PR Plan= Marketing Plan or PR Plan ≠ Marketing Plan? That’s the question!

Hola everyone,

My forth post is about my favourite task done during my internship. During my 20 days of internship, the best was kept for the end. I was asked to do a PR plan for Black Energy drink which is in fact a new energy drink in the world. Our client asked my supervisor to prepare a marketing plan as he wanted to launch this product in Mauritius and she gave this task to me. I was very happy as it was something that I have done in class. The only thing was that it had to be a marketing plan. And I was like; ok is it 100% similar to a PR plan? “Do not worry,” my supervisor said. “Just do it like you learnt in class.” I felt very proud of myself. My supervisor was really impressed. She realised that a PR plan is better and more elaborated than a marketing plan. Of course, I needed to add some marketing things in it although I have not done many marketing modules as major. It was a real pleasure to make this plan. While we were talking, I felt very proud while discussing about the plan as this was something I did in class. During my internship I sometimes had some issues with some technical words as I was working in an advertising agency and technical design words were difficult to learn quickly. But when talking about the PR plan I was in my world. I have put what I learnt in class in practice and felt like yes, I admit that I learnt a lot of things during my Public Relations modules. The fact that I was asked to elaborate more on some marketing issues helped me to improve myself. Nowadays many Public Relations officers and marketing offices have to work hand in hand and when learning more about the marketing plan, I realised that we have still something to learn. In addition, this was the first time I have worked on PR plan for a product. We have always worked on clients in class. I just needed to elaborate more on the competitors and on the tactics especially when working with designers. I was asked to precise what kind of billboard advertising I wanted, what type of posters would be suitable for this energy drink product.  Moreover, I had to visit many supermarkets and hypermarkets to analyse the way the product was placed and to comment to it. I was really shocked to see how Black Energy drink which is new to Mauritius, was placed. The first bad image was that dead flies were seen near the product and as everyone would think, it is not the kind of thing we want to see near drinks as if Black Energy drink killed the flies. The second thing is that being new, the product should have been placed in a special way to attract attention and not being placed with the other energy drink. As I have stated in my tactics, Black energy drinks can be displayed in spiral shaped shelves, which turns in circular motion slowly. The shelves can be put in different places in supermarkets, not necessarily in the beverages aisles.  It was a very good experience to work in real life for a real product noting that my PR plan will be viewed by the Black Energy drink committee of Mauritius. Moreover it was a fantastic thing to work on a PR plan along with my designers colleagues who did not hesitate to give ideas in terms of creativity. They did also learnt many things about PR and enjoyed giving ideas especially when their job consists of designing something already thought about. Having their word to say when dealing with the promotion of Black Energy Drink was a really good experience. My internship was beyond shadow of doubt a very good practice where I put what I have learnt in practice and learnt also new things.

Graziella Hippolyte

15806785

Charles Telfair Institute

It is not the end, it is only the beginning...

Hi Bloggers and Friends, For my final post let sit down and talk about my internship at Publico Creative and Universal Media.

My Internship at Publico Creative and Universal media was has been a great and inspiring experience. As mentioned in my previous blogs, being at Publico provided me the opportunity to  get on my feet in the PR field and  apply my knowledge as a first practical and enriching experience to complete my studies in public relations and communication. Of course it was not easy everyday to meet the targets but it was for me a challenge because clients expected that I go the extra mile like the other employees. Being at the agency helps me to learn how to implement marketing strategies, conduct reports and research’s, prepare interviews and draft speeches, interact with high personalities and one of the highlights of my internship was to be in the media relation and advertising team of an international personality who came to Mauritius for a media conference and a huge presentation which marked Mauritius by is arrival to the island.

As communication is a valuable asset in public relation, for Publico communication is very important. Internal and external communication is very important as Neila Govin said  ‘without a good internal communication there are no good external communication’. At Publico all departments for example, the account managers, art directors and the general manager always need to be on the same wave length. The agency promotes that good internal communication reflects the way they work altogether in the agency  which results in good external communication with clients. This strong corporate culture helped me a to increase the way I work and it enhances my effectiveness to handle issues.

My internship has given me the chance to explore a variety of roles, allowing me to develop valuable skills that employers look. But, It was not only a professional internship but also a human experience. I would like to thank all the team that is the management team, the art directors, the media department, the messengers, the receptionist and the chef, who from my first day there, did their best to give me a warm welcome and encourage me to go further. I will not forget the other intern who made my internship so special.


For all these reasons I’d really like to express my sincere gratitude to Publico Creative ( Universal Media)  and all the team there and wish you all the best for the future. I hope that you enjoy reading my final blog about my experience in a creative atmosphere as I mentioned in my first blog. If you have any question in regard to my internship just leave a comment.

Kind regards

Sharonne Delia 

" Intelligence plus character - that is the goal of true education" - Martin Luther King, Jr

My internship adventures at Universal Media

Hi bloggers

So, my third blog would be about my experience at Universal Media which is a part of Publico Creative as they handle all the media channels that Publico needs to work with. The working environment there is quite different as everything needs to be done quickly and effectively.

I got a lot to do there every day between media clippings, media plan, and contacting the different newspapers of Mauritius, it was a very good and nice experience there.

My job was mainly to send the necessary documentation and information to media contacts that the company have and making new contact using my communication skills to increase the relationship between (the example) the clients and the company. My job there was to find the  local newspaper reporters who are responsible for different newspaper advert space.

When some information are not clear, my duties at Universal Media was to call the news editors of the newspapers, radio stations or MBC and clarify the issues.

Before any inquiries by the media, I was briefed by the director as anything you say to the media may end up in a story. The media have been shown to be a primary source of information, but "it can be the best friend or worst enemy." During meetings I was there with the team as a Media advocate as my job was to work to attract publicity for organizations, to know that the media can get a public or social policy message across to the largest audience possible in the least amount of time.

So, This is a small overview of my duties at Universal Media. Thank you for taking the time to read my post and I am open to questions.

Kind regards

Sharonne Delia 

" Intelligence plus character - that is the goal of true education" - Martin Luther King, Jr

‘We are a team here, not a hierarchy!’

Hi everyone,

Hope that your internship is going fine.

My Internship provides really good work experience opportunities for me. As the previous week I was able to apply my knowledge on the different issues that arouse everyday. Several tasks were set for me to complete, thus encouraging me to overcome all the problems that turn out. As the days passed, I developed a strong desire to learn more about the PR field as the environment that I work is so challenging and demanding.

Since my arrival at Publico Creative, everyone did their best to ensure that I get the best possible work experience in public relation/communication and create unforgettable memories for me. My second week was full of challenges as I learned to set up a complete media plan for a huge event. It was not easy everyday as I had to work at the same pace like the other employees but they helped me a lot in achieving my targets and monitor me when needed. 

Publico Creative front view of the building.

My General Manager called Cora Korimbocus told me that in the organization, the interns were partially left on their own the first week to let them build up themselves within the organization values as it is important for new comers to understand the way Publico Creative works.Now after one week, I acquire the organizational culture and understood well my role in the organization. Now I can say that being there made me have more passion for PR and help me to work as hard as they do which results to being committed to a high level of client service.

Every day is a new day full of tasks at Publico and it helps me to build up a strong personality which increased my organizational skills and professionalism in my work. It raises my ability to do several tasks at the same time and to work in a team spirit as stated by the GM “we’re a team here not a hierarchy”

As I told in the previous paragraph, I worked on media plan each day. Publico ltd is set up of two organisations (department) which are Publico Creative (marketing and communication) and Universal Media (public relation and booking). So, when my duties were fixed up at Publico creative for the internal communication and direct contact with customers, I was sent to Universal Media in the media department to be able to manage with the press. It is for me a good experience to see how these organisational culture work out together as their approach to the everyday issues are different.

 

Universal Media front view of the building.

I hope that you enjoy reading my post and about how my internship strengthen my knowledge. If you have any question in regard to my internship just leave a comment.

Kind regards

Sharonne Delia 

" Intelligence plus character - that is the goal of true education" - Martin Luther King, Jr

Begining of my internship in a Creative atmosphere.

Good Afternoon everyone,

I am Sharonne Delia  from the Charles Telfair Institute, Mauritius. I am doing a Bachelor of commerce in Tourism and Events management, Hospitality and Public Relations. I am on the end of my first week at Publico Creative.

Publico Creative is an advertising company operating in the Capital of Mauritius. It is mainly an advertising organisation dealing with all kinds of  media such as billboards, newspaper, radio, brochures and television.  For my internship, I am involved to assist the communication agent entitled as the account manager in the company. As Publico Creative has no separated departments; graphic designers, account managers, copywriters and the creative director work as a whole to make the organisation prosper in a team spirit. 

My first day at Publico was unforgettable I was nervous about my first experience in the PR field as I could finally put my hours of study into practice. I got a very warm welcome from everyone there as they were very friendly and made me feel comfortable. I got the chance to hear about the organization, their policies and culture, as well as get a good sense of the type of work I will be doing.

For my first week, I carried out some research work linked to a conquest done by a company, one of the clients of Publico. It enables me to upgrade my knowledge on how to assist and organise a conquest ( event). 

I had the opportunity to go and assist the communication agent in a photo shoot and to go to a recording studio for a client's advertising where my role was to act as intermediary between the client and the company.

I assist to my first meeting of the whole company to make a point on the different works being held in the company. This meeting is help to improve employee relation and communication between everyone in the company and everyone gives their point of view about the issues that arouse during the previous week. 

I hope that you enjoy reading my first week experience in a creative atmosphere. If you have any question in regard to my internship just leave a comment.

Kind regards

Sharonne Delia 

" Intelligence plus character - that is the goal of true education" - Martin Luther King, Jr