Looking back and forward: 4 decades of pr work

Looking back and forward: 4 decades of pr work
The Buensalido PR and Communications team on their 40th anniversary —CONTRIBUTED PHOTOS

The truth is I never expected to still be running my public relations agency of 40 years and counting.  

I set up my own pr company in 1983. Ninoy Aquino had just been assassinated as he disembarked from a plane at the Manila International Airport. The Philippine economy was in the doldrums, and within the next three years Ferdinand Marcos Sr. would be removed from the presidency by the 1986 People Power Revolution and Corazon Aquino would become president. Those were turbulent times indeed, even globally. 

I was 33 and had just spent five years working in a multinational advertising agency where I learned the basics of account management, advertising and pr while working with top accounts like Pepsi, Procter and Gamble, and Nestle Philippines, among others. Before then, I spent time working with an NGO family planning agency and a new government institution, the Development Academy of the Philippines, and managed to earn a master’s degree in communication research from the University of the Philippines while teaching part-time at the University of Santo Tomas and Assumption College.

It’s said that 33 is the age when a major change strikes one’s life (Jesus was crucified and died on the cross at 33).  One can get married, give birth to a first child, move to another country, change careers, or start a business. 

Well, my personal dramatic upheaval was to start my own agency, and since then I have looked forward with optimism and fortitude.  As we mark our 41st year of creating ideas and projects and working for the communications needs of a wide range of clients and partners in Philippine businesses, I realize that four decades of consistent work and maintaining a relationship with countless people and institutions are no mean feat. 

Public relations (PR) veteran
The author

I am often referred to as an “institution,” a veteran, or an icon, and I smile politely. But there is this other term I shy away from: a legend.  May I beg the forgiveness of those who say that?  I know it’s meant as a compliment, and I thank God I’m still alive and active, and hoping that I can still contribute something to the current state of the pr industry. But if legendary means famous or well-known, I disagree. I prefer to work behind the scene—a stance that many younger practitioners today do not subscribe to.  

What pr has taught me 

When I’m asked how I’ve lasted this long doing the same work pattern for so many years, I give the simplest answer: that I’ve grown to love working with people from the demanding client side and the challenging media on the other end. It was never an easy balancing act, but it has taught me so much about how to make each party appreciate the other so that their “mutually beneficial” relationship makes our work better. I’m likewise proud to say I have made some of the best and most enduring friendships in the course of my work. That is something I am most grateful for.

Public relations (PR) book by veterans
Cover of the first book on nine pr veterans

In 2007 I was fortunate to be part of the landmark book “How to Make it in PR: PR Veterans tell their Stories,“ in which nine “legends” talk about how they started and succeeded in their work. 

The eight men with whom I was honored to be classified were big names and pioneers in pr: Charlie Agatep, Maximino Edralin Jr., Rene Nieva, Pete Padre Jr., Virgilio Pantaleon, Francisco Roman, Oscar Villadolid, and the creator, editor and publisher of the book, Romy Virtusio, who called me his “younger sister” in the profession. Sadly, all of them have passed on. I’m proud to be part of that first book on pr where fiercely competitive individuals share a wealth of experience. 

There was so much to learn from each of them, and I’m moved to name my own set of personal lessons I wrote about then and still hold true today. I believe they will work well not only for pr and comms practitioners but also for anyone who wants to succeed in any chosen field. 

Learn how to write and speak well. Pr is a communications function, so one must master the tools of the trade including basics such as writing, grammar, the proper way of addressing people, and the right choice of words for different situations.

Treasure every aspect of your work experience as something you will take with you for the rest of your life. There are no small tasks, only small minds.  Everything you sometimes think is worthless will prove valuable in your cache of personal knowledge, such as preparing minutes of meetings, picking out unique gifts or souvenirs, and even the art of following up on people on the phone with grace and propriety.  

Love people and learn how to deal with each type of personality. If you’re not a people person, pr may not be the career for you because your patience and endurance will be tested to the limit.

Build your credentials, credibility, and good reputation. Never sacrifice your integrity and name for the sake of money or short-term profit. You must genuinely believe in the product, person, or institution you’re promoting. 

Enduring friendships

Some of the unforgettable work we have done involved prestigious institutions and clients whose pr needs we handled from 10 to 20 years. Many of them remain friends even if we no longer work with them, to name a few: Avon, National Book Store, Qantas, Cathay Pacific, and the Triple V group of restaurants.  Today we continue to partner with and nurture accounts, some of which we saw through the challenging years of the pandemic: Makati Medical Center, Shangrila Mall, Rakuten Viber, and Unilab. 

Be genuinely sincere in all your dealings.  As a pr practitioner, I used to reject the idea that people would question my sincerity under the assumption that it’s just a job for me.  Sincerity means you should be able to tell the truth even in difficult situations. And you should also be able to refuse when you are asked to do something against your principles. 

Embrace technology and new gadgets. One is never too old to learn a new skill. Over the past 40 years, I have learned to move from the old traditional gadgets to today’s modern and fast digital tools and pace. And of course, social and digital media have turned our practice into an entirely different terrain: in the moment, high-speed, virtual.  

Learn how to identify mentors, creative people, friends or clients who have admirable qualities, and pick out their best character traits which you can adopt or apply to your own situations. Don’t be afraid to ask for success secrets. Go with winners and you will be one, too. I am grateful to my older friends in the pr profession who shared their knowledge and experiences unselfishly. 

Think positive. Despite the many negative things going on in the world, you must strive to make a difference by focusing on positive thoughts and actions. I like to say I found my niche by fostering positive pr practice. (I refused to do “crisis PR” because that, to me, was hardly positive pr.)

Take up an advocacy as your way of giving back to your community or to the disadvantaged. Don’t expect any rewards except for that positive feeling that goes with doing something for others.

Spend more time or, at the very least, the same amount of time you put into your work with your family and the people you love. To build a successful career or business, you need to spend long hours to excel. If you want your family or your personal life to succeed and prosper as well, you must make equal or more time for them, with the same passion, devotion and commitment.

A new book

If there is one legacy I received from my late mentors, it is a deep respect for the written word, and books in particular. Which is probably why it was a natural progression for me and our team (who all happen to love books and other forms of literature) to go into publishing and book projects which we started during the pandemic.

Selective book projects have allowed us to manifest our love for literature. We believe this is the “legacy” we can leave behind, and it is certainly another way for us to continue telling stories and help people articulate their passions.

Seventeen years after that “trailblazing” book on pr, I am again fortunate to have led our group composed of 17 members of the International Public Relations Association (Philippine Chapter) to gather our respective weekly columns in the Business Mirror, “PR Matters,” into a book titled “PR Matters: A Communicator’s Guide to the Dynamic World of Public Relations.” It’s a collection of some of our columns covering basic knowledge on public relations, successful pr campaigns, lessons from pr leaders, the role of pr in government agencies and public service, corporate social responsibility, good manners in pr, and how we navigated the challenges of the pandemic. 

It was a collective labor of love as we had to select the most informative pieces written by our members, including those who have passed on and those of us still in active practice. 

Public relations (PR) book
Cover of the book PR matters which was named Finalist for National Book Award 2024 For Best Book on Professions by the National Book Development Board

In September 2024, our book was named a finalist for a National Book Award in the category “books on professions” by the National Book Development Board. The recognition has given us much optimism and encouragement.

It has been a fulfilling and absolutely life-changing career for me. As I reflect on how our agency has evolved over the years, I feel the same pride and gratitude that I expressed  in the book “How to Make it in PR” published  17 years ago:  “Today, as I look back at how my career evolved to bring me to where I am now, I am grateful to each and every person I have ever worked with or encountered because they all influenced and touched my passage from my younger days to this stage in my professional life. If success is defined as being happy with what you are doing, I suppose I can call myself a success because I am happy.”

Our 41-year-old agency continues to adapt to the evolving times. With a younger and creatively driven team, we hope to still make solid and significant contributions to the industry we love.  

And perhaps someday I may accept the honor of being called a pr “legend.”

Read more: To help those with special needs navigate life

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