TSIC engages PR experts on harnessing Valentine celebration for youth empowerment
The School of Impactful Communication (TSIC), an assembly of PR practitioners and scholars in communication industry has hosted young PR practitioners to share their opinions and knowledge on how practitioners can harness Valentine’ season for youth empowerment.
The session which was hosted through TSIC social media platform was co-hosted by Ishola Ayodele, a PR Practitioner also awarding winning PR/Scholar and Mathew Ogunsuada a young PR in the-making.
The panellists included Kabir Abdulsalam, managing editor to spokespersdigest, convener of annual Spokesperson Communication Award and Tech PR specialist.
Other include Bukola Afeni, a versatile media and communication specialist, experience in working for non-profit and corporate media outfits.
Babatunde Omisore, is a Principal Public Affairs Officer with the Lagos government. He is a prolific writer and astute PR professional. He enjoys intellectual debates and discussions.
Kabir fired the first salvo when she explained that ‘ the simplest meaning of valentines day is often intended as a declaration of love and seen as a gesture to extend friendship.It is widely believed that the history of Valentine’s Day is obscure, however, several accounts exist’.
While adding that Youth empowerment can be define as posited by Wikipedia, is a “process where children and young people are encouraged to take charge of their lives.
“By so doing, addressing their situation and then take action in order to improve their access to resources and transform their consciousness through their beliefs, values, and attitudes.he added.
In her contribution, theme is critical because Public Relations is key in every facets of life. PR tools can be utilized in sensitizing youths and empowering them prior to that day and after the day.
She explain this theme Public Relations while quoting Wikipedia as the practice of managing and disseminating information from an individual or an organization to the public in order to affect their public perception.
Public relations and publicity differs in that PR is controlled internally, whereas publicity is not controlled and contributed by external parties. She stated.
Babatunde emphasised that the human mind is an emotional box dominated by an avalanche of emotions from anger to fear to hatred and even love.
On the contextual aspects, Babatunde stressed that the world commemorates the day as a live day which is good but the problem is that the day places too much emphasis on just one type of love: the Titanic type. The live between Jack and Rose.
They panellists agreed that PR can play such a great role in Harnessing the power of Love for Youth Empowerment with the aim of spreading the messages that will resonate with you by utilizibg the social media.
They nevertheless exposed some communication strategies that can be deploy to harness the season for you’re engagement.
Kabir faulted the lingering and misuse of the ‘Love’ in contemporary age. He said” Unfortunately, modern-day people have narrowed the broader meaning of this love to a limited meaning and call themselves civilized people. Meanwhile, young people have the biggest role to play in limiting the broader meaning of this love. Young people in modern society consider this love to be a self-made relationship between a boy and a girl”.
Bukola observed that Media tools such as Awareness campaign can be done to sensitize the youths on the need to behave well on valentine day , it should not be a day that is set aside for frivolities.
“Valentine should also be a day to appreciate the less privileged in the society by sharing fliers to celebrate the elderly in our family, the orphans and the vulnerable in the society.
“We can use social media to produce video and short documentary about social causes that can be improved upon. There are so many schools even in the Federal Capital Territory that don’t have good facilities and amenities. She added
When the moderator asked why PR pros cooperate organisation and government communication managers shouldn’t limited their messages to Valentine season alone.
She said “On the part of the government they will come around with time to appreciate valentine day.The bureaucracy in the set up may not allow them to buy into it fully , but seeing corporate firms buying into the day, they will change.
In another clime, kabir explains how effective PR can aid the goals of empowering youths through PR campaign “
it is paramount, as PR Manager to deploy strategic relationship message to inspire not to promotes intimacy among youths.
With the evolution of new media, PRs have to plan and aim for coverage months in advance: with ‘heart-tugging moments on Valentine’s Day’ which will be driven and shaped for your pitch.
As a master holder in Development Communication, Bukola Afeni posited that the basic technique to leverage on the valentine day is for corporate organizations and government to go into partnership to engage in laudable programme for that day and even after that will enable youth to be fully empowered.
“Partnership with strategic youth organizations in schools, and religious groups, and NGOs that are youth friendly, this will go a long way.
Skills empowerment programme can be organised prior to that day to commemorate the celebration. She said
Kabir who possessed several Digital courses maintains that with evolution of new media, PR have to leverage the day to inspire teeming youths virtually with social media campaign strategies:
Create an interactive social media, Use SMS to offer customers exclusive savings, Tap into consumer emotions with heartwarming video content. (Tell a story), Boost authenticity by showcasing customer photos (share testimony), Communication during crisis situation requires forecast, tactical and pragmatic action through agenda setting approaches that will influence and sway patronage.
While appreciating the wonderful submission, Mr Ishola Ayodele, the founder of the platform commended the panellists for their brilliant submission.
