The FINANCIAL — The FINANCIAL interviewed John Dalton, Director of LSPR worldwide, regarding the long-time expertise LSPR intends to share with the local market.
The London School of Public Relations and Branding (LSPR), which is now one of the leading educational bodies offering training in Public Relations, branding, integrated marketing communications and reputation management in more than 18 countries, has already gained popularity in the CIS market. LSPR sees Georgia as a “fascinating country” for starting up business. Since September 2008 LSPR will start trainings in Georgia for all people interested in PR as well as marketing issues, investor, stakeholder or customer relations, event management and fundraising. The FINANCIAL interviewed John Dalton, Director of LSPR worldwide, regarding the long-time expertise LSPR intends to share with the local market.
Q. Georgia is the 18th country the London School of Public Relations and Branding has started operations in. According to what basic criteria did the school become interested in the county?
A. There are absolute requirements for the selection of a country, but our general guide is to evaluate the growth and market potential, the standard of living (GDP per capita), general infrastructure, levels of educational attainment, the stability of a suitable business partner and general geo-political considerations. Further considerations will include media development and interest in marketing communications.
Q. Which countries in CIS does LSPR operate in and which of them have been the biggest success?
A. LSPR currently operates in 18 countries, including Poland, Russia, Latvia and Belarus. London School of Public Relations has been very successful in Russia since 2002 and opened with the aid of the British Embassy in Belarus in 2007. It is too early to say how successful Belarus will be, but to-date we have had over 30 students who have completed the course. In Russia, over 400 students have completed the LSPR Diploma. Each country has its own unique set of circumstances and it is difficult to compare one with another.
Q. The principal course offered by LSPR is the Integrated Approach to Public Relations, which is aimed at graduates or non-graduates with some commercial experience. Who do you see as your potential clients in Georgia?
A. The advantage of our course is that based on the integrated approach it is very useful not only for those who are developing their careers in PR, but also who deal with wider marketing issues, investor, stakeholder or customer relations, event management and fundraising. Everyone who is dealing with these issues both in commercial and non-business environments could very well benefit from our course.
Our entry requirements reflect the needs of the industry. Any degree is acceptable, but certain specialized areas of PR tend to prefer related degrees. Irrespective of your background, the focus of our training is to provide a solid foundation on all the key topics, so that you can enter an agency or an in-house position with confidence. Such skills include: press release writing, organizing press conferences, dealing with risk and crisis management, client account handling, media relations, strategy development and management.
Q. Is it expected that LSPR clients abroad like (the ones, which have official representation in Georgia): Air France, Barclays Bank, BBC, BP, Cartier, Kings College London, McDonalds Restaurants, Merrill Lynch, Sony Ericsson, will become your clients in Georgia as well?
A. These are clients we have had long-standing relations with, and we value that very much. Rather naturally we will be happy to offer our trainings, and serve their needs in Georgia as well.
Q. Do you cooperate or have you had any negotiations with any of the organizations engaged in media/ PR/marketing/IR in Georgia? Or any companies in terms of recruiting their PR staff?
A. As I have already mentioned, we hope that our Georgia office will be successful in establishing its place on the Georgian PR Education market. Our Tbilisi office has just started operating and it is a bit early to name names, the work plan for establishing partnerships is in place, work is progressing and we are expecting positive results in the near future. We will be happy to regularly update interested public on this matter, through our Tbilisi office.
Q. The school claims to have a highly impressive client list. Could you please name the top most important clients of yours?
A. During our sixteen-year experience in 18 countries of the world, we have worked with many partners (this word much better reflects our attitude towards them) in the field of public relations, integrated marketing communications, branding and reputation management.
We have strived to best accommodate their needs, taking into consideration local factors. We are proud that during this time we have established partnerships with numerous companies, some of them being world-wide brands and others working more in the background. We define importance not based on budgets but based on the value the relationships offer.
Q. LSPR trainings in Georgia cost GEL 1,800, how different is the figure in London and the rest of the countries the school operates in?
A. Georgia has a rather low training fee. In London, it will cost a student 30% more to be part of our course. Rates in other countries vary, reflecting local market conditions.
Q. Who will be the tutors and will the tuition be in English?
A. We have received several CVs from our Georgian partners in terms of selecting tutors, and we have chosen some of them. The basic criteria in selecting trainers were international experience, business knowledge, achievements in PR and reputation management work, as well as some expertise in research or active marketing. Training will be held in English, but as you know we offer certain corporate courses to our clients, in the field of their particular interest. These courses can be delivered in the Georgian language.
Q. Will the students get the same diplomas they would in London?
A. Exams are graded in the LSPR head office and the diploma that Georgian listeners will get is the same as the one that you would obtain in London. In addition I would like to say that the course has international recognition as the London School of Public Relations is one of the largest providers of educational training worldwide.
Q. As for the competition, who do you see as your competitors in Georgia?
A. We are well aware that a number of universities and institutes also offer PR courses in Georgia. While we wish them success, we are sure of our advantages. Although LSPR does approach PR and IMC from an academic base, we do understand and communicate the very practical and creative as well as strategic approach that modern PR requires.
The course gives participants the important balance between theory and practice, so as to enable them to quickly understand what a modern PR and reputation practitioner has to deal with. The intensive nature of the course together with in-depth review of modern real-life cases allows participants the chance to absorb and assimilate key concepts and apply them right away in practice.
Q. How would you evaluate the current level of PR education in Georgia?
A. Without conducting a professional market research study, it is difficult to be accurate in our opinion. However, what is clear from the research that we have conducted is that a desire and market structure exists, from which LSPR can integrate.
This model, which has been replicated successfully within free market structures around the world, needs PR to help create the desired image and also signal brand’s functional and emotional connections.
However, increasingly people and organizations are realizing that they cannot just simply make a promise via a brand, but they try to deliver on the promise. This is reputation management and is the centre of what LP is trying to convey – the emergence of reputation management from traditional PR.
Currently, all developed counties are witnessing the transition from managerial to stakeholder capitalism, which necessitates the need for stakeholder management and proper issue analysis. These are areas that LSPR has expertise in and areas that have also proven of great interest in developing countries.
Written by Kate Tabatadze
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