BackThe Pakistan Monument at blue hour | SOURCE: Muhammad Ashar/Wikimedia Commons
“Travelling. It leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller” – Ibn Battuta
One of the privileges of my work is that it takes me to remarkable places. One of the frustrations is that I rarely get to see them.
Like many people who travel for business, my memories are often shaped by airports, hotel lobbies and meeting rooms. This week, I stayed a little longer in Pakistan, and it has been a refreshing change of pace.
Travel is such a privilege and I promised myself on this work trip I would endeavour to raise my gaze from the blue glare of my iPhone and with a quiet curiosity – observe my surroundings.
I’m writing this week’s newsletter from Islamabad, my first time back since 2018 when I was working with a dynamic and visionary developer. I have been travelling and visiting cities across the subcontinent for decades and it’s a marvel to watch them morph from villages to towns to cities, to see how the landscape shapes the people and vice versa. From Colombo to Bangalore to Islamabad, it’s fascinating to think this incredible region was British India in the year of my father’s birth in Kashmir and now forging national identities and crafting visions for a brighter future.
The Welcome You Don’t Expect
One of the first things I noticed after landing in Islamabad airport wasn’t a billboard advertising local wares or a generic airport authority welcome message. It was a celebration of creativity and colour. Instead of commercial posters, visitors are welcomed by vibrant truck art celebrating Pakistan’s iconic art clad trucks. It was a soft power nod and welcome to visitors as first impressions count and a dose of authentic creative culture woven into the mundane experience of baggage claim.
It’s also mango season, so I have been feasting on mangoes from morning to night! It is extraordinary coming back after many years to witness the rapid level of developments across residential, retail and commercial and catching up with former clients and meeting for the first time new clients we have been working with over video calls.
Behind Every Public Figure
Andy Burnham and his wife arriving at No. 10 | SOURCE: Number 10/Wikimedia Commons
Back in Blighty we have a new Prime Minister and our gaze turns to the significant other. Likewise across the pond, the Artist Rama Duwaji, the wife of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, has been in a the public view and credited with shaping elements of his campaign identity.
Andy Burnham’s wife, Marie-France van Heel, it has been reported has also brought her marketing expertise to aspects of his public brand, including the design of his campaign logo.
We tend to judge leadership by the person standing at the podium. In reality, some of the most successful men in the news have women in their midst who are their unsung PR partners. Hat tip to the women behind the scenes.
The Holiday Myth
Depiction of burnout | SOURCE: Microbiz Mag/Wikimedia Commons
At this time of year, many people are packing their bags in the hope that a week or two away will leave them feeling refreshed.
Josh Cohen, writing in The Economist, argues that burnout isn’t simply about how much we do. It often stems from lives that leave too little room to recover.
A recent Forbes article makes a similar point: a holiday can provide temporary relief, but lasting recovery comes from changing the habits and expectations that created the exhaustion in the first place. Sometimes I look back in my career and I think of the fails I have had, and often it was at a time when I was experiencing burnout. I have become much more aware of the symptoms and now manage myself more effectively with the help of my brilliant colleagues at Curzon PR to ensure I maintain pockets of downtime and build reservoirs of creativity which solitude brings.
It’s a timely reminder that recovery isn’t something we should save for August. It needs to become part of the rhythm of everyday life.
Lornette Harley also explores this idea in a thoughtful Instagram video, which is well worth a watch.
The Stories That Build Nations
Excavated ruins of Mohenjo-daro | SOURCE: Saqib Qayyum/Wikimedia Commons
One of the unexpected joys of spending a little more time in Pakistan has been discovering stories I’d never properly encountered before.
One of them is Mohenjo-daro, one of the world’s earliest planned cities. Nearly 5,000 years ago, it had sophisticated urban planning and drainage systems long before many of the civilisations that dominate our history books. It reminded me that nations are remembered not only for what they achieve, but for the stories that endure.
History reminds us that prosperity depends on many things. But in today’s world, one of a nation’s greatest assets is a compelling story about who it is, where it’s heading and why people should believe in it.
PR Has Talent
One of the projects I’ve most enjoyed working on this year has been PR Has Talent, which comes to Soho Theatre this November.
One thing I’ve loved discovering is just how many people in our profession have extraordinary talents that their colleagues may never have seen. Singers, comedians, musicians, poets, magicians and performers, all hiding in plain sight behind job titles.
Perhaps that shouldn’t surprise us. Public relations has always attracted curious, creative people. The work we do every day may not involve stepping onto a stage, but creativity rarely confines itself to a single outlet.
If you’ve been thinking about performing, I’d love to encourage you to take the leap. You can get in touch with either me or Graham Goodkind , or email ThePRoducers@prhastalent.co.uk.
Till next week,
Farzana
Originally featured in Substack
