The Saudi government’s decision to boycott Dutch firms after an ultra-rightist Dutch politician made derogatory remarks against Islam and the Kingdom has greatly benefitted public relations firms, who are now on a mission to rescue Dutch companies from a potential popular boycott campaign against their products in the Saudi market.
Many Dutch firms, which fear seeing a drastic decline in the sales of their products in the wake of these remarks, have hired major PR agencies to monitor the Saudi press and counteract the wrath of Saudi consumers.
Saudi Arabia has banned Dutch companies from participating in future projects because the Dutch government has failed to take action against the leader of the ultra-rightist Freedom Party for abusing the Kingdom and Islam.
The Council of Saudi Chambers (CSC) has reportedly received a letter from higher Saudi authorities urging them not to involve Dutch companies in local projects either directly or indirectly.
The government order also called for reducing the number of visas issued to Dutch businessmen and investors and limiting visa durations unless they are currently involved in vital projects.
Several Saudi companies, meanwhile, swiftly responded to the decision and stopped their dealings with Dutch firms.
“We are monitoring news on the issue and analyzing its results,” Ahmed Abdullah, a Saudi PR account manager at a PR agency in Jeddah, told Arab News. “We will put in place PR plans and launch a media campaign to counteract negative public opinion against Dutch clients.”
Abdullah, who is currently overseeing a crisis management project for a Dutch firm, said “the contract value of such a project is worth more than $20,000. There is high demand from Dutch firms to launch crisis management projects with foreign PR agencies to protect their interests in the Saudi market.”
Abdullah Radwan, president of Contractors’ Committee at the Jeddah Chamber for Commerce and Industry (JCCI), told Arab News, “Saudi companies will stop importing building material from Dutch firms, while Dutch construction companies will no longer be involved in Saudi projects.”
“This decision to boycott Dutch firms in the local construction sector will, nevertheless, have a limited impact in the Saudi market,” he said.
Dr. Fadal Abu Al-Ainain, an economic adviser for several Saudi companies, said that the private sector in the Kingdom has been slow to boycott Dutch firms and that several private companies refused to stop dealing with Dutch companies, opting instead to protect their joint interests.
“We will see a major campaign among customers in the Saudi market to stop buying Dutch firms if the Dutch government refuses to take action against Wilders,” he told Arab News.
Dutch firms use PR services to protect market interests
