By Darren Gilbert
In preparing for the Global Power Book. Media Update chatted to Oosthuizen about what the honour means to her personally, as well as what she thinks it means to the local PR industry on a greater scale.
“I am truly humbled as this is a very large sector,” she says, “It means a great deal to me.”
For Oosthuizen, however, what is most important is that it’s an honour for the whole Ogilvy Public Relations team in South Africa who work tirelessly every day to produce results that matter for the brands they manage.
As for what it means to the local PR industry as a whole, Oosthuizen is adamant: “There were five people in the Global Power Book for Africa so this should give our local clients and the local industry confidence.” Regardless of how the world sees the continent, South Africa, and indeed Africa, is on a par with the rest of the world.
At the same time, the local PR industry continues to be strong and is well placed to lead integration, adds Oosthuizen. “The future of PR in South Africa is bright and we continue to be advancing in line with our global counterparts.” We also continue to produce some of the world’s best talent and work, she adds.
However, that doesn’t mean there aren’t any challenges.
One of the biggest tests is the ever changing dynamic of the PR and content landscape, a challenge which Oosthuizen is wary of. “We have to continuously reinvent ourselves to be relevant and top of mind when it comes to earning clients the right to matter in the right channels.” It’s where the future of PR and earned media is going.
On top of that is the challenge of talent. “[It] is our biggest burning platform in South Africa, and it is increasingly getting worse, year-on-year,” she admits. “We, as agencies and corporates, need to invest more in training to ensure that we do not find ourselves in a crisis in the next few years.”
Having said that, it’s not all doom and gloom for the local PR industry. In fact, Oosthuizen is anything but negative. “I am extremely excited about the future of PR as it is taking a more prominent place in the marketing world,” she concludes.
For more information, visit www.ogilvy.co.za. Alternatively, connect with them on Facebook or on Twitter.