The bulk of PR agencies in the Middle East aim at gaining more media exposure to their clients. I think evaluation fits in when we smartly link this media exposure with pre-set business outcomes to our clients.
Needless to say that organizations from both private and public sectors in the Gulf have recognized the power of public relations in strengthening brand equity and enhancing corporate reputation.
They started to recognize that PR involves creating, maintaining and enhancing long term relationships with stakeholders.
Clients in the region realize that their stakeholders have become too demanding. These facts make it imperative to PR practitioners to start providing integrated solutions directly tailored to match their clients’ PR requirements and precisely evaluated according to pre set business outcomes to move PR from being “lovely to have” to being a crucial part of any business strategy!

Dubai’s decision to establish the Dubai Media Affairs Office 'Brand Dubai' in June to coordinate Dubai's media affairs internationally is a classic example of recognition of the value communications bring to the table. While the new office will work as a platform to project Dubai's continuing achievements on economic, cultural and social matters, it also demonstrates that Dubai is a great believer in communications as the key to emerge one-up in the current global crisis. If an entire Emirate can adopt this innovative approach to communications, Arab governments and businesses should made extra efforts to retain their communications personnel because this is the time where they are needed most.

Once I was chatting with a new client as he was about to leave for Ottawa to celebrate New Year's Eve. He was in an angry mood and complained bitterly that he had not heard from his retainer agency since mid-November!