Content Plus, the Dubai-based consultancy, today launched the UAE’s first ever Public Relations Index. Driven by a poll of 200 journalists on their perspectives of public relations (PR) agencies and professionals in the UAE, the unique index identified the top 10 PR agencies based on two key criteria: quality of content and effective engagement with the media by evaluating their level of support, fast follow up and interaction. Additionally, these criteria were rated individually as part of two sub-indices. The index also revealed the most active PR agencies in the UAE.
The poll, which formed the foundation of the PR index and sub-indices, was administered by Ipsos, a leading market research agency, who conduct this study and covered 100 Arabic and 100 English journalists across traditional, digital and visual media. Comprising a set of well-structured Arabic and English questionnaires, the poll was conducted using CATI methodology which utilizes telephonic interviews.
The PR Index was launched on the premise that PR agencies connect their clients with various stakeholders via numerous channels, with the media being the primary channel through which communication with audiences is achieved. Given the large number of PR agencies in the UAE, the PR Index seeks to examine the efficacy of these agencies based on the first-hand experiences of journalists who work with them. Additionally, the PR Index will act as a guide for companies, enabling them to select the best PR agency representation, based on key quality measurement criteria.
Commenting on the launch of the index, Mohammed Baida, Managing Director of Content Plus said: “The PR index provides a practical assessment of PR agencies in the UAE and selects the best agencies based on journalists’ perspectives. The importance of these perspectives, lies in the fact that the media is essentially, the primary channel used to convey the messages of PR agencies’ clients to their target audiences. By launching the Public Relations Index, Content Plus aims to analyse the strengths and weaknesses of the UAE PR industry and pinpoint practical ways to improve their level of collaboration with different media outlets.”
Mr. Baida added, “the launch of the first edition of the PR Index is a remarkable step to improve the working mechanism in the UAE PR industry and the beginning of many future related studies. The full copy of the report (40 pages) with its rich analysis and detailed results is available now. The report can be obtained by contacting Content Plus directly.
The PR Index revealed several key findings including the most active agencies, the top agencies based on content quality and the top agencies based on support, follow up and interaction. The results varied significantly between Arabic and English media outlets, a fact that highlights the divergent preferences of media depending on the language through which content is delivered.
Identified by the index for the first time ever, was the preference of editors when it comes to working with PR agencies versus in-house communication departments. Respondents to the poll cited various reasons behind their preferences.
Another valuable insight revealed by the index was the preference of editors to work with local PR agencies versus international agencies, while exploring the reasons behind this. Journalists who were polled cited several weaknesses within the PR industry, that were highlighted by the index.