There are a lot of things we can do to try to regain someone whose trust we have lost. We can write a card, send an e-mail, or make a phone call to explain, and hopefully mend the situation.
Regardless of the preferred method, the important thing is to communicate, and as soon as possible. How and when that communication is made will determine whether a broken relationship can be rebuilt, and sustained.
From a business perspective, one of the worst aspects of the global financial crisis was the erosion of trust across all stakeholders.
Consumers now feel strongly against parting with their hard-earned money. Investors want greater assurance that they will receive their due returns. Management takes a guarded stance against even the simplest of transactions, while employees constantly question the resilience of their organisations.
Faced with this overall meltdown in confidence, companies need to rethink their communication strategies so that they can provide a calming and reassuring voice amid the turmoil.
One of the easiest, and yet worst, things an enterprise can do nowadays is to "keep mum" and pretend that it is "business as usual". While playing safe and keeping silent may provide a cushion against the crisis, it also suppresses potential and can inadvertently send out the wrong message that the business is, in fact, slowly sinking.
The key is to take a fresher, more sensible approach to corporate communications that focuses on the consumer's pursuit of trustworthiness and value.
Before the subprime bad loans situation developed into a full-blown international crisis, companies were very generous with their marketing spend. They relied on conventional advertising to sustain already strong consumerism.
These days, tighter budgets mean leaner marketing programmes using only the most essential tools. It is during such times that the public relations (PR) sector particularly emerges as a perfect messaging partner.
PR has consistently proven to be an essential and reliable instrument to help companies address chaos, respond to crises, and even gain from turbulent conditions.
PR's greatest asset is its ability to build the level of legitimacy and accountability that advertising can't provide as effectively nor as economically.
PR allows a business to revive or maintain corporate reputation, which given today's challenging markets has become crucial to survival. It sets up a transparent line of communication that elicits greater trust, familiarity and comfort from all stakeholders.
Studies show that 80 per cent of consumers feel it is still important for brands and companies to allocate money for social purposes even during a recession. In addition, 68 per cent of consumers say they would remain loyal to brands that champion good causes, again, despite the recession.
All of these indicate the need to foster strong relationships with stakeholders and invest in social engagement. PR is the best equipped to meet this need.
However, it is not a total solution and is still subject to close scrutiny as part of the broader corporate communications framework.
Despite the appeal of their services, many PR agencies are being contracted on a short-term basis, although the number of PR practitioners is rising. PR works best in harmony with other marketing strategies to optimise the unravelling of the corporate message.
There are several trends affecting how we in marketing and communications position PR, advertising, and our other key services.
There is greater reliance on digital technology, which has provided consumers with more proactive means to influence brand status; more emphasis on sustainability and the role of brands in promoting social and environmental responsibility; and a shift to a model of globalisation called "world sourcing", which is changing the international economic order.
Market research has long been the foundation for marketing campaigns. However, it cannot precisely predict the future. While it may give a fair projection of tomorrow, it will not accurately foresee events next year and beyond.
The financial crisis has shown us that some things can change consumer sentiments in the blink of an eye. It is thus important to learn more about customers and take time to listen closely to their complaints, opinions and suggestions
While the natural impulse given the downturn is to save, communications is not an area in which to make cuts.
The crisis is changing the corporate marketing paradigm; we can see a growing preference for simpler, clearer and more intimate marketing messages. Online marketing and other interactive approaches are quietly overtaking traditional print and broadcast media. And people are going back to the brands they know and trust.
Companies are turning to PR as a cost-effective tool that can be more effective than traditional methods. A PR campaign can be as simple as a company blog, message board or e-newsletter that reaches out to the online audience and updates them on organisational activities.
So what trends can be expected within marketing realm this year and beyond?
As we enter the 21st century's second decade, we can expect people to demand more value and social relevance rather than luxury. We will also see more consumers relying on the experiences of friends and strangers posted online rather than information from official websites. This will require us to pay more attention to online brand building.
Another important trend is positional marketing, where advertising is created based on consumer activities and profiles, for example a special offer relayed by an SMS message as an individual walks by a store. Special targeting of various groups such as older consumers will also be more in vogue.
These are just some of the things we should take note of as we wage the daily battle against this protracted downturn. The answers are not simple and will vary depending on the nature of our clients and the latest developments in a highly volatile global economy.
Recessions come and go, the world has been able to survive them and continue with progress. Business opportunities, however, are not as cyclic; once gone, they may never come back.
The economic downturn can be a perfect opportunity for organisations to enhance brand awareness and reinforce stakeholder trust and confidence.
Businesses must be careful not to set aside reliable and effective marketing tools such as PR and instead tap their full potential to stay afloat during the economic storm and sail smoothly once true recovery flows.
Nidal Abou Zaki is the managing director of Orient Planet PR & Marketing Communications
@Email:business@thenational.ae
Scorebox
Dubai Sports City Eagles 7 Bahrain 88
Eagles
Try: Penalty
Bahrain
Tries: Gibson 2, Morete 2, Bishop 2, Bell 2, Behan, Fameitau, Sanson, Roberts, Bennett, Radley
Cons: Radley 4, Whittingham 5
Thank You for Banking with Us
Director: Laila Abbas
Starring: Yasmine Al Massri, Clara Khoury, Kamel El Basha, Ashraf Barhoum
Rating: 4/5
Skewed figures
In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.
The squad traveling to Brazil:
Faisal Al Ketbi, Ibrahim Al Hosani, Khalfan Humaid Balhol, Khalifa Saeed Al Suwaidi, Mubarak Basharhil, Obaid Salem Al Nuaimi, Saeed Juma Al Mazrouei, Saoud Abdulla Al Hammadi, Taleb Al Kirbi, Yahia Mansour Al Hammadi, Zayed Al Kaabi, Zayed Saif Al Mansoori, Saaid Haj Hamdou, Hamad Saeed Al Nuaimi. Coaches Roberto Lima and Alex Paz.
The more serious side of specialty coffee
While the taste of beans and freshness of roast is paramount to the specialty coffee scene, so is sustainability and workers’ rights.
The bulk of genuine specialty coffee companies aim to improve on these elements in every stage of production via direct relationships with farmers. For instance, Mokha 1450 on Al Wasl Road strives to work predominantly with women-owned and -operated coffee organisations, including female farmers in the Sabree mountains of Yemen.
Because, as the boutique’s owner, Garfield Kerr, points out: “women represent over 90 per cent of the coffee value chain, but are woefully underrepresented in less than 10 per cent of ownership and management throughout the global coffee industry.”
One of the UAE’s largest suppliers of green (meaning not-yet-roasted) beans, Raw Coffee, is a founding member of the Partnership of Gender Equity, which aims to empower female coffee farmers and harvesters.
Also, globally, many companies have found the perfect way to recycle old coffee grounds: they create the perfect fertile soil in which to grow mushrooms.
NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
England's all-time record goalscorers:
Wayne Rooney 53
Bobby Charlton 49
Gary Lineker 48
Jimmy Greaves 44
Michael Owen 40
Tom Finney 30
Nat Lofthouse 30
Alan Shearer 30
Viv Woodward 29
Frank Lampard 29
The Baghdad Clock
Shahad Al Rawi, Oneworld
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
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PSG's line up
GK: Alphonse Areola (youth academy)
Defence - RB: Dani Alves (free transfer); CB: Marquinhos (€31.4 million); CB: Thiago Silva (€42m); LB: Layvin Kurzawa (€23m)
Midfield - Angel di Maria (€47m); Adrien Rabiot (youth academy); Marco Verratti (€12m)
Forwards - Neymar (€222m); Edinson Cavani (€63m); Kylian Mbappe (initial: loan; to buy: €180m)
Total cost: €440.4m (€620.4m if Mbappe makes permanent move)
Ticket prices
General admission Dh295 (under-three free)
Buy a four-person Family & Friends ticket and pay for only three tickets, so the fourth family member is free
Buy tickets at: wbworldabudhabi.com/en/tickets
The Specs
Price, base Dh379,000
Engine 2.9-litre, twin-turbo V6
Gearbox eight-speed automatic
Power 503bhp
Torque 443Nm
On sale now
Cultural fiesta
What: The Al Burda Festival
When: November 14 (from 10am)
Where: Warehouse421, Abu Dhabi
The Al Burda Festival is a celebration of Islamic art and culture, featuring talks, performances and exhibitions. Organised by the Ministry of Culture and Knowledge Development, this one-day event opens with a session on the future of Islamic art. With this in mind, it is followed by a number of workshops and “masterclass” sessions in everything from calligraphy and typography to geometry and the origins of Islamic design. There will also be discussions on subjects including ‘Who is the Audience for Islamic Art?’ and ‘New Markets for Islamic Design.’ A live performance from Kuwaiti guitarist Yousif Yaseen should be one of the highlights of the day.
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The rules on fostering in the UAE
A foster couple or family must:
- be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
- not be younger than 25 years old
- not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
- be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
- have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
- undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
- A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially
THE DETAILS
Kaala
Dir: Pa. Ranjith
Starring: Rajinikanth, Huma Qureshi, Easwari Rao, Nana Patekar
Rating: 1.5/5
2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, Leon.
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
Anghami
Started: December 2011
Co-founders: Elie Habib, Eddy Maroun
Based: Beirut and Dubai
Sector: Entertainment
Size: 85 employees
Stage: Series C
Investors: MEVP, du, Mobily, MBC, Samena Capital
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%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EEric%20Barbier%26nbsp%3B%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EYoussef%20Hajdi%2C%20Nadia%20Benzakour%2C%20Yasser%20Drief%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Ms Yang's top tips for parents new to the UAE
- Join parent networks
- Look beyond school fees
- Keep an open mind
The biog
Job: Fitness entrepreneur, body-builder and trainer
Favourite superhero: Batman
Favourite quote: We must become the change we want to see, by Mahatma Gandhi.
Favourite car: Lamborghini
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
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