PR Final exam prep

Pr goal

PR involves both persuasive and purposive communicators and is an effort to influence public opinion and present a positive image of the company and its products through non-advertising communication

PR Definition

PR is a strategic communication process that builds mutually beneficial relationships between the organisation and their public

What Pr practitioners do

manage a range of relationships, organise events and functions, produce promotional and information material, and gather intelligence and information

Skills needed for PR Practitioners

ability of language, writing speaking

detailed awareness of current events

the understanding of trends

creative and strategic thinking

2 forces that pr and responsibilities were influenced by

the professionalism of pr and the nature of the organisational environment

4 roles of PR Practitioners and explain

1. Communication technician - writes and implements (not part of decision-making process)

2. expert prescriber- (makes decisions relating to public relations)

3. communication facilitator- (operates between organisation and its environment to facilitate exchange and transfer information)

4. problem-solving facilitator- (collaborates with others to define and solve problems)

SPECIFICS and DIFFERENCES on PR technician and PR manager

PR technician- implements PR activities (like news conferences, events, speeches) and planning + implementation of projects

PR manager- also retained some technical work and monitoring + evaluation, issue management, policy and strategy advice, trouble shooting and problem solving and management of people (which focuses more on external communication than team management

explain pr in an organisational setting

• most large organisations have (internal) pr departments or pr agencies (external)

• pr is vital in maintaining an organisations image and communicating its message to the outside public

• pr practitioners build and enhance organisation reputation and build and maintain important organisation relationships and its goals

List the industry structure of PR

so theres 3 main:

1. internal communication - which has in house pr

2. public sector- which has gov agencies, council police force, hospitals etc under it

3. external communication - which has pr consultancies or pr agencies

DIFFERENCES OF INHOUSE PR VS PR AGENCY

INHOUSE PR:

• more knowledge on firm/organisation

• often lacks creativity/objectivity

• limites skills/resources and less flexible

• fees are paid as part of salary

PR AGENCY:

• needs to learn more

• provides a “fresh”, less biased view/perspective with new ideas/insights

• skills/resources more broad and more flexible

• fees vary with costs per time, expenses, and other/additional costs, etc

What are the advantages and disadvantages of using a large PR agency

Advantages:

• more depth of experience

• broad expertise + resources

• geographic reach

Disadvantages:

• profit-driven

• junior staffers often do legwork

• massive competition - where they have so many clients competing for their attention

PR HISTORY: all eras

Beginning/start of PR:

PR started in Ancient Greece with Socrates, Plato, Aristotle and there was early use of persuasive communication which was the start of PR

PR in Age of Print:

where there was use of printing presses- mass persuasion (like P.T. Barnums circus stunts and Thomas Paine/Benj. Franklin using media to push ideas)

PR 1990s:

birth of modern PR - Ivy Lee (father of modern PR, advocated transparency, wrote the first press release, and advised Rockefellar. AND Edward Bernays (introduced 2-way street model)

Digital and Social Media PR era:

Pr evolved to include onlin eengagement, content creation and influencer collaborations. Obamas 2008 campaign also is a key ex of digital PR success

PR in Malaysia:

The roots of PR began in Malay Malacca Sultanate era (involving spreading info via poems)

Formal PR during british colonial era and after independance (1957)

Tun Mahathir era: PR was used in privetization and industrialization politics

In 1962 was the formation of IPRM which aimed to regulate and improve pr practices in Malaysia

explain strategic PR planning

Strategic PR Planning includes measurable objectives, grounded in research, and is evaluated for ROI

DEFINE RACE

Research and Planning

Action

Communication

Evaluation

Research in PR is

is the systematic gathering of info to describe and understand a situation, check assumptions about public and perceptions, and check the pr consequences

WHY research is ESSENTIAL IN PR:

• Identifies problems

• defines target public

• shapes strategies & tactics

• helps measure effectiveness

2 types of PR research:

informal : observation, media monitoring, anecdotal info

formal : surveys, content analysis, focus group and depth interview

WHEN IS RESEARCH DONE in a programme

START: to understand situation and audience

MIDDLE: to adjust campaign

END: to evaluate effectiveness

Benefits of good PR research

• correct info located and analysed

• assists in decision-making

• improves the planning process

• provides a focus for the issues

CONTENTS OF A GENERIC PR PLAN

• executive summary

• situational analysis

• goals and objectives

• strategies

• implementation

• budget

• evaluation

GOALS v OBJECTIVES

Goals are broad longer-term outcomes

Objectives are SMART =

• Specific

• Measurable

• Achievable

• Results-Oriented

• Time-Specific/Bound

STRATEGIES v TACTICS

Strategies are an approach of accomplishing objectives

Tactics are the specific actions/tools to accomplish a strategy

What’s the fast answer format for Section C application questions

1. SMART Objectives

2. 2 Target Audiences

3. 1 Key Message

4. 3 Tactics (Digital, Ground, Media)

5. 2 Evaluation Methods (Analytics + Survey)

EXTRA SECTION C TIPS:

• Follow the RACE model

• Be practical and specific

• Link tactics to the target audience

• Use clear numbers and time frames

• Keep the key message short and emotional

EXAMPLES OF SMART OBJECTIVES (IMPORTANT!!!!!!!!!)

• To increase awareness of the health screening by 25% within the Subang Jaya community by December 2025

• Campaign: Dove Self-Esteem Campaign

  To increase awareness of the #MyRealBeauty campaign among teenage girls (13–19) in Malaysia by 30% within 4 months.

  To grow Dove Malaysia’s TikTok followers by 20% by the end of October 2025.

  Campaign: MILO Breakfast Day

  To attract 5,000 attendees to MILO’s Breakfast Day in Kota Kinabalu by 22 August 2025.

  To increase positive sentiment towards MILO’s health positioning by 25% through post-event feedback surveys.

  Campaign: Touch ‘n Go Sustainability Campaign

  To improve user perception of TnG’s eco-friendly features by 40% among Klang Valley users within 6 months.

  To get 10,000 users to participate in the Green Cashback Challenge by December 2025.

TEMPLATE:

To [desired change] among [target audience] by [percentage/amount] within [time frame].

To [quantifiable action] on [platform/channel] by [deadline].

Always follow this structure:
To do what? For who? By how much? By when?

TARGET AUDIENCES – Examples + Why!!!

1. Teenagers (13–19)

They’re the main group affected by the issue (e.g., low self-esteem or beauty standards).

2. Parents or Teachers

They influence how teens view themselves and help reinforce the message at home/school.

3. Urban Working Adults (25–40)

They are active users of digital platforms and key decision-makers for brands.

4. Media/Influencers/Journalists

They help amplify your campaign to a larger audience.

TIPSSSSS:

when writing target audience, read news article thoroughly/think abt who that companys audience may be:

• if its abt candy, audience can be younger

• if its abt makeup, audience can be women

• if its a plant-based product, audience can be health-aware people (older maybe)

KEY MESSAGE – Examples!!!!! (by theme)

Tips: whats the main takeaway you want your audience to remember? (should be short, direct, 1 sentence)

Self-Confidence & Body Positivity (Dove)

“You don’t have to fit in to stand out - beauty is being yourself.”

“Real beauty has no filter - love the skin you’re in.”

Health & Wellness (MILO)

“Start strong, stay strong - every day begins with a healthy breakfast.”

“Fuel your body, fuel your future.”

Technology / TnG / Innovation

“Sustainability meets convenience - every tap counts.”

“Go green, go cashless, go further.”

CANDY (Target Audience: Kids / Teens)

“Unwrap the fun - because every day deserves a treat.”

“Life’s sweeter when you share it.”

“One bite, endless joy!”

“Happiness you can taste - one candy at a time.”

MAKEUP (Target Audience: Women / Young Adults)

“Your face, your rules - beauty made for you.”

“Confidence starts with one swipe.”

“Makeup that celebrates every shade of you.”

“Where bold meets beautiful - express yourself.”

PLANT-BASED PRODUCT (Target Audience: Health-conscious / Older Adults)

“Good for you, gentle on the planet.”

“Plant-powered living - for a better you.”

“Nourish your body, respect the earth.”

“Choose clean. Choose natural. Choose balance.”

HEALTH / FITNESS / SPORTS

“Fuel your body, fire your goals.”

“Be active. Be bold. Be better.”

“Feel the energy. See the results.”

SOCIAL GOOD / NON-PROFIT / CAMPAIGNS

“Together, we make impact.”

“Be the voice that matters.”

“Changing lives, one step at a time.”

RETAIL / PRODUCT LAUNCH / LIFESTYLE BRANDS

“Made to match your lifestyle.”

“Because ordinary isn’t your thing.”

“Experience more than just a product.”

TACTICS/TOOLS – Examples!!!!!!!!

TIPS: [Tactic/Tool 1] – [Why it's used / impact]

TIPS: Use a mix of digital, on-ground, and media tools.

Digital examples

Social media challenges (#Hashtag challenge on TikTok or IG)

Influencer marketing partnerships

Paid ads / sponsored content

On-ground examples

Workshops (e.g. self-esteem building, product demo)

Roadshows or mall events

School or university talks

Media examples

Press releases to lifestyle media

TV/radio interviews

Press kits for journalists

EVALUATION METHODS – Examples and How They Work!!!!!!!!

TIPS: [Method 1] – [What it tracks and why it's useful]

TIPS: Its how you evaluate the effectiveness and impact of your campaign and if it worked and objectives were met or not (results)

Strategies of evaluation may include: monitoring/measuring/analysing-

media coverage, social media analytics/engagement (Tracks likes, shares, views, engagement rate, hashtag reach)

website traffic (Track clickthroughs, downloads, page visits)

surveys and polls for customer satisfaction

tracking sales growth

doing data comparisons from before and after (to measure shifts in public perception, attitudes or awareness)

measuring event attendance or customers (Track number of people who came to the roadshow, workshop, or launch)

measuring/monitoring number of sponserships recieved

3 types of evaluation

1. Outputs - measures activities & what you put out to target audience

2: Outtakes- Audience's response/feedback to the communication

3. Outcomes - Measures changes and effect in awareness, opinion, behavior and support