Principles of Event Management

UNIT IV . PUBLIC RELATIONS

Public relations refers to the practice of enhancing an organization’s reputation and image in the minds of
target audience through ethical means.

Institute of public relations of USA defines“ Public relation is the deliberate, planned and sustained effort to
establish and maintain mutual understanding between on organization and its publics”

Importance of Public relations:

1.High Credibility: PR tends to have more creditability because it is not perceived as advertising and the
organization either directly or indirectly is paid.

2.Well structured: Well structure PR campaign can result in the target market being exposed to more detailed
information than they receive with other forms of promotion.

3.Comparetively low cost: The cost of PR is very low in relative terms. Small companies who cannot afford to
spend heavily on advertisements opt for this form of communication as it is the most affordable and readily
available.

4.Image Building: Effective PR helps to develop positive image for the organization.

5.Lead Generation: Information about the technological innovations, medical break through etc may give the
firm some quality sales lead because of effective PR.

6.Ability to reach specific groups:

Some products appeal to only small market segments because they cannot afford for advertisements and
promotion hence the best option is to communicate to these groups through PR.

Objectives of Public relations:

1.Building Product awareness:

When introducing new product or re launching exist product, marketers can use a PR element that generates
consumer attention and awareness through media placements and special events.

2.Creating interest:

Whether a PR placement is a short product article or is included with other products in “round up” articles
stories in the media.

3.Providing information:

PR can be used to provide customers with more in depth information about products and services. through
articles, collateral materials ,news letters and websites, PR delivers information to customers.

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4.Stimulating Demand:

A positive article in a news paper on TV news show or mentioned on the interest, often results in a discernable
increase product sales.

5.Reinforcing the brand:

In many companies the PR functions is also involved with brand reinforcement by maintaining the positive
relations with key audiences and thereby aiding in building strong image.

The Limitations of Public Relations:

1.Public relations cannot totally whitewash tarnished image:

The PR changes the produce minds; misunderstandings wrong impressions, misinterpretations but certainly
not the change the tarnished image into a solid gold block.

The best example can be that is spectrum magazines group publishing well known magazines like “
Advertising and Marketing and design”.

2.It cannot be hide anything in the best interest of the company:

One cannot take Pro as a strong buffer between management and reporters of media. That is good deal of
inside information is leaked out. The inflight of directors especially business units run by families as board of
directors.

Ex: Reliance India only private sector company known as fortune 500, the internal divison between brothers
Anil and Mukesh has spoiled the name of Dhirubhai Ambani.

3.Public Relations cannot create reputation out of nothing:

The PRO cannot create a reputation or goodwill unless there is little of it. Year after year he cannot churn the
water and get the butter. A totally hopeless company is a hopeless company.

4.Public relations fails to have Valued public opinion:

Public relations do not value public opinion in the same way some people draw money on a bank where they
have no money. Technically a person a person can draw the money from the bank from his account even if
there is no balance which is called as overdraft.

5.Public Relations demands public speaking:

Public relations reaches good conclusions to create mutual understanding by not talking any more private
thinking. That is PR is a great art of moving with the current but not against. To influence public mood, public
view. Line of thinking. The PR has to go along and then it can be bent as and when it is very opportunistic and
viable.

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Basic component of Public Speaking:

1.counselling 2.Research 3.Media relations 4.Publicity

5.Employee/member relations 6.Community relations 7.Public affairs

8.Governemtn Affairs 9.Issues management 10. Financial Relations

11.Industrial relations 12. Development/Fund raising 13.Special events

14.Marketing communications.

Steps involved in public relations strategy:

Determine your goals and objectives, Target audience, key messages, tactics, create a time frame.

How to draft a public relations plans.

Step 1: Define the goals and objectives of your public relations plan

Step2: Pinpoint your target audience or your “publics”

Step3:Develop the strategies and tactics of the public relation plan.

Step4: Draft the key messages of your public relations plan.

Step 5: Draft a budget for your public relations plan.

Step6: Develop a detailed task list and timetable.

Step7: Engage in crises planning

Step8: Review your work task list and timetable.

Step9: Choreograph your events for future marketing efforts.

Elements or Tools of Public Relations:

1.Press release:

Press release or press statement is written or recorded communication directed at members of the news
media for the purpose of announcing something claimed as having news values.

2.Video press releases:

Some public relations firm send out video press release(VPR). Which are pre tapped video programs that can
be aired intact by TV stations.

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3.News letters:

Many companies come up with newsletters that are given to the employees as well as the customers and help
building the public relations as they inform to the public about the company ‘s vision, mission, and objectives.
Etc.

4.Photographs:

Photos of the companies and its employees, its work routine are also seen as a great way to build public
relations.

5.Interviews:

PR are developed in the form of interviews of the CEO and other important management personnel of the
company.

6.Press conference:
A news conference or press conference is a media event in which news makers invite journalists to hear them
speak and most often ask questions. Press conference is oftenly held by politicians, by sports teams,
celebrities ,business people etc.

7.Blogs:

With the advent of internet, many companies are now making use of blogs to reach mass consumers across
the globe. The blogs are space over internet where the blogger can post pictures, videos, articles etc about
the company.

8.Social Networking:

Social networking websites such as Linkedin, face book twitter etc are also used as PR tools.

9.Sponsorships and Events:

It involves a marketer providing financial support to help fund an event. Event sponsorship can target well
defined audience.

The Role of media for conducting an event:

1. Enhance brand Image:

The advertisers make use of media to enhance brand images. The media popularizes the brand by constant
reply and in print media through repetitive publication. Thus the target customer remember the brand and
buy the product.

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2.Enhances Demand:

The media is exposed to large number of people. It helps to persuade and conveniences the public about the
goods offered. More people will be inclined to purchase the advertised products. These arises demand for
more goods and services.

3.Enhances Awareness:

An advertisement could alert the people about the new products that come into the market. It contains
information about what the product is what it does, pricing, promotions, benefits etc.

4.Influence demographics:

The target audience is defined in terms of demographics and consumers. It includes gender, age, education,
household income, marital status, employment status, types of residence,no of children in the house hold etc.

5.Maximise product usage:

Target audience can be defined by their consumption behavior. Product usage include brand usage and
category usage. The product use commonly has four levels: Heavy users, Medium users, Light users and Non
users.

6.Avoid brand switching:

The customers with no brand preference for a given product category are called brand switchers. They choose
a brand on the basis of situational factors.

7.Target audience:

A target audience that plays a major role in purchase decisions is called primary target audience. A target
audience that plays a less significant role is called secondary target audience.

8.Effective communication:

The media planners define the target audience for a media plan. They set communication goals depending on
the degree of target audience exposure to brand messages to achieve advertising objectives.

Media planning:

The process of establishing the exact media vehicles to be used for advertising is called media planning.

Objectives of Media planning:

1. It must reach to large population.

2. It must attract attention of the people.

3. It must be economical

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4. It supports message dissemination

5. It helps to determine the types of media.

6. It helps to selecting media time and space.

7. It helps to accomplish marketing objectives.

8. The best utility of the advertising budget is obtained.

9. It should involve optimum benefits of long run.

10.It supports to create and manage brand contact.

Media Management:

Media management is the job of media agencies or media managers to provide their clients or organization
with the best combination of platforms and media available in the market which falls within their budget.

Factors affecting media selection:

1.Company size:

The size and nature of the company plays a vital role in making an advertising media choice. A large company
may make use of wide area reach such as national Network.

2.Product Type:

The advertisers need to determine the choice of the advertising media based on the type of product. for
example : the advertisers may develop a product media match for fabric products such as television is relevant
for product advertising.

3.Advertising Objectives:

The advertising objectives play an important role in determining the type of media to be selected. For
example: the press is preferred to project corporate image while while radio and television is relevant for
product advertising.

4.Message and appeal:

The nature of advertising messages and appeal play a vital role in determining the advertising media for
advertisers. The media needs to carry the message and appeal to the target audience effectively.

5.Competition:

The advertisers need to select the advertising media by considering market requirements. The advertising will
be effective when advertisers requirements. The advertisers needs to identify the competitors advertising
strategy.

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6.Media circulation:

The number of copies sold in the market is called circulation. The advertiser should take circulation of the
advertising media into account. The media circulation must match the distribution pattern of the product.

7.Reach:

The advertiser needs to select the media as per the reach. The advertiser need to select media based on the
reach. The advertisers need to know how to penetrate into the market, how to reach large number of
potential customers etc.

8.Budget:

The advertiser needs to plan the advertising according to the available budget. The advertiser with small
budget may prefer newspaper as an advertising media

Media of advertising

1.News papers

Merits Demerits
1. High coverage 1.short life span ie one day
2. more flexibility 2.No use of illiterates
3.Quick response by public 3.Lack of uniformity
4. Quite easily advertising 4.Difficult to create visual effects
5.Geographical selectivity 5.Waste of circulation

2.Magazines and journals

Merits Demerits
1.longer life span than news paper 1. low flexibility
2. Reach only specialized group 2.Limited circulation
3.Wste circulation is avoided 3. more time consumption
4.Multipilicity readership 4.Costly compare with news paper
5.colorful attractive advertisement is possible 5.Messages cannot be change daily

3.Radio advertising

Merits Demerits
1. it is flexible 1.The message is short lived
2.Advertisement with entertainment 2.Short messages
3.Not useful for technical products 3.no opportunity for demonstration
4. Even illiterates can understand 4.costly
5.Wide and selected geographic coverage 5.Boaring by repeated messages

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4.Televison Advertising

Merits Demerits
1. most powerful audio and video media 1. It is very costly
2.Wide coverage& geographical selection 2.Short life span
3.popular media 3. very brief messages
4. 24/7 services 4.High manpower cost
5.Demonstartion is possible 5.Difficult to access what consumer want.
Outdoor/ Mural advertising:
Outdoor advertising includes advertisement at street corners, Bus stands, Railway stations, on moving
vehicles etc.
1. posters and painted displays: Posters and painted displays include advertising message written on papers
or on metal sheet and displayed on prominent localities.
2.Electric signs: Electric and neon signs are the most effective media of outdoor advertisement.
3.Sandwich man: Sandwich man carries and which boards containing the message to be advertised and move
about different streets. Thus They transmit message to be advertised to the passer by.
4.Car cards: Car cards refers to the posters placed inside buses, trains, cars and other vehicles.
5.sky writing: In skywriting balloons fitted with illustrated pictures and suggestive messages are flown in the
sky. Aero planes are used to illuminated banners containing the message in the open sky during evening
timings.
Merits Demerits
1.it has wide coverage 1.ver brief advertisement is possible

2.It has longer life span 2.Difficult of measure the response of public

3.It is useful for local dealers 3.Most of the time the audience is in motion.

4.It is more flexible 4.Not safe, May get damage.

5.It is quite economical 5. Not suitable for lengthy messages

6. It draws more attention by public

Window Display:
Window display refers to displaying of products in an attractive manner behind the glass window of the
shop.
Film advertising:
Film advertisements are done through cinema slides or by preparing feature film by different
manufacturers.
Direct mail Advertising:
Direct mail advertising means sending of sales letters, circulars letters, catalogues, Books let etc
directly to the customers by the advertiser.

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Various types of new age Media;

1.Mobile Phones 2.Computers 3.Internet 4.E mails 5.Websites

6.Podcosts 7.E forums 8.E books 9.Blogging 10.Internet TV 11. Face book

12. Twitter 13.You tube

Brain storming
Brain storming is a group or individual creativity technique by which efforts are made to find a conclusion
for a specific problem by gathering a list of ideas spontaneously contributed by its members.
Importance of Brain storming:
1. Brings New Ideas
2.Issues are defined better as questions arise
3.Helps reduce conflict
4.Easily understood and implemented
5.Free participation.
Advantages of Brain Storming:
1. It is a technique that can be used in almost any situation where solutions to a problem and new ideas are
required.
2. It can be used in cases of both small and large gropus.
3.One may not be an expert in the the topic for brainstorming.
4.It leads to development of innovative ideas.
5.It is a cost effective method of group decision making.
6.Provides an opportunity for wide spread participation and Involvement.
7.It is a quick way of generating Ideas.
Dis Advantages:
1. It can consume a lot of time if not managed properly.
2. It may lead to repetitive ideas.
3.Advising participants to let others speak without making them feel offended or intimidated can be difficult.
4.It is not suitable for introverts who might feel offended and left out.
5.It focuses more on quantity rather than quality. Hence it is not suitable for making complex decisions.

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Rules for Brain Storming

Rule 1: No Criticism of Ideas:

This is by far the most important rule for two key reasons. Being the head must have positive mood
and should key reasons. There should be no criticisms on ideas.
Rule 2: Quantity not Quality:
The head should bear in mind that he will throw away 90 percent of the ideas generated so focus must be on
quantity of the ideas not on its quality.
Rule 3:Encourages wild and exaggerated ideas:
The head should encourage unusual ideas from the participants. This will help opening up of the session and
every participants would feel free to speak out wild ideas. This is done to collect more and more ideas and
possibilities related to the problem.
Rule 4: Build on each other’s Ideas:
This requires a mix of good management by the chairman of the session and good manners among team
members. Ideas rarely fulfill their full potential until a degree of collaboration is introduced and team
members are likely to have different types of skill and knowledge that help to enhance an idea in its raw state.
Rule 5: Equal status for all:
This means that no one person should be allowed to dominate. While equal status should be observe it may
often be that younger, more junior members have particular value to offer because they are in touch with the
latest trends and their minds are less cluttered by previous experience.

Questions:

2 marks questions Part B or C questions

1. What are public relations? 1. Explain the importance of public relations?
2. What is transit advertising? 2.What are various roles of media for
3. What is media planning? conducting an event?
4. What is brainstorming? 3.Explain the factors affecting media
5. What is Mural advertising? selection?
4.Explain the brain storming sessions?
5.Explain the rules of Brain storming sessions?

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