Let Us Tell Our Stories As PR Professionals

Esther Adobea Akuamoah

 On July 16, 2021, World Public Relations Day (WPRD) was launched. The date also marks the birthday of one of the early pioneers, Ivy Lee and honours his contribution to the noble profession. 

 It is a day dedicated to Public Relations to help in building a unified global agenda towards making the world understand and utilize it better. Often PR is seen as a spin and characterized by a lot of misconceptions and myths.  Largely because as PR people we have not told our stories well enough.

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For some people, PR professionals are fixers and are therefore called on when there is a crisis and for others, they are spin doctors who can take the truth and use it the other way in your favour.  The truth is PR is none of these things stated above. It is time that we start by debunking these myths by educating the public on what PR is. The Public Relations Society of America defines it as a strategic communication process that builds mutually beneficial relationships between organizations and their public.

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As a Public Relations professional telling the stories of organizations and brands thus building trust in the process is one of your many functions. Over the years, brands and organizations have benefited from narratives that Public Relations professionals have told on their behalf yet not much is known about the profession or those who tell these stories. Though not magicians, Public Relations Professionals do shape perceptions and create a positive identity with the audiences they want to reach. This helps them to attract clients, customers, and investors and gives a good understanding of the company’s values, and mission. 

The year 2021 marked the first World Public Relations Day (WPRD). Surprising right? I know but that is the reality we face. One would ask how difficult is it for PR professionals to tell their own stories when that is what they do on a daily basis for the brands and organizations they work for and with. Almost every profession in this world has a day set aside to celebrate and tout its contribution to the growth of its sector, society, and the world at large. 

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Why will it take this long for us as professionals to celebrate our practice and its impact on society? It is because we have lost ourselves in telling the stories of others. It is like the mother who refuses to eat because the food can only be enough for her child. In as much as looking out for your child is essential, a mother taking care of herself is equally important because you need to be fit to take care of your child.

Generally, this year’s celebration was a good one with PR agencies, professionals, students, and corporate Ghana celebrating the hard work of the practice and acknowledging how important it is to the growth and sustainability of every organization. Certainly, World Public Relations Day is here to stay and it will always be a day where the hard work of all PR professionals will be celebrated among themselves and around the world.

By: Esther Adobea Akuamoah (sibaakuamoa35@gmail.com)

About the author

Esther Akuamoah is a Public Relations Professional, Event Planner and Sports enthusiast. She holds a Master's Degree in International Affairs and Diplomacy from the University of Ghana and a Bachelor's degree in Communication Studies from the Ghana Institute of Journalism.

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