1. DA010 - Professional Diploma in Public Relations - COMM6024EP
Media Relations and New Media
Technology (2011/10)
Lecture 6
Managing media event
Developed and Presented by
Roy Ying, Msc., B.Comm.
Note: Pictures used in this power point file
is for academic Purpose only

2. Table of Content
• Types of media events: press conferences,
media receptions, briefings, networking activities,
product launches, media visits etc.
• Objectives and metrics
• Resources required in managing media events
• Core competence in event management
• RFP in out-sourcing media event to PR agencies,
PCOs or DMCs

3. Class:
Class:
•• Is this your idea
Is this your idea
of an event
of an event
manager?
manager?

4. Yes and No
• Yes for clients who only need someone
who takes care of the logistics
• No for clients who want to outsource the
full event from inception to execution: PCO
Class:
Class:
•• What’s the
What’s the
difference
difference
between the 2
between the 2
job roles?
job roles?

5. What do PCOs do for a living?
1. Bid Support
2. Venue Sourcing
3. Conference Delivery
– Conference Logistical Management
– Admin Class:
Class:
– CPD /CME (if required) •• Discuss the job
Discuss the job
– Registration Services duties for each
duties for each
– Programme Management of the 6 work
of the 6 work
– Financial Management scope
scope
– Social Event Services
4. Conference Promotion
5. Exhibition Management and Sponsorship
6. Travel and Accommodation

6. Types of media events
• Is this really a press conference?

7. Other types of press conferences
Crisis Management Major Event Survey Reporting
Launching a Competition Update News

8. What’s the objectives of these PCs
• Crisis Management
• Survey Results
• Launching a Competition
• News Update
Class:
Class:
•• What other types
What other types
of press
of press
conferences can
conferences can
you think of?
you think of?

9. What’s a media briefing?
Class:
Class: Class:
Class:
•• Does it
Does it •• What do
What do
sound
sound reporters
reporters
informative?
informative? expect out
expect out
of this?
of this?

10. What is this?

11. What’s the result?

12. Product Launch Party

13. Media Visit

14. Objectives & Metrics
• Again, why do companies want to spend so
much money in organizing these events?
• What do they want to get out of them?
• For agencies, it’s a job with defined deliverables:
– Number of attending journalists (bloggers)
– Volume of newsclips (on preferred media)
– Mentions of brand name
– Number of interviews
– Quality of guests (for launch parties)
– Media audit (for annual retainers)
– Pages of editorial

15. Objectives & Metrics
• For in-house PR practitioners, the metrics
are more complex. The use of an agency
is only one of the means to achieve the
objectives, which may include:
– Ultimate objective
– Medium term milestones
– Short term goals
– Immediate wins

16. Discussion – HKSAR CE Race

17. Discussion
• Ultimate Objective – to become Chief
Executive of Macau
• What would be your medium term
milestone?
• What would be your short term goals?
• What immediate wins would you want to
achieve?
• What kind of events would you want to
organize, participate and get invited to?

18. Resources in Managing PR Events
• A press conference (or media visit)
– A venue (could be your own office)
– A set of AV equipment
– A media list
– A telephone, email and computer
– A spokesperson (or more)
– A Q&A list
– A press kit
– A team of PR staff or an agency
– A security protocol in case there are places media are
not welcomed

19. Resources in Managing PR Events
• A media reception (similar to a blogger
event)
– Everything PC needed
– F&B
– Photo opportunities (things to see, eat, learn
or experience)
– Usually a nicer venue
– A much longer script as there usually is more
to talk about

20. Resources in Managing PR Events
• Product launch party
– Every media reception needed
– A much bigger venue with themed décor
– Apart from press, you need guests, celebrities,
preferred customers and VIPs
– Stage production (usually some form of
entertainment or performance)
– Lots of drinks
– Video and photography

21. Resources in Managing PR Events
• Most importantly, you need people!
• It takes a lot of talent, even if you have the
budget to hire a PCO.
• Generally, your PR staff should be:
– Resourceful in building a supplier database
– Strong in project management
– RPF and Contract administration skills
– Experienced in a wide range types of event
– Managing media relations

22. Core Competence
• If you don’t have the luxury of hiring an
event manager, you need to learn:
– Venue management
– Organizing committee servicing
– Event Marketing
– Operational logistics

23. Preparing Event Site
Requirement Brief

24. Preparing Event Site
Requirement Brief

25. Organizer
• Types of Organizing Entities:
– Organizer
– Co-organizer
– Supporting Organization
– Sponsor

26. Audience
• Who do you want to attend your event?
– Just warm bodies to fill the room?
– Or people who you want to talk to?
– Or people who may buy from you?
– Or people you want to get to know?
– Where to find them? How to reach them?

27. Branding Your Event
• Name the event
– A good name is a valuable asset
– You need to come up with a name for your
event that is memorable and conveys the idea
of the event
– Register the name if your event is recurrent
– Don’t make the name too long

28. Branding Your Event
• Create a tagline
– Taglines are memory magnets.
– A key part of a brand’s verbal identity is the
brand’s tagline.
– Short taglines are best
– Aim to convey the key differentiating ideas
about your event

29. Branding Your Event

30. Branding Your Event
• Commission a logo for the event
– Most companies and causes have a logo
– A special logo is designed for important
corporate events
– Use the visual “mark” – the graphic of the logo
to convey an important “idea” about the event.

31. Branding Your Event

32. Branding Your Event
• Donald Trump’s “You Are Fired”

33. Branding Your Event
• Create a sense of exclusivity.
– Successful events and meetings are not only
talked about, but people vie to attend them
– By invitation only
– Members only

34. Branding Your Event

35. Branding Your Event
• Create a branded experience
– What you want to do is burn in a single-
minded brand identity at every tough point,
producing a consistent brand experience
– invitations, logo, venue, speakers,
decorations, posters, room gifts, special
invitees……….carry the same message

36. Targeted Marketing
• Decide who your target audience is
– What kind of people do you want to attend
your event?
– It depends on the objective(s) of your event

37. Targeted Marketing
• B to B
• Office

38. Targeted Marketing
• B to C
• Client wants
rich female

39. Targeted Marketing
• Next Step is to find ways to reach your targeted
audience
• Direct marketing is still the most effective in
event marketing
• Growing trend to deploy partnership marketing
• More and more focus on e-marketing
strategies….

40. E-Marketing Strategies
• 8 tips to promote your event website:
– List your web on high-traffic search engines
and directories. (hint: not every country can
search google)
– Become listed on local meeting and event
calendars (i.e., hkcec.com, hktb.com)
– Consider exchanging links, sponsorships, or
advertising with other websites
– Distribute news releases online

41. E-Marketing Strategies
• 8 tips to promote your event website:
– Include your web address everywhere you
can on your outgoing messages
– Identify email discussion groups, chat rooms
or “friends” on social media platform, and
become an active participant
– Use signature file on your emails
– Exchange links with your “FRIENEY” so their
customers can be informed of your event

42. E-Marketing Strategies
• Emerging Trend in e-marketing
– Low-cost advertising on chat forums
(discuss.com.hk) or Pay Per Click portals
(facebook)
– Develop your own opt-in email list, and send
out notices, updates, special offers etc.
– Develop an affiliate program
– Give freebies on your event web for
registration as your event participant

43. E-Marketing Strategies
• Viral Marketing

44. Operations logistics

45. What do you need to prepare?
1. Chief Executive coming as guest of
honour
2. Media presence
3. Over 1,000 guests
4. Video shooting
5. VIP speakers from overseas
6. What did you see on the stage?

46. How to invite bids?
What is a Request For Proposal (RFP)?
• A Request for Proposal (RFP), is the primary
document that is sent to suppliers that invites
them to submit a proposal to provide goods or
services.
• Internally, an RFP can also be referred to as a
sourcing project, a document, or an associated
event (competitive bidding).
• RFP is designed to get suppliers to provide a
creative solution to a business problem or issue.
It may be the most effective way to source the
goods or services required.

47. What’s an RFP
• An Overview of the Business Issue (Project
Charter)
• Description of Products or Services (Scope of
Work)
• Detailed Business Requirements (Quality Plan)
• Performance Metrics (Acceptance Plan)
• Proposal Format (Usually includes WBS)
• Selection Criteria
• Deadline
• Budget