By Erica Wenham, Wednesday 21 November 2012.
Public
Relations Practice & Skillset (Week 9)
Promotional Culture
“The circuits of competitive exchange require the
propagation and production of symbolic promotional discourse which is
intertextually linked with aesthetic, educational, political and religious
discourse” that means... Promotional Culture.
Promotional Culture in PR can include anything from music to
film, to newspapers, to video. So... Promotion is a necessary condition of both
culture and communication AND Cultural intermediaries (e.g. PROs) link
identities with products. As a result, PR is fundamental to promotional culture and
“soft content”.
Promotional Culture – B2C
“Although the endgame of consumer PR is to drive sales, its
role is often more subtle...”
“By helping to project human qualities on to a company,
product or service, PR can play an active role in the fascinating world of brand
development.”
B2C contributes to four PR & Marketing objectives;
1. Awareness
2. Credibility
3. Stimulation
of sales force/channel
4. Holding
down promotional costs – PR is cheap!
The choice B2C Rationale and Tools in relation to Public
Relations can be extensive;
1. More
than product
2. More
than product &context
3. Requires
additional news hook e.g.:
·
Independent Research
·
Cause Association
·
Celebrity Association
·
Anniversary
·
Great Photography
·
Surprising Angle on a Standard Theme
·
Sponsorship
·
Events
PR Applications of Sales Promotions:
Celebrity
The role of celebrity helps to achieve the following for
clients in relation to PR;
1. Align
with brand personality
2. Differentiate
brand
3. Add
excitement
4. Add
quality
5. Add
credibility
6. Credibility
underpins endorsement via association
·
Celebrity PR is often the focus of tabloid
comment: a “PR stunt”
·
Reality is an influential but small component of
global PR business
·
A “dark art” whose influence is undeniable in
the making of modern celebrities
Celebrity Choice:
1. STP
Principles
·
What does the market look like?
·
Who exactly are we talking to?
·
What do we want to say? (positioning)
2. Key:
Alignment and Affinity
3. Check:
Is the association...
·
Feasible – easy to understand?
·
Credible?
·
Compelling?
Sponsorship
Overall: “any form of financial or in-kind support for a
specific person, event or institution – with or without a service in return”
“In general, sponsorship can be illustrated as a mutually
beneficial business relationship between two parties being named as sponsor
(usually companies) and sponsored.
Sponsorship should benefit all those involved, and lead to a
result that can be measured against pre-defined objectives.”
Why Sponsorship (References)?
Tench and Yeomans:
·
“Image transfer potential”
·
Cheap alternative to classic advertising
·
Highly effective way of engendering public
dialogue
·
Key integrated communications mix component
Cornwell and Maignan:
·
Improving goodwill
·
Enhancing image
·
Improving profitability
·
Management interest
Dolphine:
·
Increase brand awareness
·
Stimulate sales
·
Corporate reputation
·
Alter public perception
·
Build relationships
Specific types of sponsorship include commercial marketing,
maecenatism (altruistic support), charitable donations, corporate philanthropy,
cause-related marketing and more.
A Visit from Martin
Stott
 |
| Left to Right: Jack Fitzsimons, Me (Erica Wenham), Martin Stott, Beth Lewis and Megan Boyce |
"Award-winning
former BBC journalist Martin Stott has visited Bucks New University as a guest
speaker, impressing the importance of writing good copy upon second-year BA
(Hons) Public Relations and Marketing Communications students.
Martin, now CEO of Bulletin PR, a strategic communications consultancy that represents some of the UK’s leading financial services businesses, enjoyed a 20-year career with the BBC, reporting from 21 countries and five continents.
He worked as an on-screen reporter for BBC TV's Business Breakfast, produced and presented programmes on BBC Radio 4 and the World Service and produced the Business slots on the Today programme on Radio 4.
Martin visited Bucks New University to speak to students as part of a Writing Skills element of their course, and passed on some of his extensive experience and tips for improving their abilities.
Martin
said: "I hope the students realise the importance of good writing in PR,
and their ambition should be to become as good at writing as the journalists
they are sending stories to. They were a fun and engaging audience and I
enjoyed being able to pass on some of my experience to them."
Student Megan Boyce said: "Martin Stott's talk and the examples he gave of what we should and should not do when writing a press release was a valuable addition to what we have been learning in the classroom.
“It gave us a great insight in to what a journalist is looking for when receiving a press release from a public relations firm. It was an extremely enjoyable talk."
Course leader Bill Nichols said: “Guests of Martin’s calibre add a real-world dimension to the learning experience that really help us underscore the key messages we are putting across to Public Relations and Marketing Communications students.”"
Student Megan Boyce said: "Martin Stott's talk and the examples he gave of what we should and should not do when writing a press release was a valuable addition to what we have been learning in the classroom.
“It gave us a great insight in to what a journalist is looking for when receiving a press release from a public relations firm. It was an extremely enjoyable talk."
Course leader Bill Nichols said: “Guests of Martin’s calibre add a real-world dimension to the learning experience that really help us underscore the key messages we are putting across to Public Relations and Marketing Communications students.”"
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