A. ASSIGNMENT SUMMARY:

In this section, we will revisit the assignment's expectations and the steps necessary to complete the assignment effectively.

1.     Assessed criteria:

●      Identify and discuss key aspects of the development, and principles and practices, of modern PR.

●      Examine links between PR, communication theory and applied communication practice.

●      Identify and analyze contexts in which PR practitioners operate as well as relevant professional issues

2.     Assignment details:

●      Requirement: Analyze a case study of a PR campaign, then provide a recommended communication plan adapting that campaign in another context/country.

●      Format: 35-slide pitch deck for a 15-minute presentation and 5-minute Q&A session; a 2,500-word written report about your own communication plan

●      Objectives:

-        A word count of 2,500 words is required for the written report.

-        A slide count of 35 slides is required for the pitch deck.

-        For the analysis of a PR campaign case study, these elements are to be included:

+      Overview of the campaign’s original context

+      Analysis of the ways in which the campaign can work within different situations

+      Demonstration of your team’s understanding of the PR planning process and relevant theories, tools, concepts.

-        For the report/presentation:

+      Cover Sheet with names and student ID's of the team members (as always)

+      Agenda for presentation/ table of contents

+      Background: Brief outline of the case study. Situation analysis/problem faced by the organization if running in the new context 

+      Target publics in the new context

+      Goals & SMART objectives (Communication & Actions) in the new context

+      Key Message

+      PR tools/tactics and other IMC tools should be used in the new context

+      Media Planning: Which media? Which News Value, Hook & Angles should be used to promote the campaign?

+      Evaluation: How will the overall effectiveness of the campaign be evaluated?

+      References (mandatory)

+      Appendix (if needed)

Note: The above items do necessarily need to be in this order. They do not need to be addressed in BOTH the written and oral components. It's up to your group to determine the clearest, most effective way to present these items.

●      Assignment structure (suggested):

-        Presentation:

+      Opening slide

+      Team information (names, photos, roles and responsibilities): 1 slide

+      Agenda: 1 slide

+      Overview of PR campaign’s original context: 1 slide

+      Analysis of how it can work in alternative conditions: 1 slide

+      Demonstration of your understanding of the campaign via theories and concepts as lenses: 1 slide

+      Transition slide to the new chosen context for the campaign: 1 slide

+      Situation analysis: 2

+      Target audience: 2

+      Insights: 1

+      Key message: 1

+      Goals & objectives: 1

+      PR & IMC tools/tactics: up to 10-12 slides

+      Media planning: 2

+      Evaluation: 1 slide

+      References

+      Appendices

-        Written report:

+      Analysis of PR campaign case study: 500 words

+      Situation analysis/Background information: 200

+      Target publics & insights (for the new context): 200

+      Key message: 50

+      Goals & objectives: 100

+      PR and IMC tools/tactics to be used: 1,000

+      Media planning: 200

+      Evaluation: 250

Note: This instruction guideline will focus on the written report since you can take components from the report to structure your presentation. Furthermore, you can adjust the numbers of slides and word counts as you see fit.

B. KEY TERM DEFINITION:

In this segment, we will take another look at the terminology associated with assignment that is discussed within the context of the course.

C. DETAILED OUTLINE:

In this step, we will discuss in detail each component and its requirements within the assignment.

A) THE WRITTEN REPORT:

1.     CASE STUDY OF A PR CAMPAIGN:

As the PR campaign in question must be one that was chosen by a team member in assignment 2, your choice is limited to only 3-4 campaigns. It is recommended to choose a campaign in an Asian country, and even more commendable to go for a South-East Asian one. Given that Asian countries often share similar beliefs, traditions and cultures, this would prove ideal for the next point. You should adapt said campaign to the context of Vietnam as you will have the best understanding of Vietnam’s cultural traditions, beliefs and societal situations to deliver the best adaptable approach of the previous campaign to this context. However, if none of your team member’s campaigns was deployed in the above region, feel free to select whichever one you favor after discussing them with others.

You must choose a brand that exists in both the case study campaign and in the Vietnamese market. For instance, you shouldn’t choose Three UK since they are not present in the Vietnam scene.

For this instruction guideline, Gillette’s 2021 “Man Enough” PR campaign in India is selected as an example.

●      Overview of the PR campaign’s original context: 100-150 words

For this section, you need to provide the market background as well as any societal concern or issue the PR campaign is addressing. These aspects can include (but are not restricted to): societal issues, brand reputation, situation of the industry, target audience, etc.

Example: Displaying emotions can be an action quite difficult to find in Indian boys, teenagers and men in general. Constructed as a type of societal belief by traditional norms and phrases like “Mard ko dard nahi hota” (men feel no pain) and the content of contemporary media such as Bollywood movie tropes, the expectation placed upon Indian males is a tall order. Their beards have become a bodily symbol of this notion of “masculinity”, which they are expected to keep and maintain as an extension of their masculine nature (Thu n.d.). This affects the performance of Gillette and other razor brands, despite their dominant position in the Indian market (6Wresearch 2023)...

●      Demonstration of your understanding of the PR planning process, using PR theories and concepts: 200-250 words

There are 2 aspects to this segment of your case study, detailing different tactics deployed in the campaign and analyzing them through PR concepts. For the first task, you must gather evidence regarding the PR campaign’s tactics and methods to showcase the means in which it was delivered to the public. You can compile this in an appendix and display it at the end of your report. Since a campaign will likely contain numerous approaches to its strategy, you’ll only need to name them out and state their main purposes in relation to delivering the campaign’s key message. Afterwards, you are to apply theories as lenses and point out the underlying frameworks being used in the campaign, which you’ve learnt throughout the course: Grunig and Hunt’s 4 models of PR framework, persuasion/social influence and mass media theories, etc.

Example: Therefore, Gillette set out to deliver their key message to the Indian community about aborting shaving stereotypes through their hashtag “#shavingstereotypes”, which manifested in a number of public relation tactics. Firstly, Gillette produced a content video revolving around general M.K. Sinha’s story of survival and emotional reunion with his father. He grew his beard to cover up the scar he got from a war, but later he decided to shave it, revealing the intended message that it is normal to express one’s emotions and embrace their feelings. Furthermore, on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, Gillette partnered with organizations and influential individuals to create user-generated content such as a version of terms regarding masculinity or poems (see Figure 1). This would later be caught on by renowned public figures, especially those in the Bollywood scene, and gained even more digital traction.

Figure 1: Gillette’s #ShavingStereotypes, #ManEnough Facebook post, partnered with Under 25 Dictionary

Source: Gillette (2019)

In addition, the brand also organized meetings and talk shows featuring the general, during which he openly discussed mental hardships and masculinity in front of university students. These events directly inspired and resonated with them - the target audience of the campaign. As a result, these tactics received extensive public relations coverage from newspapers, agencies and media companies, locally and globally. Marketing websites like Ads of the World and Branding in Asia alongside news platforms like CNN News produced high-traffic reportage of the campaign, with highlights including the discussion of prominent figures in India regarding the societal issue (Thu n.d.).

In total, the campaign amassed (insert statistics indicating its success).

As far as concepts of public relations are concerned, this campaign demonstrated a clear understanding and command over the brand’s resources and contextual surroundings. The effects of social learning theory played a pivotal role in the overall success of the campaign; by exhibiting crying, being emotional and shaving as actions associated with acceptable and even encouraged behavior, the Indian community was engaged to learn and enable these patterns of behavior by Gillette through practice and experience. On the other hand, the brand performed the setting of an agenda to redefine the public’s perception pertaining to the emotional expressions of men, especially via social media movements…

TIPS: You must provide a brief version of every concept’s definition. Only then can you go on and apply it in your analysis.

●      Analysis of how this PR campaign can work in different context: 100-150 words

In this section, you’re expected to analyze the advantages and drawbacks the campaign offered in terms of its suitability to alternative societal circumstances. In other words, you need to determine the aspects in which you must change or maintain for the new context the campaign will be in. You need to introduce the new country the campaign is going to be adapted to.

Example: The chosen country this campaign will be adapted to is Vietnam. Overall, Gillette public relations efforts in the campaign in India possess high compatibility with the societal and cultural themes of Vietnam. Vietnamese males often suffer from the saying “là con trai không được khóc” (you’re a boy, you mustn't cry), sharing a similar socio-cultural barricade with their Indian counterparts. The country in question also features digital media and high quality public relations tools, allowing for many of the above tactics adaptable and even upgradable when it hypothetically arrives in Vietnam. However, there exist a few downsides. Beards and the notion of masculinity is not as clear a connection in the Vietnamese market as that in the Indian market, thus a new approach to the content video is commendable…