IT’S ALL GO GO GO!

Let the day begin!! My entire time at Go Communications all that everyone seems to say is how notorious the traffic is Kuala Lumpur and prepare for that ‘JAM’, referring it to as that ‘Damn Jam’. So the morning of our event Wednesday the 18^th of June I left the apartment in Petaling Jaya at 7am. Really, all I’m ever really confronted with is how ridiculously hard it seems to be able to get a teski (taxi). Whitney (my housemate) and I have now realized that there is no point ordering a taxi as they jus call us back saying “Sorry miss no teski available”. Not to mention the fact that they can never understand my name I have resorted to alias names, sara, nikki or kate. Missing that “Damn Jam’ I arrive before 7.30am in the hustle and bustle of Kuala Lumpur.

Like I’ve mentioned before preparation is key and working with an experienced events team really can pay off. Arriving early to do a once over of the venue and checking all electronic equipment. Luckily as well the joint venture team (Fircroft and Tanjung) were able to organise a media backdrop in time, it really did make a focal point for the room and conveyed what was taking place. This was key in conveying key message that would perhaps be printed in media.

Left to Right: Tanjung Offshore executive director Muhammad Sabri Ab Ghani, Tanjung Offshore Managing Director Datuk Harzani Azmi, Acting High Commissioner Ray Kyles, Fircroft CEO Jonathon Johnson and Fircroft Dhirendra Shantilal.

My key role for the morning was to unpack and organise media kits into goodie bags with the inclusion of media gifts. It was amazing to see how grand this event was, with copious amounts of food and held in a Grand Hyatt Ballroom, it seemed like the two companies were going all out. The purpose of the event enabled the two companies to bond together for the first time in a formal setting allowing them to reiterate their commitment to the partnership to key stakeholder groups.  

Key PR Messages:

•           To facilitate the growth of the oil and gas and related industries in Malaysia and the region that will ultimately propagate the various downstream industries.
•            To refine and grow the businesses in Malaysia as well as continuing to develop relationships with key global clients.
•           To engage in a long-term partnership for the growth and development in Malaysia.
•           To provide technical recruitment services of the highest quality and standard.
•           To make Fircroft Tanjung ‘top of mind’ to potential business investors and partners to choose and co-locate in this nation, empowering the economic growth and prosperity of Malaysia as a whole.
•           To further enlarge our footprint within the oil and gas and related industries in the region.
•            To improve the regional presence and the continuous growth of Tanjung’s base in other strategic locations allows an ability to offer global solutions delivered locally.

Having been assigned to check in media, these formalities are key in keeping an up to date media list. It had never really crossed my mind that this is how PR Consultancy’s came across their information, and that this is the easiest way of establishing contacts. I guess though in KL due to the large scope of media there is quite a bit of shifting and people don’t stay in those singular jobs too long. From experience with other clients formulating a media list is the most time consuming and vital task. It is often hard to get your media invites or press releases too the right people, without a well-formulated media list.

After the formalities of the signing ceremony, VIP speakers hosted a press conference. Having never witnessed a press conference in person I found this most interesting in terms of having read the media plan and research. To contain and manage the media it was ensured that the focus of questioning be central to the joint venture of Fircroft Tanjung.  Our team advised the client to not have Managing Director of Tanjung Offshore Datuk Harzani Azmi present in light of last weeks media coverage and his humor and loose lipped nature. For further reading on information preceding the event click here. Tanjung Offshore executive director Muhammad Sabri Ab Ghani, Fircroft CEO Jonathon Johnson and Fircroft Dhirendra Shantilal were all a part of the panel for the press conference. There was also the chance for the media to conduct one on one interview with Johnathon Johnson after.

At the conclusion of the press conference, which lasted 10 or so minutes Tanjung Offshore executive director Muhammad Sabri Ab Ghani was somewhat bombarded by the media for comment on the suspension of trading shares. For further details click here. At this point it was too hard for the Go Communications team to diffuse, the media were hungry for a formal statement from Tanjung Offshore. Having seen what happened it really showed how poorly the situation was handled by  Tanjung Offshore.

I also found it interesting that after media events that the client always provides a lunch for media. During this time this also allows my team, Karen and Kwan Ting to mingle and network with media, this is vital in establishing a relationship and ensuring that reporters presence at future events. I was quite amazed that this was protocol and a somewhat of thank you for their attendance.

Above: Me enjoying some traditional Malaysian rice desserts at our media luncheon, post event – Joint Venture Signing Ceremony between Fircroft and Tanjung.

All in all, the event was highly successful. Although, a few stories focused of the Ekuinas non-complete clause, we managed to generate a PR value of greater than RM 1,000,000. PR value essentially measures the effectiveness and reach of that article it is calculated by, multiplying the height by the width by the cost of buying that space. I found it interesting that the firm used PR value, as it is highly criticized by academics. However, I suppose clients demand some physical worth of their investment into Go Communications services and want to see the value in the money spent.

Felicity

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