Jamaica in the Global PR Industry.

So, you may be wondering why this topic is necessary. I think it is important for us to have an understanding of the regulatory Associations that have an impact on the PR industry in Jamaica.
Where does Jamaica stand in the Global PR market? That’s hard to tell considering that this is just a small island amongst PR giants such as the Americans and the British. There has been some efforts though to increase the visibility of the profession in Jamaica despite many challenges.

Integration, business restructuring and regional expansions, legislations and controls are among the challenges Caribbean public relations professionals face. The industry and its related institutions are responding with greater education offerings and empowered regional and national professional associations. These associations include the International Public Relations Associations (IPRA) and Congress of the Inter-American Confederation of Public Relations (CONFIARP).

Professional associations are necessary for the industry to grow in the region and so The Inter-American Confederation of Public Relations is determined to unify national associations such as the Congress of the Inter-American Confederation of Public Relations (CONFIARP). Juan Carlos Molleda in his article on Public Relation trends across the Caribbean says that ‘CONFIARP, IPRA, Global Alliance for Public Relations and Communication Management allow an active presence of Latin American and Caribbean public relations at international events and participation in global initiatives.’ (Global Alliance for PR and Communication Management READ ARTICLE HERE.

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What does this mean for Jamaica? These associations act as an international voice for countries across the Caribbean region and Jamaica being a part of this association will be represented at International Public Relations events, thus allowing the country to keep abreast with the current trends of the industry. According to the article, communication between members of CONFIARP and IPRA are very stable and adequate.

With that said, Jamaica is one of two Caribbean islands that boast its own PR Association. The Public Relations Society of Jamaica was formed in 1981 and has ever since, strived to create a supportive network for practitioners. In 1989, the Jamaican chapter of the International Association of Business Communicators was established to offer numerous training opportunities for practitioners. So even though the profession remains relatively underdeveloped in Jamaica, there have been steps to enhance the professional status of PR. Some practitioners have even become members of the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) and the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) as a means of tapping into the international networks. This will make them knowledgeable of the current trends and developments in PR and this of course will come in handy when promoting ‘brand Jamaica’.

References

Global Alliance for Public Relations and Communication Management, Transnationals Opt for Latin American hubs by Juan Carlos Molleda http://www.globalpr.org/knowledge/features/frontline-jcm-oct06.asp [Accessed Dec. 30, 2008]

Jamaica: Land of Wood and Water…and ‘Murder Capital’ of the World?

First and foremost, I chose this topic because I found it quite ironic that a country that attracts an average of over 3 million tourists per year has been marred by Crime. Jamaica’s crime rate is a distinctive feature that remains predominant in the eyes of the international Media.

Jamaica has always been a popular vacation spot best known for its beautiful white sand beaches, its perfect sunsets and its soothing reggae music; however the island's reputation for crime and violence has preceded it - often overshadowing the many wonderful aspects Jamaica has to offer its visitors. The BBC recently named Jamaica the ‘murder capital’ of the world in a recent study they commissioned (read article here, click the back button to return to blog). The study highlights that an average of 5 people are killed per day in Jamaica. Since the beginning of 2008, the crime rate spiraled to 700 murders in June, while the tourism sector continues to boom with visitors totaling over 1 million since the start of the winter season. What has always been most interesting to me is that even though the crime rate is staggering, this has not deterred visitors from going to Jamaica each year, making the island the number one Caribbean Vacation Destination.

Why do they want to visit an island which is so barbaric? Surely, PR has some influence! There must be a persuasive figure out there that portrays Jamaica in the best of lights - contrary to the level of bad publicity the country has received. I found this video was very spot on in its sugar coated portrayal of Jamaica. Of course witholding on the negative aspects you might stumble upon on your arrival could do no harm....can it?

References

BBCCaribbean.com Jamaica ‘Murder Capital of the World’ Jan. 3, 2006 http://www.bbc.co.uk/caribbean/news/story/2006/01/060103_murderlist.shtml [Accessed Dec. 26, 2008]

Don’t Sell the Steak….. Sell the Sizzle. PR in Jamaica’s Tourism Sector

Don’t sell the Steak, sell the Sizzle; what does this mean? Well, PR has a long standing reputation for bending the truth in the name of saving face or building a company’s or person’s image. Practitioners often ignore the negative aspects or the bad publicity and capitalize on the positives. They never get into the full details instead they give you a sugar coated topping with an undone filling. In short, Public Relations has a history of ‘spin’ which I believe is a reason why PR struggles to gain professional status.

The purpose of this blog is to bring attention to what seems to be a very underdeveloped profession in Jamaica. For locals, PR is just another way of advertising your business; however, with the recent influx of multinational corporations and foreign investors, the profession has been given some recognition. Public Relations is seen as a means of building one’s image in the eyes of the general public. PR practitioners are expected to support their companies through periods of crisis, mergers, expansions and organizational change. The most important task for the practitioner is to make a bad situation seem good. Getting the majority on your organization’s side is the most profound perception of PR in Jamaica.

In this blog, I will explore the role of Public Relations in Jamaica’s booming Tourism Sector with regards to the escalating crime rates in the country. What is that attracts so many visitors to the island regardless of the bad publicity Jamaica has received in relation to the level of crime? Maybe someone is doing a good job at promoting Jamaica positively or someone is doing a really good job at portraying the country negatively. Whichever way it is, PR plays an important role in the image of the country. In seeking to answer this question I will examine various ways in which Jamaica is promoted worldwide emphasizing the role of the Government and the Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB).