Blue-chip Companies Appreciate PR More

Aderonke Adebule is the AGM, JSP Communications Consultancy, a thriving marketing communications firm in Lagos. She relates her experiences and journey up the success ladder with Blessing Nwobodo.

My name is Aderonke Adebule. I head the Clients Relations Department of JSP Communications Consultancy. For my childhood education, I attended Air force Secondary School, Lagos. I hold a Bachelor of Arts degree in History and Strategic Studies from University of Lagos and am currently pursuing a Masters degree in Public & International Affairs. I also hold a diploma in Business Administration from University of Ife and have had several professional training in relation to my job.
I have been in the industry for the past 17 years out of which 15 years have been with JSP. I am a pioneer staff of JSP. I have handled several brands over the years.  As PR consultants, we conceptualize ideas, nurture them with clients and execute them. We are also image/perception managers or what you would call brand managers, brand or corporate.
Most of our clients are blue-chip companies. When I first joined the company, I was working in the administrative department but due to my flair for events management, I was re-assigned. I became the head of events management and from there I moved into core PR.
I have come to love and appreciate PR, because it has been intellectually challenging. It has given me an opportunity to see brands through different situations and the opportunity to meet people, interact, contribute and watch as things change. You know, when you have a crisis situation you keep working until the crisis turns to acceptability.
This job has taken me far and wide. I’ve gone abroad for training. The one that excites me most was when I travelled to Hill & Knowlton Worldwide, a top PR Company in the world, which JSP is affiliated to.  In Hill & Knowlton London and Dubai I observed how PR is practiced, how they manage their accounts, and the internal processes. These experiences gave me a global insight into how PR is practiced internationally because in this business you need to continuously benchmark or compete with the practice of PR outside the country, I mean the global standard of practice.
I enjoy travelling. I ensure I travel annually and on every trip, I ensure I learn something.  Sometimes I go to our office in the UK. I go to see some of our clients who are in that part of the world. If the opportunity arises I also want to see what their operations are like. To me, it’s a vacation but I am also working.
The difference between PR practice in Nigeria and abroad is that we have more of  blue-chips companies over there that appreciate PR more than we do in Nigeria, and this is the major challenge we face here. Another challenge is getting companies to understand what PR is all about.
I am happily married with two daughters and I cope well because I have a very loving and understanding husband. When I am at home, I make my impact felt.
My style of relaxation is socializing. I also create the time to read motivational books. I love travelling, meeting people and making friends.