Never miss an opportunity to do down a competitor

Messages from the archive of Rutherford Hall, critical communications strategist

WhatsApp to Stephen: We need to talk about Saudi. London is ticking over but sluggish so we need to build up elsewhere. The Public Investment Fund is the biggest pie in the world, and we need a larger slice. Neom city — the “dream in the desert” — is the motherlode of global contracts. We should get some of our Dubai team into Riyadh. We need to open a statement office there. I know our London team won’t like working for Saudi but they’ll like the money. We might even need to spend a bit of time out there ourselves to show our intent. You saw what they are paying for footballers — we want to be the Steve Gerrard, Neymar and Jordan Henderson of Saudi global comms. 

WhatsApp to Stephen: OK maybe not Jordan Henderson. But this needs to be our strategic focus this year. Can you put some feelers out? By the way, did you fill in your PRWeek Power Book questionnaire yet? It’s been sitting in my inbox since October but I think the deadline is in about three hours. I know it is all rubbish and full of grandstanding gobshites, but we need to be among them.

WhatsApp to Stephen: Yes, I know there are 900 sub categories as well as the overall power list. It’s a total scam but if we aren’t on it then clients might wonder about an outfit that can’t even manage its own PR. Forget being interesting. The smart people use this to push their commercial interests. One thing I learnt when I was working in Downing Street is you don’t turn down these free hits.

WhatsApp to Stephen: Question 1: Which organisation or individual has managed reputation most poorly in the past 12 months? This is a golden opportunity to do down a competitor. Do we know anyone who is unhappy with their agency? Don’t want to upset the client but if we can find a way to suggest they are being represented by amateurs.

WhatsApp to Stephen: The line here is not outright attack but sadness that such a great brand is punching so far below its weight both in its public image and with the people it needs to influence. Something like “When I was at Downing Street one of my biggest frustrations was seeing a great business punching below its weight because it did not seem to know how to get the attention of those who mattered.” I think we want something like: “I wonder if Neom is getting its due level of attention and excitement. We ought to know much more about the visionaries creating this futuristic city. This is changing the way we will see Saudi Arabia. This is an epic movie not an indie release. Good enough should never be good enough. The Public Investment Fund is doing amazing things. Reshaping global investment and playing a role as a regional peacemaker, it’s got a great story to tell . . .”

WhatsApp to Stephen: Next: what are your biggest ambitions for 2024 — professional and personal. Well I’d quite like it if you didn’t have any more affairs with senior members of staff. But that’s probably not what they are looking for. Personally I want to smash my personal best for the London Brighton cycle. Professionally, do we want to say something about diversity or is that too last year? Could mention our growing Middle East business or are we in danger of overdoing it? In any case, I’m not sure MBS reads PRWeek.

WhatsApp to Stephen: How prepared do you consider your organisation for the AI era? (Marks out of five) This is a trap. We need to be humble here. Do you think four or maybe 3.5? We are seriously engaged with AI, and have built some serious expertise but this is a fast moving space. It will change lives, businesses and cities, and anyone who thinks they have cracked it is about to start falling behind. By the way can you get someone to look at the Alexa, it’s broken again.

WhatsApp to Stephen: Do you still use social media — and if so, which single social platform do you find most useful now? You should always be communicating.

WhatsApp to Stephen: What do you plan to do less of in 2024? How about? I hope to spend a bit less time in London. A lot of the most exciting developments and forward-looking business leaders are outside Europe.

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Thrilled and honoured to be in the PRWeek Power list. So many of these baubles mean little but the respect of one’s fellow professionals means everything. Particularly excited to be writing this from Riyadh where I’m seeing first hand how a dynamic leader is building a new nation.

Messages recovered by Robert Shrimsley