Destination Unlocked #lmkkintern #17131382 #destinationunlocked #PRIntern2015 #mediamonitoring

Hi all‼ This is my first blog post since I started internship. It has been 10 days since I started my internship programmed with Le Meridien Kota Kinabalu and I have been enjoying myself!!

Le Meridien Kota Kinabalu (LMKK) is a chain hotel that corporate under Starwood Hotels and Resorts. Starwood Hotels and Resorts operate in more than 100 countries. Starwood Hotels and Resorts owned nine subsidiary hotels and resorts, which comprised The Luxury Collection, St. Regis, Westin, W Hotels, Le Meridien, Four Points, Sheraton, Aloft Element and Tribute Portfolio.

This is the logo of the above hotels and resorts. For more information of Le Meridien Kota Kinabalu can be found here http://www.lemeridienkotakinabalu.com/

I was assigned under Marketing Communication Department (MCD). Eventually, in LMKK, MCD involves with the design of poster, advertisement, banner, brochure, flyer and signage. Ultimately, the design of the restaurant menu is handle by this department too. MCD involve with the digital marketing part as well which this particular department involves with the task that engaging with monitoring the social media includes both offline and online media. For LMKK, digital marketing taking care of the social media platform such as official website, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Weibo.

I cannot believe time flies very quickly.  I am very grateful that I have an awesome supervisor who are patient in answering my questions and clearing my doubt and assigned me job one at a time. As I am new in this particular industry, this is something that I extremely need it.

Even though it was only 10 days, I have definitely gained a great experience. For instance, there is a task that we used to do it in our campus such as media releases, media interview, media clipping, media pitching, and media lists and media callings. But back into the real world, it was totally a DIFFERENT EXPERIENCE, especially for the press release, sending out press release is the toughest things ever, as the particular events or activities can be promote successfully or not, it will be done through the press release especially in hospitality industries that engage in service floor.

Unfortunately, one of the most common tasks that will be assigned to interns is media monitoring. Honestly, media monitoring can be long and tedious task ever. It resulted in me questioning the necessity of this task, specifically when it involves in tracking the industries and competitors of your clients as well as the company itself. The most frustrating steps to do is the filling process, as the details of each article need to be scanned, cropped, filled in several platforms, printed and calculated. Everyday, I spend up to two hours flicking through various type of media outlet – newspaper (See Hua, Daily Express, New Sabah Times, Hanan Express, New Sunday Times, Chinese Daily News, Utusan Borneo, Borneo Post), scanning the articles that related to the industry and competition. Day by day, I’ve started to enjoy this task, as I was informed by the different news that is happening throughout the industries.

However, through this internship experience, I have learnt a lot of experience and seen how real media interview, media calls, media pitching and sending out media release to the editor. Those interested in public relations should have interest in media and global news as well, as the curiosity for the world goings-on to maintain your interest through activities such as media monitoring.

Till then,

Sandra Cy

Curtin University Sarawak