Exam 18: Public Relations Influencer Marketing and Corporate Advertising

The Baltonian beef industry is rocked by reports of its herds suffering from mad cow disease.To deal with this issue, the industry should adopt a proactive public relations strategy.

Scenario 18-1 The brewing companies in the U.S.love to use public relations to keep their company names in the minds of Americans and to promote their many brands of beer and ale.Both traditional and innovative public relations activities-using both traditional and innovative media-help to promote a positive public image, create brand awareness, highlight the product line, and act as cost-effective ways to enhance the overall IBP campaign.And these brewers use a variety of objectives and tools that support the field of public relations. -(Scenario 18-1) The brewing company with the interactive website full of facts and games is moving beyond the Web and into the community.It sends stories to media outlets announcing that all the fun on its website will continue at its beer gardens to be set up at summer and fall festivals around the country.It would feature more games, puzzles, and trivia contests.The two PR tools that the company is using is:

Public relations manages corporate communications and helps image management in times of noncrisis.

Public relations is strategically used for when adversity strikes.

Compared to a proactive strategy, a reactive strategy is more difficult for public relations staff to organize and prepare because it:

Which of the following is true of a proactive public relations strategy?

Common people who have large social circles and can recommend brands to their friends and colleagues are useful in influencer marketing.

Influencer marketing involves individuals or groups who:

Scenario 18-1 The brewing companies in the U.S.love to use public relations to keep their company names in the minds of Americans and to promote their many brands of beer and ale.Both traditional and innovative public relations activities-using both traditional and innovative media-help to promote a positive public image, create brand awareness, highlight the product line, and act as cost-effective ways to enhance the overall IBP campaign.And these brewers use a variety of objectives and tools that support the field of public relations. -(Scenario 18-1) One beer producer has sent the press an expensive, attractive, eight-page press release that explains the organization's new educational program on the dangers of teenage drinking.However, the beer producer has failed to anticipate that:

Which of the following objectives of public relations exclusively involves damage control?

The issue featured in is directly relevant to the business operations of the organization.

A public relations audit is conducted after a public relations plan is formulated.

Though professional influencer programs can provide valued assets for a brand builder, peer-to-peer influencer programs cannot.

A publisher of children's books launches a campaign to promote literacy by donating books to 25 public libraries and 50 public schools in low-income areas across the country.The publisher is conducting:

Which of the following steps help in retaining the intended meaning and purpose of a press release?

Scenario 18-4 In the summer of 2010, basketball star LeBron James found himself in the middle of a PR nightmare when he decided to turn his decision regarding his future team into an hour­long spot on ESPN, which was entitled, "The Decision." Almost immediately, fans and critics alike began to express their distaste for the way the multi­ millionaire handled the situation.Many fans' opinions of the star were greatly altered and James' positive public image appeared to be shattered.Perhaps, even worse than the damage to his image, the Lebron James "brand" began to take a hit when his jerseys were pulled from many stores and websites, and thousands of fans vowed they would never buy James' line of shoes ever again.Several months later, James began repairing his public image.James, who endorses Nike products, came out with a controversial commercial that was believed to evoke sympathy.However, many others felt the commercial mocked the negative reaction expressed over "The Decision," and was intended to re­brand the star as a rebel.Either way, LeBron James has a long way to go before he can re-again his title as one of the most beloved players in the NBA. -(Scenario 18­4) One reason LeBron James and his team did not expect such negative backlash following "The Decision" was because he donated the $3 million generated by the television spot to a number of children's charities.Although it may not have been effective in this instance, through this sponsorship; James and his team hoped to:

A car manufacturer offers free car rides for a week to popular bloggers, who then blog about their positive experiences about their car rides.This is an example of influencer marketing.

A shoe manufacturing company advertises its products in a way that focuses on how the company uses sustainable, environment-friendly materials to manufacture footwear.Its ads emphasize the company's focus on green products.This is an example of advocacy advertising.

Public relations cannot work for dedicated brand-building in a digital and social media environment.

Scenario 18-3 For some years now, enterprising individuals have gotten their own ideas, forums, and entertainment programs out in front of the public with no help from big tech firms, media conglomerates, or ad agencies.They simply posted their creations on the Internet.It began with blogs, moved to podcasts, expanded to social networks, moved on to YouTube videos, and transferred to Twitter.Audience members can download these technological tidbits-text, visual, and audio formats-to their laptops as well as to cell phones, Blackberries, iPods, iPads, and every other mobile gadget that hits the market.Eventually, public relations companies started getting into the act. -(Scenario 18-3) The makers of a well-known Tennessee whiskey, release a very funny three-minute video on their website.It gradually gets noticed and distributed to friends and family by loyal consumers, and by people who just want to share a funny video.With very little effort, the word gets out and people start talking about this old- fashioned brand in a new way.The company is benefiting from the success of: