Quality association
Fresh ideas
Finding an angle
Roel van Veggel
We are all responsible for building our
brand and our image. We do that on a day-
to-day basis through our professionalism
and knowledge of our clients' business needs.
But we can also help to build our brand by
actively identifying opportunities for positive
publicity, such as when important deals are
being done. Deal PR is part of our 'proof of
performance' drive. As Roel van Veggel, Head
of Wholesale Communications clarifies, 'It is
the philosophy that now forms one of the
pillars of Rabobank's wholesale external
Communications. It aims to improve the
positioning of our brand, which will help
us to tap into new markets and customers.'
How does it work? Rabobank Group's Senior
Press Officer, Jan Dost explains, 'Not only
does PR, or publicity for deals, assist in
strengthening our position in the wholesale
market internationally and buy company
pride as a result.' Adds his Senior Press Officer
colleague, Ernst Moeksis: 'It also helps to
solidify our reputation with current and
prospective clients as a reliable investment
address and as a sound triple-A rated institu-
tion with the most advanced capabilities to
structure all kinds of complicated finance
deals. Deal PR gives both Rabobank and our
customers the opportunity to distinguish
ourselves by association. After all, A-brands
can rub off on each other, but it depends on
the deal. If Rabobank is the lead arranger of
a deal with a market leader, and the deal is
really unique in terms of its size, structure
or innovation, then dealmakers should
remember to start sounding out clients
about publicity well before the deal is closed.'
One of the drivers behind Deal PR is the
fact that we have missed out in the past.
Says Dost, 'Let me put it this way, as PR
professionals we prefer to work with fresh
ratherthan yesterday's milk. It's always sad to see a missed
opportunity. An example of a major missed opportunity
happened a couple of years ago. We learned by accident
that our colleagues in India had arranged the acquisition of
the Tetley Tea Company by TATA (a large Indian conglomer-
ate) and that our colleagues in London had arranged the
syndicated loan to finance this acquisition. If we had known
about this deal earlier, we could have got a lot more really
good publicity out of this deal for Rabobank and further
leveraged our international reputation to our advantage.
Adds Moeksis, Thinking of Deal PR early in the process
simply must become Standard practice. After all, a little
editorial goes a much longer way than any advertising. In
fact, not only is publicity free, but it also carries far more
cachet and credibility with key audiences.'
Once dealmakers have established whether Deal PR is
appropriate for their deal and their cliënt has agreed to it,
they should approach the Rabobank Group Press Office.
The Word