Six Top Agencies line up for Etisalat’s Multi-Million Naira PR Account

Etisalat, an innovative telecoms firm, has thrown open its public relations job, and top Nigerian public relations firms have lined up for the multi-million naira account, an industry source has said.

Five of the six PR agencies invited to pitch for the plum job are all Ikeja, Lagos-based. They are Brooks and Blake, Chain Reactions, XlR8, MediaCraft and The Quadrant Company. The sixth agency, C and F Potter Novelli is based in Lekki, Lagos. The eventual winner will perhaps manage not only the corporate but the consumer PR activities of the telco.

The Quadrant Company, which is currently handling the PR account for the telco, took over the job from C and F last four years. All the six media agencies competing for the impressive job are presently perfecting their strategies and presentation documents.

In the new pitch, BusinessDay gathers that Etisalat is looking for innovative PR agency for a stronger partnership to drive it through the competitive telecoms market and deepen its media relations. The PR job is for the wit as it is gathered that Etisalat will put everything into consideration to select the best strategic agency as partner, as the source said “’midnight movement will not be a factor.”

All the competing agencies are top rated as they have blue-chip companies in their kitty, but one of them with good PR strategies, brand building innovations and especially good media relations will win the job, the source said.

When contacted, Ibrahim Dikko, vice president, regulations and corporate affairs, Etisalat, confirmed the development to BusinessDay, as he said: “We have sent requests and we are collating the responses now. The submission closes later this week and in August 2015 or thereabout we will announce whatever the results are.”

According to him, Etisalat is conducting the pitching internally with competent evaluators. “We are looking for innovative PR company, as Etisalat is also innovative. It is always nice to refresh to make sure we are on track. The exercise is in line with the normal course of business,” Dikko said.

Whoever wins the account will be in addition to other multinational companies in its kitty.

Presently, XLR8 is also handling BAT, MediaCraft is handling Nigerian Breweries, among others, Chain Reactions is the PR agency to Reckitt Benkiser and other multinational companies, Brooks and Blake is PR agency to Guinness with other blue-chip companies in its kitty, C and F is handling Fairy in addition to other companies, while The Quadrant is handling Coke plus other firms.

“We will see who will add Etisalat to its stable of accounts, which will bolster its profile,” according to the source.