PR Events as Universal Tools for Brand Promotion

by Shanelle Larson Organizing

PR stands for public relations. This concept is not as new as it may seem and has existed in the world long before the advent of trade. Essentially, it is about building proper, harmonious relationships between people and the world around them. Public relations is about brand promotion, advertising, and creating a recognizable image. A bad credit history can appear for various reasons and spoil your image, and fixing it will help get guaranteed installment loans for bad credit.

PR promotion, when used correctly, has the following benefits

  • Gaining more trust from the public;
  • The possibility of a two-way dialogue between the company and the consumer;
  • Providing information to target audiences and the media.

The use of high-quality PR materials benefits all parties involved in the relationship:

  • They increase media ratings and strengthen their market position.
  • They help companies solve their business problems.
  • For consumers, they have informational value. 
  • They are easily available and low-cost.

Almost every event includes a briefing, press conference, presentation, or tour. Exhibition openings, film premieres, economic forums, and political summits always begin or end with such events, which serve as additional opportunities to inform and promote.

As a matter of fact, PR events can be events of any format — the key is the purpose of the event. For instance, let’s take Apple, a company that organizes major Apple events every year — product launches. Seems like such an iconic global technology company could just announce that it’s releasing new gadgets, and that’s it. Or they can make a presentation in the form of a PR event, demonstrating how this new device is better and more innovative than previous versions. Could Apple sell a new piece of technology without a traditional big presentation? Yes, it could. It would mean less knowledge about their product — yes, absolutely. After all, this is not a simple presentation of a product; it is a full-fledged communication that promotes and shapes how the entire brand gets positioned.

Can all the events organized by brands be considered PR events? Absolutely not. Is it possible to integrate a PR component into all of these events? Absolutely, yes. The most important thing is that this integration should be in line with the business objectives of the company.

Online vs. offline: What to choose? 

The coronavirus pandemic and the massive shift of canonical offline events online has brought a new dynamic to PR events. The ability to attract speakers and audiences from different parts of the country or the world is an obvious advantage of the online format. It also requires less effort on the part of the audience to participate — all they need is a stable Internet connection and a timely login to any online platform. Online events can be virtually unlimited in the number of participants. Offline events require more complicated logistics, more time for promotion, and more time to get the audience to the venue.

The downside of online is a less meaningful perception of the event. After all, when a person has bought tickets and spent time and money to travel to an event, the likelihood that they will make it to the event itself is much higher because they are more motivated and have put more effort into the process. It is much easier to abandon a web event because it seems less worthwhile.

It is important to understand who we want to influence when choosing the form of the event. As a rule, there are several target groups: the media, consumers, and professionals involved in the field of activity, that is, those who should be influenced by the idea behind the event so that it spreads to a wide audience, like circles on water. The algorithm for preparing PR events is similar both online and offline: analyze what is important for each audience segment, understand what the company wants to convey, compare them, and determine the most profitable way of communicating.

That’s why hybrid PR events are most effective and versatile in post-COVID reality. For example, when there are people in the room — speakers (all or some of them) and some of the audience (considering the current quarantine restrictions), journalists, and others connected using an online platform. This format gives the event a greater sense of importance and value than an online conference. The perception of this format will be higher than just online. At the same time, there is an opportunity to include online speakers. For one reason or another, it may be impossible or difficult for them to attend in person. There is also an opportunity to engage a larger audience that may not be able to attend live due to adverse pandemic conditions.