Free Custom «The PR Campaign» Essay Paper

The Yearly Plan of PR Activities Aimed at the Improvement of the Industrial Performance of the Chemwest, Chemical Company Located in the Midwest

Introduction

Any company from any industry is always vulnerable in terms of experiencing negative consequences if the media choses it as a target of its excessive scrutiny. The merciless vultures who call themselves “journalists” , “reporters”, or interviews and are armed with video cameras, microphones, and other equipment are more likely to succeed in the financial destruction of the company than the firm’s competitors who employ armies of managers, lawyers, accountants, and PR specialists. 

The given case study is the very case. The journalism coverage is the main contributor that may eventually result in the collapse of the company unless a set of serious and well-considered actions are taken by the company in order to disperse the circulated and heated by the media rumors that the protected firm is the main environmental malefactor that has ever existed under the blue sky.

 

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Overall, the aim of this report is to designate and to evaluate the set of actions that is to be taken by the managers of the firm in order to restore a healthy financial environment of the company and to participate in the active contest with the company’s competitors.  While developing the arguments for the promotion of the specific elements of the PR campaign, it is highly advisable to take into consideration the opinion of the scholars of this field and the PR business tycoons whose PR activities in the similar situations have already proven their effectiveness.

Overview of the Plan of PR Activities

a)      The Peculiarity of the Problem

First and foremost, it is to be highlighted in this section of the report that the approach that does seem to be relevant for the purposes of the present situation contains several integral indispensable elements. The managerial department of the firm must always consider that the main goals of the company relating to this PR campaign shall always be taken into account. The goals are to convince the farmers and other member of the communities where the firm operates that the activities of the company are no longer detrimental and no more wastes are being dumped into the waters of the surrounding areas. The second goal is to ensure that the profits accrued by the firm will increase by 20% during the next accounting year.  The reason I am accentuating the goals is their two-fold and considerably contradictory nature. Whereas the first goal is socially-oriented (to “clear” the image of the firm), the aim of the second goal is of a pure commercial nature, i.e. to make money for the company.  Although it is clear that the accomplishment of the second goal directly depends on the achievement of the first one due to the fact that it is practically impossible to retain the existing and to attract the new customers with a “stained” reputation.  However, whilst commercially these goals are inherently interrelated and mutually dependent, practically the implementation of the media campaign for these goals is different.  Scholars recommend that these goals are to be media illuminated differently. Therefore, for the purposes of the present situation it is not possible to adapt the existing effective models entirely. Thus, a completely brand new scheme is to be devised.

b)      The Approach of the Campaign

The strategy purports that undoubtedly it will be of no avail trying to refute the falseness of the circulating rumors about the environmental impact of the firm. The CEO of the company has to make a public statement in which she totally admits the liability of the company (what is important that she should admit her liability) for the deterioration of the natural ambience and to state that she does not in any case remonstrates the financial penalties imposed on the firm. The negative aspect of the fine imposing can be converted into the advantage of the firm: since the penalties have been applied, the firm in general and its managers in particular fully realize the importance of the strict observance of the existing and projected safety standards and regulations. The competitors of the firm are not aware about this empirically, only theoretically.

The second element of the PR campaign is the promotion of the new team in the firm. It is stated that the newly-appointed Chief Executive Officer of the firm has been fulfilling her duties only for the period of one year., Therefore, she is not liable for the previous inobservance of the ecological standards perpetuated by the firm. The target audience of the media campaign must be told and retold that the new CEO is now managing the firm and that the connections with the past have been severed.  

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Thirdly, it must be elucidated in the media that the firm considers the opinion of the farmers and other clients in the process of producing fertilizers. In other words, it seems to be reasonable to highlight that the firm highly values the opinion of the clients. It must be reported in the media that the firm permanently improves the manufacturing process, therefore meeting the needs of the customers.

Provided that all these basic elements of the PR campaign has been effectively fulfilled, it can be assured that the goals of the firm designated in the introduction section will be accomplished.

The Plan of Actions

Theme and Visibility of the Campaign

The easily recognizable image of the campaign must be created in order to accomplish the defined goals. It has been highlighted in the previous sections the company’s PR campaign image must incorporate the elements connected with the new CEO personality, the innovative approach of the fertilizers’ manufacture process, and the admittance of the liability for the previous misdeeds of the firm.

It is highly advisable that when interviews and other public statements are delivered by Mrs. Talia Mason, she mentions all these three items in her speeches. Failure to highlight any of them may ultimately lead to the setback of the entire PR actions campaign.

The personality of new CEO has to presented from the perspective that Mrs. Talia Mason (and supposedly the new team of the managers, although it can be taken for granted) observably follows the business approach that substantially differs from the business model advocated by her predecessor that has resulted in immense financial penalties applied to the firm. It is to be explained to the target audience (the issue concerning who the target audience of the present case study is will be reviewed later) that brand new techniques and methods are dominant in the environment of the company. The option to dump toxic chemicals into the Missouri river is no longer viewed as an acceptable way to handle them.

The second aspect of the company’s image is the highlighted acceptance of the previous misdeeds of the company. In particular, it seems to be senseless and completely irrational to launch media actions aimed at blaming the media sources for stigmatizing of the reputation and the image of the Chemwest Company. Although the firm has been excessively slung with mud, these actions have been entirely justified by the public necessity and this fact is to be highlighted in the course of the media campaign. It is worth elucidating that the deterioration of the firm’s reputation has been the deserved one and that there is nobody to blame except the firm’s previous authorities. The firm itself is not liable, but former managers of the firm are. This aspect is to be accentuated additionally in all media statements issued by the firm.

Although it must be presented in a way that it is intentionally not conducted, it does, however,  seem to be reasonable to indicate that the criticism was due and well-deserved, yet several aspects of the campaign have been excessively exaggerated. It seems to be relevant to hint that the excessive nature of the media coverage is generated by the intrigues and machinations of the firm’s competitors. The fact that the competition has become fierce (and therefore, the fact that the competitors of the firm prosper now) may be indirectly connected with the fact that the reputation of Chemwest has been stained.

Besides, another element of the company’s brand image is the fact that the opinion of the customers of the firm is highly valued and accentuated. Moreover, there is an urgent need to emphasize the fact that the surveys to understand the opinion of the farmers, i.e. the main customers of the firm, is considered to be essential and prioritized. 

Assuming that all these elements of creating an effective brand visibility have been effectively implemented, it is clear that the successful predisposition for the media campaign is automatically created.

The Target Audience of the Campaign

a)     The Farmers of Nebraska, Iowa, Missouri, and Kansas (the states where the firm primarily operated according the Statement of the Facts)

First and foremost, existing and prospective clients are the target audience of this media campaign. Considering that main goals of firm are to increase the sales and to clean the image of the firm, this target category is to be prioritized in order to accomplish these goals. The goods manufactured by the firm (the fertilizers) will be prospectively bought by them. Therefore, the image of the firm has to be primarily cleared in their eyes.

Although other participants of the agricultural process are likely to take part in the consumption and purchasing process, farmers constitute a primary category of the firm’s clients.

b)      Farming Companies and Other Participants Of The Agricultural Process

Farming companies and those who actively engage in the agricultural industrial cycle (e.g. sub purchasers or big agricultural holdings) may prospectively become the customers of the company if the Chemswest someday decides to re-orientate its industrial cycle and the fertilizers will be mainly produced for agricultural holdings and farming companies instead of individual farmers.  Moreover, it is highly possible that in accordance with the aspiration of the firm to increase the sale by 20% and to accrue additional profits, it is almost a certain fact that new customer bases will be sought and new markets will be discovered.  Holdings and farming companies seem the most hypothetically possible customers.

c)      Independent Research Agencies and Mass Media

The mass media campaign to influence the mass media may seem to be a bit paradoxical in nature. However, leading scholarly and business authorities have a convergent opinion that the elucidation of the firm’s branding in one media source may result in its subsequent positive elucidation in the rest of mass media agencies.

As far as independent research agencies are concerned, their opinion is the benchmark that is utilized by professionally oriented magazines and journals, e.g. Agriculture today. Therefore, they must be convinced alongside with the customers of the company that the firm is ecologically and environmentally friendly and that the manufactured commodities are of upscale quality.

The Media Sources to Be Targeted

The following media sources are to be utilized in the course of the media campaign in order to achieve the designated goals of the project:

a)      Television

The majority of practicing farmers, i.e. the main target audience of the campaign, reluctantly read professionally-oriented journal articles and literature. Therefore, it seems to be highly advisable that the elements of the campaign are broadcasted on television.

b)      Popular Local Newspapers

The media message shall be delivered by means of the most popular local newspapers, due to the fact that farmers as a social class often read newspapers and magazines of general orientation. If the message of the firm constantly looms before them, they are likely to be more quickly convinced about honest intentions of the company to restore its reputation and to become an active participant of the industrial cycle.

c)      Professionally Oriented Journal Articles and Magazines

The aim of these media sources is to convince independent research agencies and big agricultural holdings about the renovations in the company’s reputability and about the renovations of the firm. These sources are actively exploited by these categories of the target audience. Therefore, this fact must be considered.

Social Component and Message of the Company’s CEO

Social Responsibility Issues of the Campaign

Having made a close look at the messages delivered by the firm, existing and prospective customers of the firm as well as independent research agencies and ordinary people must be immediately convinced that the social responsibility is not hollow words of the firm. People who deliver the message must persevere in convincing the target audience of the firm that the company is no longer violating the environmental rules not only because the firm aspires to make big profits, but mainly because the social objective of the firm is to restore a healthy environmental situation in the affected regions.

The Message of the Company’s CEO and of the top-managers of the firm

When messages are delivered to the general public, the following structure and the following quotes are highly advised in order to accomplish the goals of the firm.

One of the most essential steps is the admittance of the fault for the previous misdeeds and poor ecological performance of the firm. The CEO shall say that “we fully and wholeheartedly assume the full responsibility for the ecological impact our firm has inflicted on the good communities of Kansas, Iowa and Missouri”. Besides, the actual responsibility is to be shifted to the former CEO and it must be said that “I have been in the office for only 12 months, but I completely realize the scope of responsibility I have to bear and the rigor of the ecological requirement our firm has to correspond to”.

The accent on the customer’s value is to be expressed. It must be said by the CEO that “our clients are our primary asset” and “polls and surveys will be conducted on the permanent basis in order to ensure that the needs of the clients have been fully addressed”.