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In The Hot Seat – Farah Sawaf

Team TMN catch up with Farah Sawaf, Managing Director and Founder at Soul Communications, who talks about her role and what she thinks of the PR industry in the Middle East…

Name: Farah Sawaf

Age: 36

Nationality: Palestinian, Lebanese and American

Current job title: Managing Director and Founder, Soul Communications

When did you first arrive in Dubai?

I arrived in 2004 determined to return to my Middle East roots. Having been in the U.S for most of my life, Dubai was a beacon of opportunity for young and ambitious individuals, which is why I wanted to explore opportunities here.

Where did you work prior?

I first joined Ogilvy PR as Account Executive, which in retrospect was a great launch pad as it offered in-depth exposure to Dubai’s rapidly evolving media landscape. Having worked with Ogilvy PR, I later joined Arab Media Group (AMG), part of ARN radio network as Marketing Manager and most recently worked with Meraas Development as Manager – Communications, where I joined as a part of the marketing team to inaugurate the company.

What were your first impressions of the PR industry in the Middle East?

Upon landing in Dubai, my first impression was that the PR space was in many ways secondary to the advertising spend. Advertorials and marketing promotions on the back of advertising expenditure were the norm.

Has your opinion changed much?

As a general rule, PR since then has certainly evolved in sophistication with today’s clientele understanding the sheer power that a well-structured communications campaign can deliver in parallel to advertising. In many ways, PR has become an essential tool, which in conjunction to advertising whether digital or print, can deliver the targeted results.

Tell us about your current role…

Soul Communications is honestly more than just PR. We partner with clients to listen to what keeps them up at night thereby gaining a deep awareness of their strategy. Our ultimate intention is to create a game plan that is fully aligned with their goals – which is merely our starting point. The soulful relationships we engender with our clients help us gain access to enriching more than just their communications priorities. Specifically, with regards to the F&B market, the expertise we’ve developed over the years touches a multitude of clients operations; be it the development of a bespoke children’s menu, cross-marketing initiatives linked with like-minded vendors or even enhancing service delivery through in-house training sessions catered to front of house staff.

What challenges do you face?

PR is not a magic wand and cannot deliver instant results. Clients are increasingly demanding  instant gratification. We constantly face situations where we collectively have to be patient not only before the media, but also for our intended target market to catch on to our strategy. In many ways we need to let our ‘magic potion’ take its course before the positive results come our way.

What’s the most rewarding part of your job?

The best reward is when you see an idea come to life and the market reacts positively to an activation we created from scratch. As innocent as it seems, I also very much love to see our clients happy when we inform them of a success we’ve had. Many of our clients are small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and every dirham they spend on us is hard-earned by way of sacrificing time with loved ones and late nights at the office amongst many other efforts. We take this reality to heart and work tirelessly to ensure clients receive the highest possible return on their Soul investment.

How has PR managed to stay relevant in today’s digital age?

Like any line of business, Soul has had to ride the wave of PR into the digital age by embracing this evolution. Working with digital tools to communicate is no different than working with conventional ones. In other words, there is simply no substitute for understanding a brief, identifying targets and aligning resources and activation plans towards achieving those goals.

How has social media in the region evolved to become an integrated part of the PR industry?

Social media has become part and parcel of any coherent and well-structured communications campaign. Yet, as with any new technology, the first phase of its life typically sees its use being abused given the lack of awareness about its pros and cons. Within the region, unfortunately there’s been a proliferation of individuals and agencies claiming to make the impossible possible through the exclusive use of social media. Be it promising an unreasonable number of social media followers within an unrealistic period of time or an ability to reach a specific and previously untapped market segment through the sole use of social media – the reality is that there are many ‘false digital prophets’. On the flipside, Soul takes the view that there is no substitute to a balanced and holistic communications approach, one that takes advantage of all possible activation tools available to us be it digital or traditional.

What do you think of PR ethics in the industry today?

PR ethics are a function of your own individual ethics. Having been in the region for close to fifteen years and given my husbands’ background here for close to thirty years, we take our reputations seriously. As previously noted, I’m often surprised about the low level of ethics in the form of false promises made by our counterparts in the PR space. Yet, clients need to recognise that they are partly to blame due to the downward pressure they exert on our fees. There is simply no substitute for time, effort and quality work because it is virtually impossible to receive ‘Rolls Royce’ quality PR results with a ‘Geely’ PR spend. In other words ‘if you pay peanuts, you get monkeys’ not to mention all the inevitable false promises.

Describe yourself in five words…

Soulful, determined, genuine, humble and dynamic.

Who inspires you?

My family! As the mother of three little boys, I am constantly loving and learning non-stop. Alongside my husband and extended family, I have a strong support network allowing me to believe anything is possible.

What’s your most overused saying?

PR is like going to the gym. You feel a difference that first month, but the real results will only be achieved with consistency, maintenance and ensuring you change up the routine every once in a while.

Five things you can’t live without?

Dinner and bath time with my little boys, my husband’s friendship, orange blossom water, mint chocolate chip ice cream and culinary magazines.

If you could have one work wish granted, what would it be?

Patience, everyone needs bucket-loads of it.

If you weren’t in your current role, what would you be doing?

Hosting a cooking show.

What’s your favourite form of media?

Each media provides a different form of satisfaction. Print is more for visual needs and is able to aesthetically define a message. Radio is for expressing the genuine emotionality of a message and tuning it to the ears of a captive audience – almost like a conversation without the immediate feedback.

What advice would you offer to someone looking to start a career in PR in the UAE?

Be an individual. Many marketers say the same thing and often replicate what the other is doing. Stay true to what you believe in and focus on achieving results only if they fall within your principles.

Speakers announced for inaugural Let’s Talk event

Fekra Communications reveals speakers for the upcoming event, ‘Let’s Talk: Crisis Communications.’ Under the patronage of Sheikh Juma bin Maktoum bin Juma Al Maktoum, the event is set to take place from March 8-9, 2017 at The Address Hotel Dubai Mall.

The panel of speakers will include:

  • Samer Costantini, Advisor at UAE Federal Competitiveness & Statistics Authority
  • Mazen Nahawi, Chief Executive Officer at CARMA
  • Saada Hammad, Regional PR Director at Ogilvy PR
  • Hassan Fattah, Partner at Brunswick Group
  • Moustafa Hamwi, Author and Speaker
  • Fakher Daghestani, Communications Regional Director at Boeing
  • Ahmed Naguib, Founder and CEO at El Masna3
  • Hicham El Amrani, Managing Director at ACG Communication & Training Consulting
  • Alexander McNabb, Digital Media & Communications Consultant
  • Maya Hojeij, Senior Bulletin Editor & Presenter at Dubai Media Incorporated
  • Rasha Kashkoush, Head of Communications MENA at Facebook
  • Saad Al Rubaiaan, Government Communication Advisor
  • Leila Hatoum, Senior Deputy Editor-in-Chief at Newsweek ME
  • Angus MacCormick, Vice President of Emerging Markets at vArmour
  • Mamoon Sbeih, Managing Director – Arab Region at APCO Worldwide
  • Fadl El Tarzi, Chief Executive Officer at Socialeyez
  • Brandy Scott, Presenter at Dubai Eye
  • Jonathan Shillington, Managing Director at Grayling Middle East
  • Khaled Abdulla, Head of Corporate Communication at Barclays MENA
  • Mohamed Al Nuaimi, Chief Executive Officer at Mawarid Finance
  • Khaled Hassan, Digital Marketing Director at IBM
  • Fadi Salem, Research Fellow at Mohammed Bin Rashid School of Government.

FIVE MINUTE FOCUS – LET’S TALK!

With the launch of the new industry event series, ‘Let’s Talk!’, TMN sits down with Mohammed El-Batta, Managing Director, Fekra Communications to find out more about what the industry can expect from the upcoming events…

Tell us a bit about Fekra Communications and your new event series.

Fekra Communications is a marketing communications consultancy offering communications and creative services to clients across the Middle East.

We’re launching a series of industry related events across the region under the title ‘Let’s Talk!’ that aims to bring together top communications and media experts, senior officials and policy makers to shed light on the hottest topics in the industry.

‘Let’s Talk!’ is designed to present today’s professionals with an expert perspective and learning opportunities on the latest trends. From preeminent thinkers whose work has defined the industry, to the rising stars who will redefine the way we think about business. It will provide a platform for the industry’s leading minds to share insights and best practices on how to protect an organisation’s reputation.

What inspired you to launch this new event series in the Middle East?

The Middle East is a highly diversified region where culture, media practices and expectations vary to a large degree. While the region hosts a growing number of talented professionals and experts with invaluable experience, unfortunately, this type of experience often goes undocumented. For that reason, we were inspired to launch this new franchise out of the need to connect the dots and fill in the gaps.

We believe that the best knowledge in any field is the knowledge accumulated first hand. One can read so many books, but we tend to learn better in an interactive environment. Learning also happens when one shares experiences and listens to different perspectives, via conversation.

We do not claim that our events focus on educating the media industry. Rather, we feel that there is a wealth of experience untapped and we’re stepping in to highlight it for everyone’s benefit. We learn from each other.

What will be the topic of discussion of the first series of events?

There will be an industry-specific topic for each event. The first series of events will focus on crisis communications. With the continuing evolution of communication platforms, news and word of mouth spread faster and even wilder than it used to a decade ago.

Today we live in a world where both government and corporate reputations are more fragile and where crises seem to be occurring more frequently. One of the biggest challenges for communication professionals is the early recognition of crises and how to successfully manage it using effective communication techniques.

‘Let’s Talk: Crisis Communications’ will bring together top communications and media experts, senior officials and policy makers to shed light on the right steps to take in a crisis and how to turn them into opportunities for exposure, marketing and enhancing corporate image. The conference will also be held in Cairo, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia this year.

Can you give us details about your target market and audience?

Our target market is the UAE, the GCC region as well as Egypt and Levant. The targeted audience are communication professionals, whether in the government or corporate world. The event should bring together PR agencies, government officials, journalists, social media strategists and bloggers which makes an interesting mix for fruitful and invaluable discussions.

When and where will the first event of the series take place?

The first event will take place from March 8 – 9 in Dubai, The Address Hotel Dubai Mall. Registration is now open online through our website. We have two registration options: Day one conference only and two days conference + workshop training.

Please tell us about the speakers and presenters that will participate in ‘Let’s Talk!’?

We have a wide array of expert speakers from the corporate world, government, PR & digital agencies and consultants in addition to media.

Our list of speakers currently includes names from Boeing International, Facebook, Brunswick Group, Ogilvy PR, Federal Competitiveness & Statistics Authority, Grayling, Dubai TV, Newsweek ME, Dubai Eye, APCO Worldwide, Carma, Social Eyez, vArmour, DarkMatter, ACG Communication & Training Consulting, El Masna3, in addition to renowned government advisors and digital consultants.

We are constantly updating this list and still in the process of adding more speakers!

Can industry professionals of the region participate as speakers or presenters at the event?

Yes, of course, we welcome professionals from the region to come on board as speakers or presenters. You can email us and and tell us a bit about yourself and what you would like to speak about. Someone from the organising team will get in touch with you as soon as we receive the expression of interest.

Did you face any challenges while launching the event across four countries?

Not really, thanks to Fekra’s extensive network and partners, launching the event across the four countries has not been difficult. We look forward to seeing the events come to life one after another this year and the years to follow.

What is the reaction you expect by hosting these events?

We expect valuable sharing of knowledge, experience and best practices, intensive networking to take place, probably leading to the emerging of new business partnerships or cooperation between the attendees and most importantly, enhancing the experience of communications professionals and making an impact on the collective performance of the industry.

What does the future hold for ‘Let’s Talk!’?

Depending on the right market, topic and demand, we may consider other markets in the future.

Hill+Knowlton Strategies named EMEA Agency of the Year

Hill+Knowlton Strategies has been named EMEA Agency of the Year at this year’s SABRE Awards in Berlin. The awards saw Hill+Knowlton nominated alongside other EMEA agencies Burson-Marsteller, Edelman, Ogilvy PR and Weber Shandwick, with the agency’s win being accredited to service innovation and significant client wins.

“Since consolidating our Europe, Middle East and Africa regions two years ago, a lot of people have worked hard to take H+K in the region to the next level,” says Lars Erik Grønntun, President and CEO, Hill+Knowlton Strategies, EMEA. “By implementing our regional strategy of connecting, converging and learning we’ve managed to take the agency to a new level, winning exciting new business, building stronger creative and content bids as well as strengthening our regional footprint.”