Key Point 1: Public Relations
- Why is public relations a growth area in marketing communication?
- What are the key elements of public relations as given in the definitions appearing in this chapter?
- Which stakeholders are addressed by public relations programs?
- Which types of public relations programs listed in Table 17-2 can also be used in IMC programs?
- Do a search for a story about a new-product launch, like the Maytag Neptune. In addition to the story placement itself, what other public relations tactics were used to introduce this product? What other MC functions were used?
- Define brand publicity. Explain how it differs from public relations in general.
- Explain how brand publicity can supplement an MC strategy.
- List five strengths of publicity.
- In the marketing trade press, find an example of a marketing program that had both brand publicity programs and issues management were included.
- What is a media gatekeeper? Why does that person create limitations for publicity's effectiveness?
- What is third-party endorsement? What effect does it have on publicity? Find an example in which a medium lends credibility to a story about a brand. Explain how this credibility is enhanced by the medium.
- Give an example (besides the examples given in this chapter) showing how each of these brand-publicity tools can be used to promote a company or brand:
- News release.
- News kit.
- Press conference.
- Media tour.
- What is corporate communication?
- Identify the three main objectives of corporate advertising. Find examples of ads intended to meet each objective, and explain the strategy behind the communication.
- Why is corporate culture important to corporate communication managers? How does it affect IMC programs?
- How does a company's image differ from its reputation?
- In what way is reputation important to an IMC program?
- How do mission marketing and cause marketing differ? Which one is more relevant for an IMC program? Why?
- Analyze how the Swiss-based pharmaceutical and agribusiness producer Novartis (www.info.novartis .com) uses the internet to give substance to the company's environmental claims. Do you feel this is a good example of mission marketing? Explain how you arrived at your evaluation.