to attract worldwide acceptability.
A brand is a front and centre of corporate and country strategy, a major differentiator and asset,’”Robyn de Villiers said.
She also charged Public Relations managers to ensure that their brand communication is strong and do much researches on their organisations and clients.
She also charged Public Relations managers to ensure that their brand communication is strong and do much researches on their organisations and clients.
“Also assess our reputation links, keep good records so as to be current and well equipped in handling clients,” she said.
Our correspondent reports that Robyn de Villiers paper was presented on her behalf by a Nigeria’s Public Relations expert, Mr. Yomi Badejo-Okusanya.
Our correspondent reports that Robyn de Villiers paper was presented on her behalf by a Nigeria’s Public Relations expert, Mr. Yomi Badejo-Okusanya.
Delegates for the conference were drawn from South Africa, Namibia, Ghana, Kenya, Sierra-Leone, Zimbabwe, Nigeria, the Netherlands, Cameroon, Ireland and Bulgaria among others.
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