For FNC candidates, PR comes at steep price

Dubai / Ajman / Ras Al Khaimah - Many PR companies are offering FNC candidates an array of services for their election campaigns against certain charges.

While early voting for the Federal National Council (FNC) elections starts today, candidates have left no stone unturned in promoting themselves. Social media tops the list of the most popular techniques used by FNC hopefuls to better publicise themselves and stay connected with the voters.
Taking advantage of the event, many PR companies are offering FNC candidates an array of services for their election campaigns against certain charges.
These include promoting tweets on as many as 100 accounts in the UAE, as well as on the official accounts of popular media website UAE Barq too.
An FNC hopeful may also have a hashtag (#) in his or her name that shall be followed by six promotional tweets for free.
Audio tweets with the voice and photo of the candidate is also an option, so that followers can hear and better communicate with their favourite candidates instantly and constantly.
While a single post on Instagram costs Dh8,000, Dh7,000 is the set charge for each audio tweet. As for promotional tweets, the rate spikes to Dh10,000 per tweet and a one full day hashtag in the name of the candidate costs Dh30,000.
Mustafa Al Zarooni, FNC candidate of Dubai No 274, told Khaleej Times that some social media experts, who have some 800,000 followers, offered to promote him and other FNC candidates for the aforementioned charges.
"Many FNC hopefuls resorted to such expensive social media publicity by PR companies...that offer to post a candidate's programme for one hour for Dh30,000, or offer to post four ads urging voters to support a certain candidate for a charge of Dh50,000," Al Zarooni said.
Social media people are making more money than newspapers, he stated. "I know some Emiratis who quit their jobs to just post Instagram messages or snapchats against Dh30,000 and even Dh50,000."
A PR company contacted Al Zarooni and offered to post a 15-second video at a charge of Dh2,000 after much negotiation. "Local Arab media were not up to expectation, and were mainly interested in making business rather than developing voters' awareness."
A 30-minute programme on four TV channels, a radio station and a newspaper costs up to Dh100,000, he added. "Despite the government effort to boost political engagement, these exorbitant charges have had a bad impact not only on voters but even on the number of candidates that dropped from 130 in last FNC elections to only 60 in Dubai this time."
It is not acceptable to see national media be more concerned about business rather than playing an effective role in political empowerment, Al Zarooni underlined. "Many nationals are not aware how to cast their votes despite the growing electoral colleges, mainly due to below-level media coverage by national mass media that is financially supported by the government."
Another FNC hopeful of Dubai, Hammad Abdullah, told Khaleej Times, he was one of the first candidates to go for this new tactic of campaigning. "Social media is so accessible to all voters at any time and any place, and this is a big advantage to be in direct and regular contact with them."
So many PR companies contacted Abdullah to promote him, but he declined all the offers. "I have even got calls from famous anchors running their own PR companies, but I did the job with the help of some volunteers."
Abdullah and his small team carried out the campaign, made posters, and posted a video on YouTube, and the electoral programme on social media. "My relatives and connections were a big asset in this regard as well."
Self service by a few candidates
Some FNC candidates, who are well-versed with this online way of electoral campaigning, posted several clips on their agenda on YouTube, and social media. Some have done this on their own while others have sought help from specialised PR, media and production companies based in all emirates of the country.
FNC candidate of Ajman Eman Al Soom, told Khaleej Times she has posted some videos about her programme on YouTube, developed her own website, and distributed some promotional brochures. "But this costs me nothing, as I have a good experience in this."
Some 80 per cent of Al Soom's campaign is online in which, she said, some volunteers and friends helped her. "I have run some sort of a small PR company of my own with the help of some photographers, designers, journalists, and social media administrators."
Al Soom believed that campaigning here is mainly based on relationships, and how socially effective a candidate is. "I have contacted some PR company to instal some street boards for me."
Nonetheless, producing and posting two clips on YouTube cost Ras Al Khaimah FNC hopeful Abdurrahman Al Tunaiji Dh20,000. "I could not help asking a specialised PR company to do the job for me in a professional way."
Graphic designer with a PR company Omar Ayed told Khaleej Times that his company has produced over 40 short promotional clips for FNC candidates not only in RAK but in other emirates as well.
"The two to four minute clips each have attracted many candidates, some of whom were not initially aware about this new technique of campaigning, but became interested when they saw the clips of their competitors."
IT expert Akram Ibrahim told Khaleej Times that the videos posted on YouTube and other social media websites, such as Twitter, Facebook and Instagram have been a big success. "These have locally gone viral and are being viewed by several people."
But this is not for free, he pointed out. "Producing and posting a single 4-minute video on YouTube costs up to Dh10,000 while the charges for voiced and text posts range from Dh 7,000 to Dh 30,000."
Such high charges are being compared with free selfi-videos which are personally produced by the candidate himself, in which he or she promotes his electoral programme and has a good chance to talk about himself in detail and as long as he wishes for free.
ahmedshaaban@khaleejtimes.com