Eighteen percent of Adcorp Holdings is owned by a number of black empowerment groups, including the investment holdings companies of SARHWU and NEHAWU. Management, financial institutions and staff own the remainder. The board of PR Connections (Pty) Limited consists of five directors: Matodzi Liphosa (chairman), Faunce Burd, Viccy Baker, Kerry Earnshaw and Adriaan du Plessis.

PR Connections commenced trading in July 1993 specifically to service companies in Information Technology (IT). In eight years since, the company has established itself as both a specialist in external public relations and a leading PR consultant in this industry sector. This has been accomplished as a result of two key attributes: an intense focus on its chosen industry, and provision of a comprehensive range of communication services.

On the public relations side, not only does PR Connections generate press material, arrange interviews with the print and broadcast media and assist in launching new products. Its scope includes providing its clients the benefit of its combined staff expertise - both in terms of pure marketing and technological significance. As a result the company plays an important role in its clients’ marketing activities, projecting their corporate image, products and services in the strongest and most positive way.

In order to make this possible PR Connections investigates and gains a thorough understanding of the markets in which its clients operate as well as the positioning of competitive products and services. PR Connections does not write press releases like a traditional PR company. As we employ journalists (not PR writers) who have worked at the various publications, we understand exactly what the publications require and generate our articles accordingly.

The company’s in-house design studio generates material for advertisements, brochures and invitations. Newsletters, where copy is generated, layouts designed and reproduction / printing co-ordinated, are also produced. It also adds further value by handling the placement / bookings of advertisements, advertorials or inserts into the various publications.

PR Connections’ biggest asset is its sixteen people, who operate as a team.

Technologically, the company uses Lotus Notes and is connected to the Internet through its own excellent IT infrastructure, enabling staff to correspond electronically which ensures a more efficient service to clients. The company has spent about five years developing a Notes database, which keeps track of everything we are working on for our clients. These could be articles being written or awaiting approval, distribution, features, clippings we are looking for from interviews, product evaluations or articles, advertising rates, et cetera. This system ensures nothing falls through the cracks.

Finally, in the relatively small South African market, it is inevitable that the company will occasionally find itself in a position of being asked to handle clients between whom there may exist a potential conflict. If such should exist, PR Connections prides itself on its professionalism and its commitment to the preservation of each and every client’s confidentiality.