A unique experience and opportunity in the marketing mix

The golden opportunity to work on a client communication strategy during the placement internship stay was unique experience and allow me to view new avenues for Public Relations Tactics. The idea never really come to mind since in Mauritius Virtual Reality is still a rare thing and using it as a Tactics within a communication strategy is something that can be viewed as Revolutionary. On a Public Relations perspective a tactic using Virtual reality to promote the service or to give the client a first-hand simulated experience is an excellent way to communicate about your product or key message. This was one of the communication tactics that may be put in place after my Internship ends in a client overall strategy

FCB Cread expertises list

Another part of communication strategy was the social media communication development plan. The need to design and pre-planned events with an overall explanation of its working was a bliss when you realise the unique opportunity to make qualitative and quantitative research to enhance your strategies. 




From content marketing post, photo contest, game design creation making use of events or make used of people passion to promote the client image, the difference in margin from the learning of the university and the job is thin but this time the importance of precision and details have a higher impact. This was part of a 3 phase plan of the client communication strategy that will be run over the course of 12 months if the client approves the pitch.

The Research and development part of the communication strategy was very interesting either on the road safety campaign or the airline company campaign. Both in terms of qualitative and quantitative research or in research of thematic for the campaigns. Some of the themes that was research upon were Vision, Visibility and safety on the road, use of seat belts and child restraint and effects of road crashes. This is where research emphasis were made on high rate campaigns by reviews their evaluation reports, view their key messages to be input in the local context and give ideas to designers for various themes that are to be implemented.

Illustration image for research quantitative and qualitative methods

The various and unique experiences of each department at Cread and Co Ltd have allow me exercise a different approach within my learning of the Public Relations discipline and made me wonder how I could be of service at times.  Mainly during the early days of the internship were I made research of how Public relations can help within the context I was in but also help me to discover new knowledge about the various opportunities that Public relations has in the marketing world and its overall importance. I must say it help me to refocus upon what i have learn in my past studies and moreover boost my confidence afterwards to perform in my internship with my own unique and personal touch from someone who have a Public Relations background.

My internship just ended on the 27^th October, I had quite a pleasant time with an amazing opportunity to learn and understand how the background of the advertising world to the finish line where the communication strategy is dissipated within the newspapers or radio spots. This unique opportunity to work within a marketing mix medium and have various types of clients with unique jobs demands. From the working of the full fledge communication strategy to simple facebook videos, radio spots or newspaper advert, the amount of knowledge acquire within those 22 days have pique my interest to know more about the communication world and the Public Relations added benefit upon a business communication strategy.

In the mix of things: Introducing the PR concept as a marketing strategy

LOGO of FCB CREAD and Co Ltd at the entrance of the company

Client Press Release Report

As the placement and internship have recently reached the 10th day mark, nothing really outstanding was presenting itself and even started to doubt about the learning factor outcome at the end of the journey.  From advertising booking, media booking, press release, media monitoring and small basic copywriter workloads to be actually doing something useful and productive in terms of Public relations content was a total blunt in term of working experience for PR but great for communication experience knowledge.

Newspaper Storage of  FCBCread& Co Ltd

Later on that day they was a Request of approval form from an Airline company and I was ask to summarise and rewrite it for designers, commercials and the Communication department. 

The next day, there was a meeting about that project and discussion around the project, the depth of this campaign and set of opportunities that it would be for the Cread & Co Ltd. 

This is where the opportunity for me to step in as an intern and provide knowledge not only about Public relations as someone who studied this methodology of marketing communications, explain its purpose and also the opportunities but also introducing of what as a PR student, I have learn during those three years of studies with the Virgin airlines case study. I explain the concept of Virgin airlines from what it was and how it has succeeded despite the marketing challenges it had, showcase case studies about Virgin Airlines and provide new insights for the Branding, design and Innovation team to enlarge their scoop of strategies that they might apply. 

List of Expertise that the FCB Cread and Co Ltd has a Advertising and Communication Agency

Furthermore that allow to grow my communication  and Public relations experiences in terms of research not only in a short and concise manner but also in way that it will help the concept team from the BDI section would understand and give him new angle to approach his strategies. The other important outcome was to be able to do something PR related and introduce to the company the very concept of public relation during my explanation stating the important things when regarding airlines companies that it deals with people, how public relation works in the Service and hospitality industry context and thus stating how Virgin Airlines proceeded to best up its completion via Public relations and services.

An explanation towards corporate communication in terms of Image and reputation while stating the ways to improve it and methods that was use by other successful Airlines companies. Therefore the concept that employees being the very image, first hand contact to the clients and first impression of the company image was an important task ahead. Another methodology proposed Stating Transmedia Storytelling strategies to bring forward something valuable that already have a strong culture influence and showing it in storytelling manner with blogging, employees’ culture development (Virgin airlines fake stewardess as example), adverts that people can be remember  either with sponsors or have something specific that trigger people thought to associate with the company with it,  and creating new customer bonding practices with the use of Anecdote experience in sponsored or media content.

Other suggestion I was able to introduce what was content marketing experiences for Airlines and how to write for an audience, personalising  the customer experience by introducing such as mobile application usage which can allow passengers to order drink, snack & duty free item from their mobile devices and also access airline-sponsored content,including videos, newspapers and games. Which was only possible because of the understanding of the public relations, analysis through research and exploring the new technologies its facilities in this fast pace technological era we presently are.

Understanding the work place Environment

Understanding the work place Environment

I tried to upload on my instagram account but it takes an eternity to upload and display all I wanted for this blog post. So let's go, As the second week of my internship come to an end, the opportunity to meet and familiarise with others members of the company come in hand with the knowledge acquire with it. Taking the opportunity to learn from others of what their jobs consist of within the company mostly as an observer is not only is a great way of making professional contact but also the allows an internal insight of the company works. 

As a disclaimer: First of all I am not a Fan of Instagram using this #CurtinPRIntern #PUBR3002workspaces is a nightmare for me being more of the PC / Laptop guy. So I download a third party app InstaPic to be able to upload on this social media app.

The Kitchen and dinning room at Cread Ltd

This is not a surprise, sharing a meal is often the best way to get to know people and know start making connections.

As most of them being communication professional either as Marketing officers, retail designers, Finance and accounting department, Human resources department or strategy officers. Their time is usually precious and it hard to get to know them during their working hours as being most of the time hang up to the phone or communicating with client using emails or simply out of the office for business purposes.

Cread Ltd Retail marketing department

 The Retail Marketing department

The official placement place I was assigned to but its is just because there was space issues. This department consist of a marketing officer dealing with the media directly for booking, advert placement and act as a media liaison for the company with media outlets and the company client. This is the home of most of the designers of the company working on adverts, brochures, annual reports and strategic design requirement for the company. 

Cread Ltd Design Branding and Innovation department

Design Branding and Innovation department

This department can be called the brain of the company as it is where communication, marketing, Branding design and all decision making take place. This is also the place I am able to learn from and discover how events such street guerilla tactics, the application of the 4 Why's of marketing applies, the purpose of a big Idea in the story telling and copy writing for radio script, television scripts and Facebook and social media strategies with the use of visual identity

Cread Ltd  Second Meeting room

The Main meeting Room with the CEO

For my working experience that I was able to acquire either a web designer or freelancer, I never met a such friendly character  and experience in his profession as the CEO and Executive Director of Cread Ltd. This room is either where meeting with Clients occur or the meeting with the DBI team or marketing officers occur. This room is where generally all strategies of the company are approve and decision making task are taken for the company. 

Those areas of the company is full of resources that I can exploit as a PR Intern, the internal communication among department is excellent and the convivial atmosphere mix with the pressure of deadline creates a unique working environment. This allows a better understanding of the communication world, its realities, flaws and joys which is a blessing in disguise. 

Re-learning the basics: Finding PR in an advertising company

My office Desk at FCB Cread & Co Ltd

The good news is I have finally manage to complete my first week of internship. The bad news there is no Public Relations department present and I have no experience in marketing as to speak. 

This was the tale of my first day of my internship which was apparently dull and uneventful in regards to Public Relations experience.

The next day I get to do a translation, trying to understand the language technicality use in the company and the various words use for commercial applications

Shortly after I am ask to do some media monitoring, ask to contribute in a media plan, ask to participate in the media advert booking and participate in the proof-reading and text correction before sending it to the company client.

How is that related to Public Relations one may wonder? 

In fact it does not but it helps to applied the discipline knowledge acquire during Public Relations Practice classes.  As Media planning, media monitoring, media booking at some point, proof-reading and validation are fundamental concept of Public Relations officer daily routine. 

So how is the internship related to Public relations?

"Excellence is not an act but a habit." - Aristotle

Apart from discipline knowledge, it is hidden, like if it is playing hide and seek throughout the various department of the Advertising Company.

The luck that I have is the FCB Cread & Co Ltd is a communication and advertising company which is among the top 3 best agencies in Mauritius in its industry. They are very well equip and also have a small staff dedicated staff that are very generous as to speak in terms of providing help or provide knowledge.

One of the most obvious PR related works is copy-writing in this company from translation of brief of client to a comprehensible formatted document, to script writing for adverts, radio commercial, radio messages, Television spot, Thematic ideas, Facebook post, blog post and website update. The copywriter job in the company does not end there, there are newsletter, annual reports, Brochures and flyers all waiting the copywriter to write for them, from small story to formal writing, it requires a certain level of dexterity and knowledge of the client activity.

So what did you do then?

My first work was to convert a commercial email into a formatted document, a little research and put to use the knowledge of segmenting stakeholders or publics later, I have created a detail document that the company can use by other staff members like designers, copywriters from the creative and design department, strategic marketing development department and highlight the misunderstanding point that the email may have. 

From this small document, I was able to participate to the naming of the product to be design and have 3 potential names that the client may choose from and develop a potential theme for each, writing a small storytelling experience about them and learn to implement it into the integrated marketing mechanics.

Newspaper storage

Yes, my internship may not be like the other students and to be directly integrated in a Public relations department but I am grateful enough to realise that Public relations is not only what one may have imagine to be. 

One thing is that have strike me the most is how advertising clients completely disregard the work of the integrated marketing process and how public relations in Mauritius is not view as an avenue for promotion tool or as a means for publicity.


It is present in every communication department from Visual literacy, design, copy-writing, planning, negotiating with clients or the media and with the task of Key Account officer I have manage to re-learn the basics of Public relations.