EDITORIAL
LOUISE FENNER-SOLOMON | PUBLISHER
OUR TEAM
PUBLISHER / ADVERTISING
Louise Fenner-Solomon
082 572 4707
[email protected]
PUBLISHER / DESIGN
Peter Fenner-Solomon
082 521 3916
[email protected]
I
t’s a sign of the times that many firms are tightening their belts and cutting
costs across departments. Sadly some have not managed to fight the difficult
economic headwinds and have gone into business rescue, which is a tragic
scenario for them and by process of association, every other role player in the
built environment sector.
One of the associated fields hit hard by the downturn have been the PR and Marketing
professionals. A number of PR firms have lost their Built Environment clients and
agencies have either lost clients or had their clients slash advertising budgets.
ACCOUNTS
Peter Fenner-Solomon
082 521 3916
[email protected]
The reality is that during times when a firm can ill afford less exposure, this is often
the very first budget cut when, where absolutely possible, it should be one of the last.
McGraw-Hill Research conducted a study of U.S. recessions from 1980-1985. Out of
the 600 business-to-business companies analysed, the ones who continued to advertise
during the 1981-1982 recession hit a 256% growth by 1985 over their competitors that
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eliminated or decreased spending. The numbers aren’t a fluke. They prove there’s a
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reward for companies who are aggressive with their advertising efforts in a recession.
I believe the key is to get smarter with the budget you do have available. Coming into
contact with PR firms and advertising agencies on a daily basis I can tell you that some
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firms go out of their way to get the best return on investment for their clients, others
will make the least effort possible to fulfill your brief to them. This is not the time for
mediocrity. Find the money to ensure your firm receives continued exposure during
the tough times but insist that firms you entrust your business with are providing
you with bang for your buck. Customised press releases, negotiation of value added
deals with media and eye catching ad design should be insisted upon. Good PR can
CONTACT US
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FACSIMILE 086 551 8323
get you fantastic exposure if they have in depth knowledge of the best media to get
your story across to the right audience. If they don’t deliver, find another firm but don’t
ditch PR altogether.
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Editorial