“If, after thinking about it for a long time, you’re still unsure about your career, stop thinking and start an internship. When you start working, you can see what you like, what you are good at, and what you want to work towards.” That’s what I thought, and I came to Ruder Finn, where I got a lot of inspiration from the internship.
Here I would like to share some inspiration about “What is PR.”
During my internship in Ruder Finn, I often participated in the company’s internal case sharing and training. PR101 is an internal training about What is PR brought by Christina, an experienced professional in Public Relations. It helps me better think about the role that PR can play and the value it can achieve.
In November 2020, I joined Ruder Finn Guangzhou as an intern, which was the first time I started my career and began my entry into public relations. But when my family and friends ask me, “What does PR do?” I can’t tell you exactly what I do. I’ve never thought about how to define PR. My internship routine usually involves writing press releases, inviting media KOLs, placing ads, media monitoring, and collecting Clippings… But do these jobs amount to PR? Where are the boundaries of public relations? How is PR different from other players in the communications industry? With these questions in mind, I participated in the sharing and gained a lot.
PR is about perception Management. She cites the example of Midea, a well-known home appliance brand in China, transforming its image as a technology group. Ruder Finn proposed digital and intelligent solutions to change users’ perception of corporate image. Based on a deep understanding of Midea’s business structure and business logic, I planned the campaign. Redefine the vision, mission, and values of the brand. Let consumers on the brand image of Midea change, from ordinary manufacturing home appliances, to fit the user’s life of the smart home, and then expand to the intelligent application of the industrial Internet.
PR is about risk control ability. Some time ago, Purecotton published an advertisement for a makeup remover that was insulting to women, causing controversy. Christina said that the PR department has a lot to blame for this crisis. Because a mature public relations department, in the advertising before the launch of the decision, should assess its risk and the content of the review. Improve the ability of risk control can better protect the reputation of the company and the brand.
The qualities that public relations practitioners need to possess. The first is to have curiosity. As long as you are curious about the unknown, you will have the motivation to explore and move forward. Secondly, we should have the ability to think critically. The third is the combination of lofty vision and down-to-earth implementation. We should pay attention not only to the goals of development but also to the details of implementation. Last but not least, be passionate about your job. Follow current events, understand industry trends, face new challenges in the new communication environment, and keep moving forward.
Through Christina’s sharing, I learned about the work of PR from a more professional perspective, which made me clear about my future development direction in the communication area.
Meanwhile, I hope this blog post could give you some inspiration. Don’t think too much, just start an internship would be great!