Many PR companies said that the increase in foreign-invested firms and the need to build a strong brand image among local and foreign firms have offered a vast opportunity for the PR industry.

Nguyen Quoc Bao, managing director of the HCM City-based Awareness i.d Public Relations, which is among the biggest private PR firms in the country and has been recently awarded a Certificate of Excellence in Public Relations from the ASEAN PR Network, said the PR industry has developed rapidly in recent years, achieving double-digit growth despite an economic downturn.

Many multinational groups have entered the Vietnamese market in the last two years by acquiring local PR companies, which is a good sign but still a big challenge for local companies, he said.
 

Le Thu Quyen, general director of Galaxy Communications, which has nearly 20 years of operation, said the local PR industry has encountered challenges, including unhealthy competitive environment and violations of intellectual property rights, affecting its reputation.

With increased demand for PR services, PR firms have mushroomed in recent years.

A lack of specific regulations on the operation of PR companies has led to the uncontrolled proliferation of companies with such unhealthy practices, companies said.

PR is included in the advertising industry. But according to the Advertising Law which took effect last year, there is no specific provision for the PR industry.

Another challenge facing the PR industry is the lack of professional human resources, said Nguyen Thanh Dao, general secretary of the HCM City Advertising Association.

A professional PR agency does not only mean working with journalists, or organise press conferences, plans eye-catching events, and sets up interviews.