Adaptation - another key skill!

Hi again,

So after some deeply reflective blog posts, I will give you a break and tackle something simpler that I have come across. No deep thoughts this time but still an invaluable insight that I want to share with you. It deals with adaptation versus standardization.

When you work for a company like the one I am doing my internship in, there is not one set image that you can always project. Why? Well, because as mentioned before in my ' being the bridge for a bridge'  post, the company represents several brands, each with their own distinctive image. Therefore, whenever you are at a public function or anywhere where you have to represent the company, the image has to be modified a little by infusing the image of one or two other brands with the FSB image.

Want a more concrete example? Here's my case scenario

Logo of the NGO 

We have recently decided to sponsor T1 Diams, an NGO aimed at helping children with type 1 diabetes. The company decided to sponsor them with free Medical equipment from Beurer, a newly introduced medical products brand in Mauritius. The equipment was to be given during the T1 Diams en Balade South event and there would also be a speech which I was called upon to write and deliver. Needless to say that I was a little nervous, not really for the writing part since we had already done that before in PR Techniques but for the delivery part. Not only was I going to represent the company I am interning at in a verbal way but it also had to be in French (a language which I had lost fluency in after spending years in an English-speaking country.)

After I calmed down, I managed to write the speech, which my supervisor approved. However, a few things were added in terms of FSB's role. FSB's role in the speech had been in some way changed to reflect what the NGO needed and also now reflected Beurer's approach. 

Delivering the speech in an unexpected setting

Adaptation does not only happen for the organisation though; it also happens for the speaker/spokesperson. Once I got there, I realized that it was very different from what I expected.

I would not be on a stage faced with a seated audience focused on health and well-being which is what my speech was targeted at. Instead, I was going to be outside, with a dispersed audience sitting or standing in the grass with an unfocused mind. So applying a standard approach here and just proceed to reading the same speech would not work here.

This is when I decided to throw the big words out and took a more casual approach instead while still addressing the key points. This way, I was still able to represent the company and get the message across all while being relevant

 to the audience who otherwise I'm sure would have stopped paying attention. 

 This way I was still able to represent the company and get the message across all while being relevant to the audience who otherwise I'm sure would have stopped paying attention.

Giving out the medical equipment to T1 Diams' member

Answering questions from the audience about Beurer 

This made me realize that it is important for us as aspiring PR practitioners to be able to adapt not only our messages but also the delivery of these messages to the audience and setting we are in. We are the ones that learn the skills of adaptation whether in terms of choosing the medium or creating the message. After my experience at T1 Diams, I learned that even planning before hand does not mean that things will go a certain way, things can always change and it is our responsibility as PR practitioners to be ready and adapt to the changes we are faced with.

T1 Diams' group photo

 On a side note:  I had a very pleasant experience at the event and it felt really good knowing that we were helping these children and doing something better for the community. Please do share with me if you had similar experiences or if you learnt something new about the role of a PR person during your internship.

Looking forward to reading your responses,

Vaneeda.