PR Career Research File by Lucy Ballard

PR Career Research File

Public Relations

(MANDATUM PR)

PR (Public Relations)

What Is PR? PR - also known as Public Relations - is an organization or individual gaining exposure to their audiences using topics of public interest and news items that do not require payment. Aims of PR by a company are most commonly to persuade the public, investors, partners, employees, and other stakeholders to maintain a certain point of view about it, its leadership, or itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s products. PR is not a paid advert or commercial, it is an understanding of your target audience/different publics and building a connection with them.

Companies, businesses or individuals can benefit from PR services. If they’re in need or simply want to create a better image for themselves in the public eye.

PR v. Advertsing

- ‘Businesses - they utilise PR services to present their products/services and the way their firms work and of course, create a strong relationship with the customers and reach more potential buyers’ (IPR.org.uk, anon) - ‘Non-profit organisations - examples include charity organisations, schools, hospitals, etc. who use PR services as a part of fund-raising events and promotion campaigns’ (IPR.org.uk, anon)

Advertising

- Aim is to get free publicity and media exporsure for the company’s product/service

- Companies pay for ad space e.g. magazines, billbaords, tv. Knowing when it will aired/launched

- There is no control over how the press/media presents this information. That’s is they even use the information at all. They don’t have to cover your event or press release

- ‘Notable individuals - examples include celebrities who use PR services to communicate in their behalf with the media and their fans but PR specialists are also highly sought after by politicians who can succeed only if they have a good public reputation’ (IPR.org.uk, anon) In the case of critical situations, PR specialists and professionals know how to create and maintain a constant positive image and reputation in the public eye in which they respond and protect their client. Or if a client has approached a PR company with damaged reputation, the company will know how to build that public image and reputation again.

Who Needs PR? (IPR.ORG.UK)

- Paying for the space, there is creative controlon what goes into that particular ad

- You only submit a press release once, therefore the exposure is only circulated once. Your press release won’t be re-published by the same editor again

- Since you’re paying for the ad space, the ad can stay there for as long as your budget allows you

- Reading a review or a third party comment about your event or product , they view it differently compared to a paid ad

- Reading an advert, consumers know they’re trying to be sold something

- Have to have a nose for news to create buzz through that news. Need to search for news

- Good ads uses color and descriptive language. Clever campaigns can motivate consumers to buy your product. E.g. commercials, print ads, Facebook ads, incorporate interactivity. Slogans that will stick with people for years to come.

(DUNCAN, ABOUT ADVERTISING)

Is PR For You? - Establish your expectations of what you’ll be presented with and what Public Relations is - do your research - PR isn’t what it’s made out to be in films - no long boozy lunches and huge parties everyday. It will include these at some points in your career, however not so much in Junior job roles - Expect to email, call up and communicate with your clients and brands you make the first move - Learn the correct terminology

Social Media’s Effect on PR

- Involves hard work, determination, dedication, patience, professionalism and stamina

Tips

- Varied and challenging career everyday, multi tasking and managing time effectively - The proof is in the pudding - what you see is what you get and create

Questions to ask Yourself Do I have an interest in what’s going on around me? Am I aware of with forever changing trends and issues? Do I have good, confident communication skills? Do I have excellent writing skills? Do I cope well under pressure? Can I meet strict deadlines? Am I able to multi task and work long hours? (CIPR.CO.UK)

1) Content is key. It gets brand personality across through content which is friendly, engaging, casual and relevant Social media can work on different levels - from promoting news about products, services or news to engaging with publics you want to build relationships with. It’s not complicated or expensive to set up. To this day, the vast majority of social media is free to join. Yet, it’s what you do with it after you set up the account. The all important content can either be created by yourself or your PR agency, or together.

2) Create a Twitter account - follow people who share similar interests and job perks with the aim of them to follow you. Sharing and seeing what other people talk about will give you ideas 3) Create engaging content - journalists pick up quick and current news through Twitter and send direct messages when interested 4) Other ways to catch attention quickly - upload pictures and videos. Images speak louder then words. Re-tweet posts that you would want to be seen on your wall 5) Brand yourself - keep your social media accounts consistent. Educate your publics (GENESIS PR)

Examples of Successful Examples of Unsuccessful PR

The Dancing Pony The successful mobile company - ‘Three’ - released an advert on TV with a dancing pony to promote their brand. The advert was hugely successful, creating lots of buzz and talk through social media and hash tags. This is were the PR is introduced. The advert was so successful that the company created a part of their website where people could personalise their own dancing pony videos, making it personal to them. Something as simple and memorable as this, is surprisingly affective as its nothing hugely complicated or professional.

Sing it Kitty ‘Threes’ most recent advert has been the Sing It Kitty advert, singing ‘We Built This City.’ The song alone is very catchy and memorable, but the whole campaign is also very simple, yet very memorable. The company has created a part of their website where people can create their own ‘Sing It Kitty’ videos, with their faces in the video, making it more personal. When people share these videos or talk about to friends, this is the PR buzz that ‘Three’ is benefiting from. How the video relates back to the company is irrelevant. Its the buzz that leads people to their website which will attract customers.

Abercrombie & Fitch Finds Itself in a Bad Situation ‘Abercrombie and Fitch made the mistake of insulting their market when they attacked a Jersey Shore star. If you’ve ever walked past an Abercrombie & Fitch store, you can probably guess who shops there. Frat boys, party girls – the MTV generation. But that isn’t the market Abercrombie wants, so they begged Jersey Shore star “The Situation” to stop wearing their clothes. The brand thought that insulting one of the most famous icons of their biggest fan base was a good idea. It was not. It turned out to be a PR disaster. Abercrombie’s stock fell 15% in the wake of this PR nightmare. Proving that biting the teenage hands that feed you is never wise.’ (Kelly, 2013) Colgate Big Toothbrush Swap ‘Sometimes PR campaigns are not always a #win and can turn out to be a #fail, as Colgate found with their Big Toothbrush Swap campaign. The dental care company simply asked customers to hand in their old rechargeable toothbrushes in exchange for a free brand new Colgate ProClinical A1500 electric toothbrush (priced £169.99) at London Waterloo Station. As you can imagine the deal seemed too good to be true and resulted in the stand being extremely overcrowded and shut down after two hours. In order to rectify their customers’ disappointing ordeal, Colgate took to the unlimited space of the web to give away 7000 free electronic toothbrushes.’ (Osibowale, 2013) Just goes to show, with live evidence, that PR campaigns can be unsuccessful with the smallest detail changed. Campaigns such as these need to be thought through thoroughly; in case they run out of toothbrushes to give away, or the brands reputation gets damaged.

(KELLY, 2013)

(OSIBOWALE, 2013)

How to get a job in PR (Interviews) “You’ve got to make cold calls, intorduce yourself and ask people to have an hour of their time.” We don’t go out looking for people, but if the right people approach us, we won’t turn them away.” “Fashion PR is more product and review led. Travel PR is the equivalent of press trips and staying in properties, getting properties and destinations, days out into guides, top ten lists. We send out more information then products, but the same thing applies, They just don’t get a nice hand bag at the end of it!”

“Do something you enjoy and love.

Seriously PR offers their services to a range of travel and leisure companies. Catherine lets us in to talk about hot tips to get into the industry, big no-nos in PR, how she started the business, how they evaluate clients success and how they differ from fashion PR.

“I started ‘Seriously PR’ in 2009. Before I worked for agencies and in-house, but I wanted to become my own boss when I got married and did a lot of travelling.” “Everyday’s different.”

Peachy PR offers their fashion, beauty, lifestyle, interiors and business services to companies who are in need of PR aid. Our Fashion PR Services In- If you love what you do as a job, clude: you’ll never work a day in your life.” (Minett)

- Comprehensive and Bespoke PR Strategy - Brand and Product Launches - Sample Management - Product and Editorial Placement - Brand and founder profiling Media Exposure across all relevant platforms - Social Media Management - Online PR - Celebrity Placement - Event Promotion - Copywriting - Access to design specialists to collaborate on Lookbooks and Press Packs

“Never make a promise that you can’t keep.” (Emma) “Always be aware of who you’re sending samples to. Check the source of where you’re sending samples to e.g. a freelance stylist.” (Minett)

Fiona Minett - Founder and Director of Peachy PR Emma - Account Executive Please turn up the volume as the audio is rather quiet

Catherine Warrilow - Writer, Planner & Do-er Founder of Seriously PR

Training? ‘Competition for jobs is such that it is now very difficult to get into PR by working oneself up from junior position, such as secretary. The following are all possible entry routes:’ (Gray, 2008, p.485) - ‘A sideways move with a degree and work experience in a relevant discipline or industry. Traditionally many PR people moved sideways from journalism and this is still a possible route. - As a trainee with a PR firm or in a PR department with a non-specialist degree. - With a degree or postgraduate diploma/degree in PR.’ (Gray, 2008, p.485)

Current jobs on the market

when graduating or starting to look for jobs as this is what employers are looking for. Without experience, half the job vacancies are not worth applying for.

After looking at virtually every job search engine searching for PR jobs in Southampton, there were a lot of jobs out there.

There is a lot of pressure for recent graduates and students as the job place has become significantly more difficult to get a job.

However, yes there maybe a lot of PR jobs currently on the market, but how many of them were suitable or looking for graduates? Many of the vacancies were looking for PR Managers or Executives. How can a student jump to a job that quickly without the experience. Which leads onto work experience - the vast majority of these jobs are looking for at least a years worth of working in that area of the industry. Or they offer training before starting the job. As a recent graduate or current student, you are encouraged to get work experience over the Summer or whenever possible. This is essential

Measuring Social Media Effectiveness

Measuring PR Effectiveness An alternative way of measuring PR effectiveness would be: Client Feedback - ‘it’s important for clients to understand what you are doing, and that they have a favourable view of your efforts. Clients should perceive that a PR firm is responsive to questions and feedback; has good industry knowledge; excels in writing and communication; and that publicity results seem in line with what was outlined in the firm’s proposal for services. ‘ (Hyde, 2011) Articles and Mentions - ‘this is probably the most objective measure of performance. How many clips or mentions have been generated and where? The ‘where’ question is important – articles and mentions should be in media where your prospects and customers gather their information.’ (Hyde, 2011) Advertising Comparison - ‘if you generate an article in the New York Times or coverage on ABC TV, how extensive was the coverage? Compare this against the cost of an ad for comparable space to see if the placement is worth the effort. It’s likely that the press coverage was a fraction the cost of the ad space.’ (Hyde, 2011) Content Analysis - ‘look at the quality of a placement. Measuring your placements against how often or where your competitors get placed can help distinguish the PR firm’s work. You can develop a scale to rate the coverage. Who is the audience of the media outlet? Were they part of your target market?’ (Hyde, 2011)

Using ‘Hayley Miller’ as an example - Twtrland produces a visual outcome of a companies twitter page - keeping track of data, followers and how they’ve made an impact on the page. It helps a company understand their impact and find better ways to connect and increase their network. As a tool, it won’t create the PR for you, but how you use it, is key. This tool creates a skeleton of your companies Twitter audience, therefore acting upon this and keeping up to date and active on Twitter, puts your company a step closer to reaching a wider audience. If ‘Hayley Miller’ were to launch a campaign for her products on a certain day of the year, she would be able to manage and collect data via her Twitter page. However, this is only for Twitter - so this would only be measuring a minute proportion of people seeing and reacting to her campaign.

Sales Results - ‘in a perfect world, good PR work can be tied directly to sales generated. Because there are so many variables in play with a sales effort, it’s hard to pinpoint if press coverage moved a prospect to buy from your firm. The best way to narrow this gap between hunch and fact is by tracking leads. If you ask prospects where they heard about you, you’ll begin to learn if the PR effort is part of their awareness and decision-making process.’ (Hyde, 2011) Market Surveys - ‘the goal in PR is to influence awareness, attitude, opinions and action. This is where research is key. If you measure key audiences before you start your PR campaign, you can see if you have moved the needle in favour of your client at various intervals.’ (Hyde, 2011)

(HYDE, 2011)

Cover Letter

Examples of My PR Work Invitation to an event to promote the brand ‘Hayley Miller’

Front

Back

One of ‘Hayley Miller’s’ press releases promoting her collection of handbags

Employer Appraisal Form

Bibliography CIPR.CO.UK., Anon. What is Public Relations? [online]. Available: http://www.cipr.co.uk/content/training-qualifications/pr-student/careers-advice/what-is-public-relations [accessed 12 April 2014] DUNCAN, A., Anon. 10 Differences Between Advertising and Public Relations [online]. Available: http://advertising.about.com/od/careersource/a/10advpr.htm [accessed 12 April 2014] GENESIS PR., Anon. Social Media [online]. Available: http://www.genesispr.co.uk/social-media-advice.htm [accessed 12 April 2014] GRAY, P., 2008. The Penguin Career Guide. 14th ed. Penguin: London HYDE, P., 2011. 7 Ways To Measure PR Efectiveness [online]. Available: http://www.pivotcomm. com/how-to/7-ways-to-measure-pr-effectiveness [accessed 21 April 2014] IPR.org.uk., Anon. Who Needs PR Services [online]. Available: http://www.ipr.org.uk/whoneeds-pr-services.html [accessed 21 April 2014] KELLY, J., 2013. 10 Totally Ridiculous PR Disasters [online]. Available: http://listverse. com/2013/01/07/10-totally-ridiculous-pr-disasters/ [accessed 12 April 2014] MANDATUM PR., Anon. Just What is PR? [online]. Available: http://mandatumpr.co.uk/prtips/so-what-is-pr/ [accessed 12 April 2014]

Reflective Review During the time spent with Hayley, I helped and gained experience with her company. Job roles included getting brand history information, creating a campaign relevant to her market and maintaining communication with her via email. I found it diffcult keeping communication as whenever I needed information or feedback, it took a while to get a reply from her. Creating a campaign with various different outputs, some including: press releases, a lookbook, photoshoots, event invitations and website layouts, was challenging but rewarding. If I were to have had more time working with her company, I wouldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve created a survey to get a better idea of who her target market. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve learnt that PR is simple yet very effective. There are various deadlines to meet and how a company measures its outputWith changing a Twitter page from a personal account to a company account can be very effective, but how the company uses it can affect their PR.

OSIBOWALE, S., 2013. The Greatest PR Campaigns of 2013 [online]. Available: http://thelincolnite.co.uk/2013/12/the-greatest-pr-campaigns-of-2013/ [accessed 12 April 2014]