PR Publicity

In PR publicity for brands, the ambassador of a company makes use of different media to make public statements (both spoken and written) or participate in publicity activities to promote the company brand. Unlike advertising, this kind of promotion does not necessarily publicise the functions of the product or the strengths of the brand directly. Rather, the ambassador takes advantage of a particular incident or event to convey to the public the message of the company or brand, thus reinforcing the brand image.

In recent years it has become a trend for mainland enterprises to appoint Hong Kong or Taiwanese artistes as ambassadors to perform publicity or ribbon-cutting work. In early 2005, Hong Kong artistes Cecilia Cheung and Louis Koo were invited by Yishion to officiate at the opening of its flagship store in Guangzhou and act as models going on the catwalk at the opening fashion show. Popular stars can normally draw extensive media coverage and can increase brand awareness within a short time. However, the average SME can hardly afford the price. They may consider organising innovative activities to attract the attention of the mainland media.

PR Sponsorship

The brand of a company or product can be promoted by sponsoring sports, educational or charity events. This indirect means of publicity attracts the media to cover the events sponsored in a bid to draw public attention and build up the image of the company as an organisation that contributes to the well-being of society. PR sponsorship requires cost and reputation and is therefore more suitable for cash-rich companies.

Sports PR

People associate Marlboro with Formula I car racing. Since the international advertising law forbids the placement of ads by cigarette products, Marlboro promotes its brand by sponsoring car racing, printing the Marlboro logo on race cars, drivers' uniforms and even the race course.

Educational PR

McDonald's has always been an active sponsor of public welfare undertakings. Since its entry into the mainland market, the company has been sponsoring the Leukemia Foundation, children's homes and Hope schools, as well as set up Uncle McDonald's Scholarship, all for the development of children and teenagers. Whenever certain parts of China are hit by floods, earthquakes and other natural disasters, McDonald's would act immediately and make donations. McDonald's has also contributed to the Poverty Relief Foundation and the layoff workers fund, training layoff workers and hiring disabled people. McDonald's has donated a total of over Rmb10 million in Chiina in the past 10 years. In 2000, the McDonald's Cone Caring Drive bought sports facilities for over 100 Hope schools across China which contributed to the popularisation and development of China's sports undertakings. All these activities have established a positive and caring image for McDonald's.

Charity PR

In order to check the spread of AIDS in China, the Chinese Foundation for Prevention of STD and AIDS initiated the 121 Joint Action Plan against AIDS in 2003. Unicom donated Rmb200,000 cash, issued a 17910 global roaming card publicising the prevention and control of AIDS, and donated roaming cards worth Rmb300,000 in support of this campaign. In the same year, Unicom also organised a corporate donation to help improve the life of people in poverty-stricken areas. In 2000, the company contributed to the "Land of Love" project jointly sponsored by the All-China Women's Federation and CCTV.

2-3-2 PR Strategies

Making Use of PR Offensives

It does not necessarily take massive advertising promotions to open up a market. The effective use of PR strategies can also achieve the goal. During former US President Ronald Reagan's visit to China in 1984, Beijing's Great Wall Hotel managed to win the opportunity of holding the president's thank-you banquet at the end of his visit. With the help of the media, the event greatly enhanced the hotel's international image.

Making Use of News Media

The news media represent public opinion and the will of the public. Their influence far exceeds that of other media. If the news report on a certain brand is positive, it will help boost the prestige and popularity of the brand. If the report is negative, the image of the brand will be tarnished. Thus, enterprises must cultivate good and close ties with the news media. When Dongfeng Peugeot Citröen Automobile Co Ltd launched the latest Elysee model of its Dongfeng Citröen in 2002, top company executives all attended the launch and answered questions from reporters. Reporters from over 100 news media tried out the new product in test drives organised by the company.

Making Use of Festivals

Making use of major festivals to promote brands can attract the attention of consumers. Christmas, Chinese New Year and Easter are good opportunities for Hong Kong companies to promote their brands. There are Easter eggs at Easter and Santa Claus at Christmas, companies can make use of the festival's theme and main characters as publicity gimmicks. Consumers are normally more relaxed when they are in a festive mood, and publicity campaigns launched against such backdrops can effectively stimulate their purchasing desire. Company anniversaries are also good for publicity. Olay invited over 300 distinguished guests, including business partners, business leaders, famous artistes and social celebrities, to celebrate its 15th anniversary. At the party, the 12 Girls Band performed a piece of music composed especially for the occasion and attracted a lot of media coverage.

Making Use of New Product Launch

When an enterprise launches a new product, it would normally promote the new product by different means, such as giving away free samples. If the enterprise can plan relevant PR publicity to coincide with the launch, it can further increase brand awareness and give the new product a leg up. In the case of cosmetics and perfumes, free samples of new products are usually offered in publicity campaigns.

Making Use of Incidents

Incidents may occur from time to time and enterprises must work out contingency measures. In an adverse situation, in particular, good PR tactics and activities do not only resolve the problem, but can help enhance brand publicity and change consumers' view of the brand. However, enterprises must take care to base all actions on facts in order not to arouse consumers' resentment.

In March 2005, two lots of red pepper powder delivered by the seasoning supplier to KFC Suzhou were found to contain the Sudan Red dye. Although there is no evidence that Sudan Red can cause great harm to humans, experiments proved that the red dye could increase the possibility of cancer in animals. The Suzhou health supervision authorities demanded that KFC Suzhou suspend the sale of relevant products in all its outlets. KFC immediately recalled all products containing this ingredient together with over 400 boxes of New Orleans seasonings. At the same time, 32 Suzhou KFC outlets also destroyed four types of food containing the Sudan Red. Its rival, McDonald's, immediately lowered the price of similar products to promote sales. KFC also slashed the price of relevant products by 24% on the average and by nearly 29% at the most.