Checking In

Travelling through Heathrow Airport is a stark reminder that public relations needs to infiltrate all parts of a company.

Put a uniform on a member of staff and they suddenly do more than just represent a company – they are that organisation. The way they operate, what they say and their entire attitude portrays their employer.

Making sure that all colleagues are on message is so important. So my torturous check in with a German airline really coloured my view, my first time flying with that organisation. It costs nothing to be polite and to actually acknowledge the person talking to you………….. apart, of course, from your company’s reputation.

I was flying out to Frankfurt on my way to Buenos Aires to speak at the 1era Conferencia Internacional de Relaciones Publicas organised by the Consejo Professional de Relacionas Publicas de la Republica Argentina.

After 14 ½ hours in cattle class in a seat that I didn’t know could be so small and hard (and I’m sure became smaller as the flight progressed!) and with a snoring Spanish man next to me, (whose head would every now and then hit my shoulder……………great!), I have arrived in a truly stunning and friendly city.

Celebrating their 50^th anniversary this year and as new members of the Global Alliance, the PR Association in Argentina is keen to embrace new learning, development and the sharing of information. They attended our World PR Conference and Festival in June and were active in their involvement.

Just before I left the UK, I had an e mail from the British Embassy. Due to press coverage in Buenos Aires they had heard that the CIPR was visiting so while here I’m also talking at the Argentinean British Chamber of Commerce and an event hosted at the British Embassy by UK Trade and Investment.

I’ve also had a briefing by the British Embassy on the political and economic situation here– so that I have the background information I need prior to addressing an Argentinean audience. It says something about the times we operate in when one of the first things we compared was the price of petrol/diesel. (And for those interested, it’s less than 50p a litre here due to significant government subsidies……and gas bills for a family of four in a house are about £20 a month).

The PR industry here is growing. Dominated by North American owned consultancy chains, they are heavily influenced by the States in their approach, strategy development and evaluation. They’re now keen to understand the approach of the CIPR and look at the leadership and procedures we have perfected in the UK. In business they look to Europe for their ‘role models’ specifically Britain, France and Spain.

I have been taken aback how European Buenos Aires is. A gentle and welcoming city – with clear blue skies, fresh air and, let’s not forget cheap fuel and land prices (people don’t have mortgages here – they don’t, apparently need them!), I can see why there is a significant ex pat community and the clear advantages for UK businesses to locate themselves here.

It will be interesting at today’s conference to see how different the public relations industry really is in Argentina compared to the UK – how we work, operate and learn. I’ll check in later!

Comments

[Ignacio Duelo]

Welcome to Buenos Aires, Elisabeth! Hope you will enjoy my city. Regards from a subscriber.