INT PR: Exam 3

Asia

the world’s largest continent by both size and population

• Has enormous diversity

• Influenced by Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam and Christianity

• China, Singapore and Bangladesh a few of densely population countries

• Central Asia- Mongolia, Uzbekistan etc. 

  • average population is just 24 people per square mile

• Many economies in this region have grown, PR has shifted from nation building campaigns to corporate PR

Asian Media strategies

• There is a growing need for brands in all parts of Asia because this is how this culture signals success and social standing

• Given that the average commute in the region is an hour, mobile strategies are a must for Asia. But traditional media still critical

• Relationship building also crucial 

  • Sometimes giving gifts

Confucian Asia

China, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan

• Confucianism: social harmony, humility, virtue, benevolence, li (order)

• Preserving face is also important

• Long-term orientation, collectivism, power distance, hierarchy

China

• What makes China a difficult country to

communicate in?

• Government censorship

  • Since 1979 the country has been open to the west. Tremendous economic growth

  • Has 2nd most billionaires in world

• The government recognizes 56 different ethnic groups. Most of the country is Han Chinese. Mandarin is official language

• Communist Party licenses journalists for what can be reported

• Increased censorship for entertainment products

  • They use WeChat and Webo

China Media Strategies

China has learned to practice sophisticated PR from the internet

• Chinese press also heavily dependent upon advertising revenues

• Media not as reliable so many turn to actors, professors, writers for sharing info on social media

• Bordeaux Wine was promoted by “special dinners”

  • Instead of traditional PR tools, these diners are more subtle and relationship based

  • One dinner with a French chef costs at least $5000 per head

Japan

• Homogenous country

• Giving permission/making things “Japanese”

• Makes hard for outside brands to compete

• Decisions by consensus

• National press

  • KitKat partnered with the post office to get brands out

South Korea

• World’s 15th largest economy

• Gift giving to journalists (chonji)

• Earned media is hard because of advertorials

• PR find it hard to convince organizations to be transparent

  • Virtual influencers are big here (aka fake people)

South Asia

Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Laos, Malaysia, Pakistan, the Philippines, Thailand

• Collectivist, “but there's a greater ease with individualism here”

• More relaxed attitudes towards life and the law

• Overall, High power distance and high context communication

• Philippines PR vulnerable to unethical breaches of conduct

• Organizing fun events can be an effective strategy in Thailand

India

• 2nd most populous country

• Fastest growing economy still some of the poorest

• Segment audiences here

• Folk media 

• Radio in villages

• Social media and newspapers in richer areas

Indonesia

• Practicing PR here means both social and visual

• Largest Muslim country on Earth - 8th largest economy

• Involved people in CSR

• Envelope journalism 

  • Journalism likely also practice PR

• Social media strategies a must

Australia

• Practicing PR here means being able to answer tough questions by journalists

• World’s 20th largest economy

• PR is very sophisticated here. Shortage of talent. 

• Traditional media has shrunk

• Pitches should be tailored

• Big environmental movement here

PR in Europe

• No truly European media

  • Its country-specific

• PR practice advance here

• Journalists here expect Interviewees:

1. To have outstanding knowledge of company

2. Engaging personality

3. A strong record of performance

Anglo Europe and PR

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

• Individualism

• Relationships forged through argument 

• Conflict resolution

• CSR is important

• EX: Age UK ‘Hidden Crisis’ campaign by Neverland

  • Campaign to highlight aging population

• Social media challenge because of skeptics

  • Have a good amount of traditional media still

UK Media

• Three types

  • Quality newspapers

  • Middle-market tabloids (Daily Mail)

  • Mass market tabloids (The Sun)

***tabloids a big market in UK (think royal family)

Latin Europe

France, French-speaking Switzerland, Italy, Portugal, Spain

• High humane orientation

• High institutional collectivism

• Influence of Roman Catholic Church

• More hierarchical than other parts of Europe

• Work to live, not live to work

• Paternalism (men play a bigger role in the families; believe in head of household) 

France

• The French ask why

• Demand for CSR 

• Creativity

• Giver journalists background info

• Social, interactive

• Brand conscious 

French Media

• Trust in media declining, especially newspapers

• French love to complain - especially on social media

• Agence France-Presse is world’s oldest global news agency

• Magazine press is flourishing

• Television remains top for French

Germanic Europe

Austria, Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands, German-speaking parts of Switzerland

• High uncertainty avoidance (rules, order)

• Punctuality 

• High performance orientation, rigorous thinking 

• Low context/ High assertiveness

• High future orientation

• Debate

PR in Germany

• Expectation for all sides to be discussed

• Facts/figures

• Reporters say CEO personal lives fair game

• Privacy laws

• Some hesitancy toward publicity

Media in Germany

• Germans are avid newspaper readers

• Press strongest at regional and local levels

  • EX: local would be opelika news, regional would be montgomery

• Home to Europe’s largest TV market

• 46% of Germans have social media accounts

Nordic Europe

Sweden, Finland, Norway, Denmark

• Work to live, quality of life

• High gender egalitarianism

• High institutional collectivism (needs of group)

• High uncertainty avoidance, punctuality 

• Don’t like to stand out

• Minimalistic, seek functionalism

• Not religious

  • Catholicism is possibly the most so 

Sweden

• Openness and transparency

• Has not engaged in war for more than 200 years

• Integrity of journalists

• Direct/interpersonal communication
  Corporate social responsibility 

• Internal communications 

Media in Sweden

• TV is most popular form of media in Sweden

• Daily papers include both tabloids and non-tabloids

• 73% of Swedes have active social media accounts

Eastern Europe

 Albania, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Georgia, Greece, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Poland, Russia, Slovenia, Serbia

• “Transitional public relations”

• Collectivists towards family, less so at work

• Moderately competitive

• High assertiveness

Russia

Vast land mass country

• State ownership media

• Self-censored by media

• PR practiced in Moscow

• Influential bloggers

• Expectations for payments to journalists 

• Lack of transparency

Middle East x North Africa

• The religion birthplace to Christinanity, Islam and Judaism

  • Very religious area

• Many countries here have significant oil resources 

• Tremendous volatility in this region too 

• Two-thirds of region under the age of 30 (youth bulge)

  • (this indicates lack of life longevity)

  • Death rate higher for people much younger (not always natural death)

• Also has the highest youth employment in world

Middle East: Hofstede’s Dimensions

• High in-group collectivism

• Moderate assertiveness

• Power distance

• Very influenced by islam religion and offended if someone speakers poorly of it

• EX: Salman rushdie attacked for writing a book against islam- officials basically said he got what was coming for him

Middle East PR: things to consider

• Islam requires faithful to pray 5 times a day

• Instructs women to dress (extremely) modestly

• PR goes hand-in-hand with religion

• EX: Qatar airlines

  • Friday and saturday are weekends, friday is holy day

• Family is important

  • Patriarchal

  • Father expects total respect

  • Family and personal relationships

  • Very generous and hospitable

  • Very hierarchical much left unstated

  • EX: McDonald’s campaign (McArabia: True to Tradition)

Media in the Middle East: Things to remember

• Local influencers extremely important

  • Not necessarily social media influencers: more religious, business, well-known

• Arab journalists view relationships with PR as communal

• Culture is resistant to change

• Be very careful how you criticize

Media Types in the Middle East

• Arabic press releases provide background on events/ideology

• Develop message in Arabic from sart 

• Pitch business, financial, political to Arab daily newspapers

• Pitch consumer/lifestyle stories to bloggers (can be pretty blog-oriented)

• A lot more about hard news (than soft news)

• Women’s discussion forums have high traffic

  • Women have a voice online

Egypt, PR and Media

• Facebook, Twitter and YouTube critical with PR

• Most media state run

• Use of Bloggers important

• 40% have social media 

  • Yet not necessarily their main focus

  • Could be more like 50% now

• EX: Mountain View Egypt campaign 

  • Want to encourage people to be off their phones

Saudi Arabian PR

• Hereditary monarchy

• Strict religious practices

• Government censorship

• Lack of transparency

• Expectation to purchase ads for coverage

• Campaign EX: Audi welcomes Saudi Arabian women

  • Came out when women were allowed to drive

• Still lagging behind in PR

• 75% have social media 

• EX: Saudi is using Golf to Cast a New Light on the Country 

  •  LIV Golf- financially backed by Saudi Arabia’s Investment Fund

United Arab Emirates

• Group of 7 emirates in Persian Gulf, Oil rich country 

• Remarkable quality of life

• High amount of expats

• Brand conscious people

• Very rich country

Israeli Culture

• Birthplace of Judaism and Christianity

• High assertiveness and high uncertainty avoidance 

• Need for greater transparency 

• High amount of corruption

  • Prime minister has had a corruption trial that has been going on for 2 years

• Limited media to pitch to

• 80% of Israelis have active social media

Subsaharan Africa

• This region is on the rise

  • Includes about 50 African country

• Repressed region until late 2000s

• Several global agencies recently entered market

• However, due to natural resources, wealthy fueled corruption with elite while majority live in poverty

• 65% illiteracy in region, yet 90% have cell phones

Subsaharan desert hofstedes dimensions+

• Relationships are very important here

• Moderately assertive

• Power distance - high

• High uncertainty avoidance

• Collectivist

• Journalists expect payment for coverage - known as Brown Envelope Reporting

Ghana Overview

• In 1957 gained independence from Britain

• English is the official language

• Ghana has multiple ethnic groups that speak various local languages

• Economy heavy agriculture

Ghana PR

• Garnering coverage in traditional media important, but also often requires soli (payment for coverage)

• Social media more important now

• Helpful for local celebrities to endorse brands

• EX: Coke commercial 

• PR practitioners must be good networkers

Ghanan Media

• Major media include:

  • State run ghana news agency

  • Sate owned daily graph newspaper and ghanaian imtimes

  • Public TV - Ghana Broadcasting

  • 19% have social media accounts; WhatsApp, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram 

***lots of traditional media

Kenya Overview

• Independence from Britain in 1963

• Multiparty political system

• Tourism vital to economy

• More open and consumer driven

• Kenyans very friendly

Kenyan PR

• One size fits all will NEVER work

• Tailor ot languages, literacy rates and lifestyles of different communities

• EX: KFC commercial 

Kenyan Media

• Radio very popular in Kenya

• TV only reaches urban populations of country

• Local opinion leaders important 

• Talk Shows

• Kenya Broadcasting state owned

• 15% of Kenyans have active social media

Nigeria: Overview

• Sub-Saharan Africa’s most population nation and largest economy

• Home to more than 250 ethnic groups

• Continues to suffer from ethnic & religious tensions

  • High Christian persecution, but also most Christianity growth

  • Lots of muslim influence

Nigerian Culture

• Over half Muslim

• Almost 47% christian

• Agriculture sector very important 

• Great oil wealth but has high corruption

• Great inequality

• Over 65% in extreme poverty

Nigerian PR and Media

• Lots of opportunity in PR

• Radio and TV important

• Newspapers important, but reporters expect pay for coverage

• Build relationships with local bloggers

• Over 40% of population illiterate 

• 10% of Nigerians have social media accounts 

South Africa Overview

• Includes around 50 countries

• More stable, populated & prosperous 

• Suffered repressive regimes up until 2000s

***Africa as a whole is expected to double from 1 to 2 billion by 2030

South African PR and Media

• Segmentation for diverse audiences critical

• Newspapers in urban areas

• Face-to-face, radio for rural audiences

• Folk media

• Mobile- SMS Messaging 

**noted for having “cheeky” media

• EX: insurance company 

• 32% have social media accounts (probably largest total of other african countries)