Priority Consultants

With everyone well and truly back in business, executives are traveling and events of every kind are in full force - for media events – the discussion arises as to who is going to grab the most interest and attention.

It used to be that visiting members of the global leadership teams would be a draw – and they are still very helpful in establishing a global brand strength and voice, but today we look to the local team leaders to bring the understanding and nuance that is going to resonate with in-country media.

Learn more about the role of local and international spokespeople in the second part of our “Leveraging the Leader’s Voice” blog posts and let us know if we can help you grow the impact of your spokespeople in the most exciting region in the world - South East Asia and India.

Leveraging The Leader’s Voice | Part Two – Match the Voice to the Medium | We Live Asia Leveraging The Leader’s Voice Part Two – Match the Voice to the Medium Having identified our spokesperson, the next step […]

THE VOICE OF THE LEADER
Senior spokespeople are among any company’s most important and powerful marketing assets. A well-qualified, expertly-trained spokesperson can be deployed to convey the key corporate messages in multiple channels – in print interviews or opinion pieces, in TV or radio broadcasts, or in online forums like podcasts or webinars.

At Priority Consultants, we have a disciplined process for identifying client spokespeople, matching them to the most effective media, and training them to handle any type of media interaction. What we are looking for are what audiences relish - true thought leaders, individuals who can use their expertise and industry perspective to offer guidance, inspire innovation and influence others.
For more, see our latest blog series. (https://lnkd.in/exDhEFtf).

Leveraging The Leader’s Voice | Part One – Find The Voice | We Live Asia Leveraging The Leader’s Voice Part One – Find The Voice Spokespeople are assets At Priority Consultants, this is part of […]

"X" MISSES THE SPOT
The richest man in the world has left the social media community discombobulated. Elon Musk’s decision to rebrand Twitter is perplexing as he abandons 17 years of accumulated brand value, an unmistakable logo after and the addition of “tweet” to the global lexicon. Maybe we will be “X-ing” in future – but then again… we’ve been doing that since eternity!
Beyond the name, there are question marks over Musk’s apparent intention to have the late lamented Twitter rise phoenix-like into the “X” superapp. CEO, Linda Yaccarino, talks about “…unlimited interactivity… creating a global marketplace for ideas, goods, services, and opportunities.”
The problem, Mr Musk and Ms Yaccarino, is that you’re too late. Here in Southeast Asia we already have Grab and Gojek - well-established and flourishing superapps that are an essential part of people’s daily lives. They in turn owe a debt to the original superapp -China’s WeChat. Asia also boasts other superapps, such as Kakao in South Korea, India’s Paytm and Alipay, a Chinese competitor for WeChat.
According to some pundits there are several reasons why superapps have not yet taken off in the West. These include consumers’ comfort with legacy payment systems and fear of handing over personal data to one single monolithic service provider.
Whether this is true or not, for Musk to have any hope of success making “X” a superapp, he needs to spend less time star-gazing and perhaps look a little closer to home and see what's happening here in Asia.

SUPERAPPS – SE ASIA’S AHEAD OF THE CURVE | Priority Consultants SUPERAPPS – SE ASIA’S AHEAD OF THE CURVE The global media is awash this week with coverage of Elon Musk’s […]

Generative AI – its here to stay.
The world still can’t stop talking about ChatGPT and its Generative AI cousins. Legitimate questions are being raised about how it should be used, particularly by creative agencies like Priority. We realise that clients may start asking – “are you using it”? “How are you using it”? And even “If it is so good, why do we even need you?”
We take such questions seriously and recently published our initial Policy on the use of Generative AI tools by Priority Consultants Group companies. You can read it here (https://rb.gy/ql01b) . We also took ChatGPT on several test drives, prompting it to perform various standard tasks. The outcomes reinforced our firm belief that ChatGPT is a useful tool, but it can never replace our human skills, our experience and our ability to find and express the nuance of any communication. These skills are embodied in Priority’s Three Pillars – domain expertise, local knowledge and proven methodology. We will use ChatGPT, but we have set clear boundaries as to how and when, and our clients can rest assured that they will continue to receive the exceptional work produced by our team of humans. Read more here (https://rb.gy/iydua).

GENERATIVE AI – THE GENIE IS OUT OF THE BOTTLE! | Priority Consultants HQ GENERATIVE AI – THE GENIE IS OUT OF THE BOTTLE! The storm of comment about Generative AI shows no […]

MEANWHILE IN INDIA…
It’s time to reboot the India of the Western imagination. We must consign the tropes of Bollywood, Mother Theresa and yoga to the past and recognise the sub-continent as it is today – a dynamic and flourishing economy, one of the world’s technology leaders with its satellite launches and moon landings, and a nation well on the way to becoming a global power.
It is not only India’s nuclear capabilities and vast population that are earning it a seat at the Big Table – it’s the digital transformation that is driving change in every sector. India’s education system is already world-class and growing via smartphone study. Healthcare is another sector set for massive growth through online services. Government plans for internet expansion will link the country and unleash the talent and purchasing power of the millions of rural residents – will you be ready to take advantage? Read our latest blog post to appreciate why you need to rethink India and we can help you take that leap.

A LETTER FROM THE REGION – PART 2 | Priority Consultants MEANWHILE IN INDIA….. In contrast to ASEAN, India’s growth story is no secret. According to IMF data, India’s GDP recovered […]

ASEAN – Asia’s best kept secret?
It’s time to take a serious look at ASEAN, the Association of South East Asian Nations. This vibrant region is Priority’s home market; it includes some of the fastest growing and youngest countries in the world today, and yet its low profile doesn’t reflect its potential. ASEAN shines as a beacon of business opportunity in a rather sombre world – it has a wealth of natural resources, a digital native population with a median age of under 30, and it is forecast to become the world’s largest single market by 2030! Digital transformation means every sector from healthcare to education, finance to supply chain is set for growth. Read our latest blog post to appreciate why you be taking a hard look at ASEAN.

A LETTER FROM THE REGION – PART 1 | Priority Consultants ASEAN – ASIA’S BEST KEPT SECRET Let’s take a look at ASEAN, the Association of South East Asian Nations, the […]

Award Winning Shift in Market Perception

A very strong brand built around one specialised and very successful solution can sometimes be an impediment to growth as clients and prospects do not look beyond their immediate recall to see what else the company offers. This was the challenge for Fortinet who needed to shift perception and demonstrate excellence across an entire suite of security solutions and not just firewalls.

The journey was one that was defined by understanding the nine different countries in which Fortinet was engaging the media and realigning corporate resources for optimum impact as compelling stories in the region. The success was a shift of industry perception with Fortinet achieving top spot in Share of Voice across all nine markets in one of the most competitive sectors in the tech sector today. With over 200 media engagements, 5,000 media articles and 55% of the media coverage in Tier One, the metrics was impressive. But the messaging was to paraphrase Fortinet, “absolutely spot on” in addressing the company’s primary target publics.

Priority’s commitment to understanding the business and aligning with global messaging and local focus won the Gold Award for Best Use of Virtual Platforms, and Silver in the B2B Regional Campaign category at the Marketing-Interactive PR Awards 2023.

PRIORITY CONSULTANTS SCOOPS GOLD AND SILVER AT PR AWARDS | Priority Consultants   The Marketing-Interactive PR Awards, saw Priority’s commitment to telling a compelling story to educate the publics across the region […]

Training has never been more important for enterprises that want to survive the current economic storms.

Along with geo-political challenges and climate change, businesses are facing a banking crisis, a post-pandemic revolution in work attitudes and practices, and advances in technology that are turning everything upside down.

But the basics haven’t changed.

The winners will be those companies and individuals that combine a clear understanding of the hard skills required to do the job, with Perseverance. Not just Competencies, but Character. Practical skills with the Determination to succeed. A mastery of the basics and an Attitude that can’t be broken.

The world of PR can be tough and demanding. Some may ultimately decide it is not a path they wish to pursue or despite their best endeavors, not everyone will succeed. That is perfectly fine but for people under our watch here at Priority Consultants, we are committed to provide everyone with the opportunity and the training to be successful.

So, if communications is your bag and you want to be the best, if you want to challenge yourself and learn what you’re made of, if you want to be part of a team that runs together and wins together – then our style, approach and promise may be just right for you.

Learning@Priority - Do YOU have what it takes? | Priority Consultants Market leading organisations recognise the importance of training and the Priority Consultants Group is no exception. Being a PR professional […]

Dear Ladies of Team Priority,

Since 1911, International Women’s Day has been a focus for the call to accelerate women’s equality. With little progress being made in far too many parts of the world it should be a time to reflect on our own roles and the influence we can bring as mothers and sisters, colleagues and members of the community. How can we each advance the change that must happen?

In this context, a few thoughts on what influenced me. Firstly, as a daughter I was lucky - my father was a clergyman, a feminist and with a wonderful sense of humour. With two daughters and a strong wife, he believed ardently there was nothing that was limited by gender and for that I am eternally grateful.

I hope those same beliefs carried through to my children. When they were little, my role was “Mum”, and like all of you, a magician able to literally “kiss it better" so all the more important to not set artificial boundaries. It was not always easy -other generations, the in-laws and different cultures all exert their influence, not to mention the challenges of helping them navigate the journey into adulthood.

Today I cannot “kiss it better” and my children no longer fit on my knee. Instead I can offer the wisdom earned through my own experiences and from the many amazing people I have met along life’s journey, who add another perspective. I’ve met mothers of children undergoing difficult medical treatment in my work with anon-profit, I’ve worked in my professional life with women who are company founders, regional and global chief executives, and each had a story to tell of challenges, disappointments and ultimately of success.

This same approach to equality is fundamental here at Priority Consultants. Since our earliest days, our team has included many outstanding female executives who have more than held their own with their male colleagues. It is a constant frustration that our profession is sometimes seen as more suited to women because it is a “softer” role. It is no such thing - looking back to those early days working with clients in the engineering, offshore and manufacturing arenas, thanks to my attitude and upbringing, the hard hat and safety boots fit me very well.

Today our Priority women work in every area, from management to finance, client servicing to training. Your contributions are invaluable and we salute your dedication and hard work.

I know that you each carry multiple responsibilities at home as well as at work, and for many I know you may still be fighting the battle for equality in too many areas of life. It takes time to change national cultures and political agendas but I am proud to say that here at Priority, no-one faces gender discrimination.

Wishing all our wonderful women at Priority Consultants an excellent International Women’s Day and let’s all work towards the end of inequality in both thoughts and actions.

Jane.

https://lnkd.in/gtzDi4za
ChatGPT stumped by Singapore's primary school leaving exams.

The story arc of ChatGPT has blazed across public imagination with indecent speed. Opinions ranged from “revolution” to “disaster” with reminders of Stephen Hawking’s dire prediction that AI would be the worst thing ever to happen in our civilisation all resurfaced, with shared views from Elon Musk.
In Singapore, a country known for its world-record-breaking educational success, the Ministry of Education was most pragmatic, acknowledging it was here to stay and we all should adapt accordingly. So while fears percolated on the potential job losses there was a huge national sigh of relief when local headlines screamed out “ChatGPT fails Primary School maths and science, and scrapes through English”. Allowing the stress of the Primary School Leaving Exams drives parents to either drink or take a week off work, this was cause for celebration as our 12-year-olds are smarter.
We have shared our take of the first few days of this evolving story and look forward to hearing your thoughts – while I continue prepping for my exams!

CHATGPT – THE GREAT DISRUPTOR | Priority Consultants The story arc of ChatGPT blazed across public imagination with indecent speed. In a matter of weeks, opinions have ranged […]

Firmly planted in Asia – growing a company culture

Being a team and sharing the culture and philosophy that lies at the heart of any organisation is relatively easy when a lunch gathering, or after-work drink can be a simple and snap decision. Then with growth and distance, the value of those regular offsite meetings and people traveling to have valuable face-to-face time can never be underestimated. It provides that same chance to put an arm around a shoulder and share the core values we want to inculcate.

With more than 50 staff located in 14 Asian cities, propagating that culture needs attention and commitment. There are stark cultural differences between our countries which we all celebrate but at the same time, need to recognize and understand.

It was very exciting last week when the inaugural Culture Committee hosted a “Talk Priority” company-side discussion / feedback session to discuss who actually is responsible for culture? They shared the value of having core values and re-introduced E.R.I.C. – Empathy, Respect, Integrity and Courage – and we all agreed at the end of the day, culture is everyone’s responsibility.

More at the blog and love to hear what other companies are doing to inculcate the right culture across their real-world and hybrid teams.

COMPANY CULTURE – WHOSE JOB IS IT ANYWAY? | Priority Consultants Here at Priority Consultants, we celebrate our diversity. Our potpourri of race, age, gender and religious beliefs is a strength, […]