Public relations?

Greetings everyone!

I’m into the second week of interning at Brunei Economic Development Board and what an experience it has been! Although BEDB has a Stakeholder Relations Division (SRD), I’ve instead been assigned a role in BEDB’s Marketing and Investment Promotion Division (MIP). I’m pretty sure most of you are thinking, “hang on a minute this is a PR module. What on earth is he doing interning at a marketing department?” To be completely honest, if this was an entry by another person - I would ask the same question. However, I urge you to stop reading at this point and question, “Is PR really that different from marketing?”

I remember vaguely the days where my lecturer would try at her very best to ingrain the concept of PR and how it differs from marketing into our minds. As third year students, we should already by now have an iron grip on the fundamentals of PR, right? Guess I should’ve paid more attention in class, eh?

As my first task, my supervisor gave me the responsibility of producing a video based on an emerging industry in Brunei. I was advised to set up meetings with local manufacturers (stakeholders?) and ask for their opinions and feedback (isn’t this PR work?). At the end of every meeting, a contact report —which has to be e-mailed to everyone in the department— detailing what went on during the meetings is required. The report also includes issues raised in the meetings as well as a proposed course of action to be taken (a follow up?). I found this an excellent way of communication as you not only get your ideas across but it also keeps everyone in the loop. Oh and before I forget, a few days ago my supervisor had to prepare a press release and attend a press conference. I didn’t know that marketing dealt with press releases as well (or maybe it’s just my department?).

In my opinion, marketing and PR shares the same basic principles and should not be treated as polar opposites. Both disciplines pay great attention to research, creativity and communication (read contact report). Although my internship experience has rendered my already blurry understanding of PR to cloudy skies with zero percent chance of visibility, I am thankful for it. I’ve now realized that in the real world, a PR practitioner’s role is constantly evolving into other roles not only confined within the four walls of a PR department. What do you think?