MEPRA Grows Teeth, Fines d’PR for Photoshopping Picture

Posted on December 20, 2010 by Mo Elzubeir in Industry News

MEPRA shows its teeth as it slaps a AED 15,000/- fine on d’PR for photoshopping a picture of their staff posing in front of the MEPRA Awards backdrop and then distributing this image to the media. Wow, MEPRA.. didn’t think you had it in ya! I wonder who d’pr upset this time. Oh wait, I know.. the sponsors!

I think this is a “good thing”, although I suspect that MEPRA is selective in who gets to be disciplined and who doesn’t. Anyone in the PR industry will tell you horror stories of unethical practices by some of the more prominent MEPRA members, so why d’pr now? It’s a lot easier for MEPRA to slap a fine when the damage is being done to one of their own, as opposed to a potential client.

Not making myself clear enough? Okay, say agency X has photoshopped a picture that makes their client, Big Company ABC stand out, obscuring some other part of an image. Let’s say, something as big as the now infamous Mubarak photoshop debacle. Would MEPRA risk embarrassing one of their members’ potential clients in defense of their ethical standards? I’m not sure and I am skeptical, but would hope so.

It’s worth noting that d’pr bagged 4 MEPRA Awards this year, including Agency of The Year! It does put things in perspective when the year’s most celebrated agency is being called out on their code of conduct.

On the whole though, I think MEPRA is growing into a proper body, except for their inexplicable resistance to be inclusive of the PR industry. Let’s hope that it continues to promote standards in the industry and include all players involved.

Mo Elzubeir

With a background in business computing, Mo Elzubeir is the CEO and founder of Mediastow, one of the fastest growing media intelligence agencies in the Middle East and North Africa region.

   

Tags: MEPRA, public relations