BETUL MARDIN: PUBLIC RELATIONS CHIEF OF TURKEY

When Public Relations and Turkey are in question together, Betul Mardin must be mentioned as she laid a foundation of public relations in this country.

Betul Mardin ,who is called as Grand dame of public relations, is a famous Turkish public relations specialist. She was borned in 1926 in Istanbul as a daughter of a renowned family whose members were statesmen, diplomats and leaders in the civic, military and business sector of the Ottoman Empire and the Republic of Turkey. Her father was parter in a petroleum gas station chain and her brother , Arif Mardin, was a renowned  Turkish- American music producer across the world who worked with hundreds of artists and groups like Quenn, The Bee Gees, Anita Baker, Aretha Franklin, Bette Midler, Laura Branigan, Chaka Khan, Scritti Politti, Phil Collins, Daniel Rodriguez, Norah Jones, Richard Marx, Culture Club and Jewel. 

In addition, Arif Mardin worked at Atlantic Records for over 30 years as both an assistant, producer, arranger, studio manager, and vice president before moving to EMI and serving as vice president and general manager of Manhattan Records was awarded 11 Grammy Awards. These videos are some of his music he produced and fame tribute in 2005.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9wpc5ICdPXg&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_76qM7jvp8U&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7naLAc2_tWk&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lEwYYPlCeow&feature=fvwrel

As for the main character, Betul Mardin, she began her career in 1955 as a magazine journalist in a newspaper and was sent to London to attent a course on television held by the BBC. 

1968 was the turning point for her in terms of directing to Public Relations totally. By that year, she dedicated herself to this area and between 1976 and 1982, she served as the president of the International Public Relations Association(IPRA) in 1995.

 After one year, she became the founding president of the Turkish Public Relations Specialists Association. With reference to her contribution to the public relations proffession, she was awarded “Lifetime Honorary Member” of the IPRA in 1998. 

In the same year, she became a member of the Europen Public Relations Confederation (CERP). 

In 2005, she was also honoured by various institutions for her contributions to the public relations, including the "Golden World Award" from IPRA and "2005 Lifetime Success in Public Relations Atlas Award," from the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA). In 2005, International Communications Consultancy Organisation (ICCO)  nominated her for induction into its Hall of Fame.

Betul Mardin co-founded I.M.A.G.E in 1987 which is a publicity and public relations company representing Weber Shandwick Worldwide Inc. in Turkey and became its CEO.

Moreover, Betul Mardin lectures in journalism and public relations at Bosphorus University and Istanbul University. Since 1997, she is the program coordinator at the School of Public Relations of Istanbul Bilgi University.

Now, Betul Mardin is 84 years old. She is still vigorous, eager, resolute and each day she welcomes rejuvenates her instead of stealing from her energy. She is exactly a perfect example for young generation to take a role model. This genius woman who found out the key points of life, reaching success and living good never avoid sharing her experience. In one of these sharings which she pointed out to the savings of her theatre experience; she linkes theatre and public relations by stating:

“As for theatre experience, theatre tought me to observe the surrounding occurrences in a creative way. Especially ‘casting’ task I was responsible for improved my capability of knowing people better; and tought me to manage human relations as well as using the term of empathy in public relations sector. Theatre provided me to go through so many topics which can not be thought apart from theater like mythology; and this encouraged me to learn different cultures in the world.”

Once, Betul Mardin answered to a question which was that “ What would you recommend to the youth in their life?”  like this :

“ Diligence, having enthusiasm for working and motivation are compulsory for work life. They should try to increase their self-confidence by thinking always positively. They must read everyday and develop themselves; or they will not be enough in general knowledge. They should follow the world, be creative. There are people even who does not know the job, public relations. Especially I have an advice for those who want to be successful in public relations: They definetely must form a human- network for minimum 300 people and keep the relationship with this network active and warm. This kind of network is the most important support for a public relations master. For example, my clients knows that whenever they need me I am going to be there; and also I know to whom I am going to reach to solve the problem.”

 With these qutoes of her, it is clear that since her childhood, she has a big conciousness either on general life or public relations cranch of the life. Smilarly, it is possible to emphasize her conciousness by quoting her 10 gold rules of life:

• Every morning, do sport. Not every other day but every day.
• Always work, produce and keep your brain busy. There must always be some tasks you should be busy with.
• Follow the world, current news. Watch news, read newspapers, magazines, books. Catch the agenda. Update yourself in every area. Be aware of the last published books, the restaurants opened currently and which colours in fashion as well.
• As for marriage, it is not compulsory, do not worry. It is not necessary as well. Rather, I can even say : One problem less!
•  However, when the children are in question; if you can, have it. Because loving someone with such a big love and being responsible for  it not only does not make the child such happy but also keeps you happy. If you do not birth, adopt one. In any condition, it will be your own child, no difference. Even if you do not adopt any child, then help a child to shape his/her future thanks to you; for example give education to him/her.
• Eat meat at least once a day. Consume vegetables and fruits in every course.
•  If you want to be far away from death, keep a diary. Those little notes are either witness of your life or a good source of knowledge for the future.
•  Be positive.
• Learn to accept something which even you are not advocate of . It is impossible for whole women to like you. So, be careful to some women.
• As for males, do not love a few of them in the same time; but know men have a capability to love a few women in the same time.

Do you know today, 23th April, is the International 23 April Children’s festival which was declared by great Turkish leader M. K. Ataturk in 1920 ?

SEDAT KURTULUS' S BLOG WITH 23 APRIL PHOTOS

PR FOR GETTING INDEPENDENCE IN 20. CENTURY

Before mentioning current public relations strategies of Turkey, it would be better to point out the main features which make Turkey is Republic of Turkey.

The truth of the matter is that Turkish Republic which formally was formed in 1923  had been established with a huge public relations politics in the process of organizing huge crowd of people by great Turkish leader Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, founder of Turkish Republic, for the Indepence War of Turkey. Especially according to the conditions  of those war times which Turkey had been involved, eventhough the high level of poverty the people had; Atatürk succeeded in creating an independence country from nothing Ottoman Empire left by making people belive what he believed ( independency is the most crucial thing a nation has to have) and by having a relationship with them in a good, celar and trustful way.

So, while today public relations’ meaning is still being discussed, no one is aware of that the lands we step out every day  had been gained with the result of marvellous manipulation of public relations strategy.

That amazing, well organized process was simply based on the struggle where was behind the front lines to direct and affect the crowd and which was as important as cannonballs and rifles. In that contention , it can not be ignored Ataturk’s oratory ability and the marvellous way of convincing the nation. Before Republic was established, there were so many reasons required a war for Turkish community but making nation ready for an Indepence War needed to become organized and conciousness much more than enough.

The speeches Ataturk gave, congress which he arranged before going to the war fronts, meetings holded at the homes, newspapers published as local and international, getting fundraising as cloth and food, the way of using information and motivation tools internally, publishing communiques, establishing associations are some of the preparations for the Independence War of Turkey.

In terms of fitting Ataturk’s strategies into a public relations model, it can be mantioned Double Side Symmetrical Model which Cutlip and Center described as endeavouring to affect public opinion with a mutual communication bases on honest and responsible applications. (Cutlip and Center, 1985, 3)

While he was listening to a farmer with deep interest

This model is fulfilled with dialog, consultation, listening; and in contrast to asymmetric model symmetric model makes research to make understanding and communication easier rather than just deciding the messages which are to convince and motivate communities. That is, as the main aim of symmetric model requires a great leader ability and to understand by showing respect instead of just trying to convince people; what Ataturk put into practice in the early of 20th century can be fit with this model.

When great leader M.K. Ataturk decided to fo forward Anatolia, he took the general situation of the country into consideration and contemplated what might have been done in that situation. Some of the points which he regarded are like;

·         The recent situation of Ottoman Army at the end of World War 1

·         The general approach of Ottoman Empire toward general situation

·         Status of the nation and what they had been doing in terms of finding ways of getting better conditions

·         Different associations which were launced in different areas of the country and their aims

·         The current status of the army in Anatolia

·         The loyalty of nation and army toward Ottoman Sultan and Caliph

·         Public’s and higbrows’ fearness of resisting to the Allies

·         Limited authority of Ataturk

With regard to all these factors, Ataturk put forward 3 different solutions which are like;

·         
      Willing to being under the protection of English

·         Requiring American Mandate

·         Applying for regional liberation solutions

The brave leader Ataturk, after the process of analyzing the current status and thinking on the possible results of his decision said that:

“Prerogative Turkish Nation; for the situation we are in, there is just one decision to make: To establish a new Turkish Republic bases on nation domination which will be unrestricted, unconditioned and independent.

In terms of public relations, Ataturk first analyzed the situation, exposed the matters and decided for the solution. That solution was ,as he said:   “ Either independence or death! ”

For Ataturk who determined the matters and decided for a last and one decision, the importance of making plan was stated in the first ages of his speech book, Nutuk;

“ Whoever assaulted to Turkish independence, we needed to fight with them all together with rifles. Hovewer explaining the whole necessities for this important decision would have been a wrong attitude. It was need to divide the process into the steps , create a convenient area for the public opinion by exploiting their ideas and approaches; and as last to reach the success by moving ahead step by step.

The success in there was to establish ‘Republic of Turkey’ .

Besides, in those terms, Ataturk had a national secret as he said:

“ For me, it was compulsory to enforce the nation gradually to execute their potential development capability which was in their conscience and the future  and the capability of which existence I believed and kept in my inside like a secret.”

Needless to say, this approach reflects a perfect public relations strategy with regard to the aim of convincing people firstly by understanding and believing them; after making them believe it.

CHANGE THE WORDS, CHANGE THE WORLD

When I watched the last part of this video, as I guess you also got, I shuddered. Because it was the simplest way of expressing so many things which we are in and look like so complicated. It was the easiest way of making us criticise ourselves, even without being have to hear anything from our friends, families, teachers, or anyone we have relationship with. Furthermore the video was consisting of such a wide rhetoric which was valid for every part of life.

When I was alone with my soul; 

At the peak point of not being selfish at all,

 A few words hit me what said ' Change your point of view to make the world change its point of view toward you. ' 

That is it. Easy. It is not a kind of easiness like to find something easy when it is looked at from outside, when we are out of that. It is a sort of easiness like that the more we get closer the more we find it easy. I mean, such a situation which distances are ineffective; but even fed by distances, fed by the world!

In this blog, I am going to mention about Turkey, which is my country, with regard to its public relations sector and its potential it has with the developing economy day by day by breaking up some prejudiced information on Turkey, some pictures drew so far. 

Shortly, the main aim of this project is to create a difference especially on the minds of public relations professionals in terms of Turkey and the politics it drives.

Thank you very much