The Drawing Board - Planning our Event!

 

The Drawing Board – Planning our event

 

Exciting times ahead! We are planning an event!

My internship at Channel 9 Perth has seen a lot of meetings and pitches but now we are putting our ideas and plans into action, creating an event! At Channel 9 everyone at the Perth offices have accepted me as a new addition to staff, never have I felt uncomfortable or unequal. This is why at the many meetings and brainstorming sessions we have had I am given opportunity to contribute ideas and add value, making this event doubly exciting for me!

The event in question is apart of a larger event called ‘Kids Wonderland’, which Channel 9 have partnered with Perth City to sponsor, the overall event is a 9 day carnival for kids and their families, with expected attendance of over 45,000 people! Channel 9’s involvement also includes running our own kids attraction to engage with the community but also to raise awareness of the launch for ‘The Voice 2016’. To start off with we brainstormed ideas, it was interesting to note that the head of marketing at Channel 9 still used white-boards all around his office to create idea maps, even with great technology available sometimes the simplest things are the best way to go. Criteria for this event was that we needed to make it a draw card for audiences at the event, fun for kids and of course Voice related. After a few different suggestions and working out the pros and cons we settled on creating a karaoke event for kids! We have plans to recreate the Voice stage and have cardboard cutouts of the famous judges for photos as well!

After deciding what we wanted to do for the event we then had to figure out what materials we would need, how much we wanted to spend and how we could best utilise the space we were allocated. To sort through this we sketched a rough version of the area, then we made a list of materials we already had, such as the stage backdrop, lights, tables and television. Then went on the hunt around the station to see what we could find, such as an appropriate sized stage, microphones and other items such as red carpet and bollards. Having then made an inventory of what we already had we started searching for what we needed, such as a karaoke machine and appropriate merchandise to give the kids as well.

Many emails and phone calls were made to get quotes on materials and meetings with merchandise providers were attended to see the most appropriate products to have designed. So now the stage we are at is we have an event, we have equipment, and we have materials in production which I can’t wait to see the final product for! Now all we need is guest appearances! So currently brainstorming some ‘Perthanalities’ who could get up on stage with the kids and make the event extra special, getting the Channel 9 brand out there, whilst creating awareness for the launch of ‘The Voice 2016’!

I can’t wait to share this experience with you all! Watch this space!

- Maddi

Do More of What Makes You Awesome, It Is Not An Ending!

Hi everyone. Yup, it's me again. First of all, I still cannot believe how fast time flies as I started my internship on 1st of December 2015 and just ended my internship on 29th February 2016. There were a lot of bittersweet experiences that I have learned along the journey of my pr internship with Interhill Group of company. I am kind of missing the staffs at the company as they treat me very nice during my internship. I also started to get the insight in to how the industry works.

What I learned during my internship is that, we need to be:

FAST, 

EFFICIENT, 

know how to CARRY YOURSELF, 

GOOD COMMUNICATION SKILLS with people surrounding you, 

CREATIVE, 

Do your work ON TIME,

TEAMWORK, and 

most importantly DO NOT be SHY.

I am quite a shy person, not too loud and not too quiet the kind of person. So, throughout this internship I became more comfortable to be out of my comfort zone. I started to talk to people, I made friends with the staffs. I made a few calls and received phone calls from time to time, I did press releases and helps my manager with any events that was hold by our company, I also did media clippings, media scanning, taking photographs, and the after school project activity with the children of Rumah Anak Amal Kesayangan Kami during my internship. It was a wonderful experience for me and I am so thankful to have such opportunity. I enjoyed my internship so much and I hope you guys will enjoy your internship too. All the best guys! 

                               "I walk slowly, but I never walk backward" - Abraham Lincoln

Carolyne Neo

Curtin Sarawak Campus

15840945

Bowling Night Competition with the Media!

Hi guys, I'm back! Last two months which is on February 19, the Interhill group company had a bowling night competition with the media. We have invited all the press in Miri to join the bowling night competition. Basically, it is our company compete with the media.We made a few calls, sending faxes and emails to the press and Interhill's staffs that interested.  All of our staffs were excited once they heard about the news. They even practiced days before the event. Our PR department arranged the event and confirmed all the media that can join the bowling night. The main purpose of this bowling night is to create a good bonding time with the media, and at the same time to help release stress for everyone including me. Yup, sometimes you can get stress out due to work. We played two sets for the bowling match and guess what? The media are really strong competitors. In the end, the media won the match with a pretty high score and received a trophy and certificates as an appreciation for the media spent their time for the bowling night with our company. I can say that it is a very successful event even though we lost the match because on that night, all I can see are the joy and excitement in their faces. Win or lost, it does not really matter. What really matter is the experience, team work, and bonding we have made during the match. Everyone are indeed having a good time on that night, without any doubts ;)

Our team for the bowling night :D

The media won the match. Congrats!

End of the Bowling night! Good job everyone! 

Carolyne Neo
Curtin Sarawak Campus
15840945

Being Adventurous on the first week of Internship is quite cool

Hi everyone,

I am very excited to share my experience on the first week of my internship as I had so much fun and having a great learning experience from it. First of all, I started my internship on 1st December, 2015 with the Interhill Group in Miri, which involve in the business of sustainable forestry development and property development. 

On the first day of my internship, our department went to the Upper Baram to celebrate pre-Christmas with the Penan communities of Long Kabing and Long Kawi. It was a 3 days and 2 night trip to Long Kabing. The trip took at least 5 hours before we reached the nearest campsite. It was my first time travelling to such rural places and it was awesome. The trip was great except for the bumpy road from Long Lama to Long Kabing’s camp site, but I will never ever forget this experience, I will treasure this memory for a long time. We even have a short interview session with some of the villagers at the camp site regarding their lives in Long Kabing to understand what they need and what the Interhill Group can do to improve their lives through the CSR program in future.

We celebrate pre-Christmas with the villagers of Long Kabing and Long Kawi on the second day of our trip. The children and adults were happy to receive the sweet gifts from us. The distribution of sweet gifts is a symbol of celebration and appreciation towards the Penan communities as they work together with Interhill to strive for a better future.

As soon as we back to Miri, we had another activity for the next day, which is the fun, educational visit to fire station with the children of Interhill’s After School Project. We learned a lot about the function and scopes of firefighters during the visit. The firefighters also gave extra tips to us regarding the precautions that can be taken to avoid any unexpected circumstances. The visit was very informative and we learned quite a number of interesting facts about firefighters.

Overall, my first week of the internship was adventurous yet fun. I went to the places that I have never been before, making new friends, and gain a lot of new experiences from the activities made by our department.

I hope everyone has enjoyed their internship as much as I am. So, do share your story with us!

Carolyne Neo

15840945 

Curtin Sarawak Campus

x

Last and final day

Hi,

So, i extended my placement instead of 20-working days to 23-working days. it is because my supervisor wanted my help with a new client's annual report booklet. I had to Proof read every single thing because the copywriter of the booklet made mistakes in terms of the information regarding the company and some grammatical error.

I did not mind because i enjoyed my time at CD Group due to the friendly environment and hard working co- workers. Like i said before. they never hesitate to give me pointer and ideas to tackle my tasks given.

After going through the documents that needs to be rectified, i submitted the draft to my supervisor and we had a little discussion with CD Group's managing director and the client's representative. They gave the thumbs up and i quickly sent it to the editors and booklet designers to amend the changes i made.

At the end of the extra 3 days, it was time to say goodbye to my supervisor and co-workers. They all gave me words of encouragement and my supervisor said that if i ever wanted to work with them full time, just let her know.

My placement when i first started did not offer any paid allowance to intern but as i was about to leave the office, i was called up to the HR's department and i was surprised to receive  an envelope containing cash and according to the HR officer it was a thank you gesture from the managing director for the my assistance throughout my placement at CD Group


Thanks guys!

Hope you all had a good internship as i did.

Khairi Ariff

16045767

Curtin Sarawak Campus

Post Event syndrome

Hi,

Continuing from where i left off.

The ASEAN Women In Politics Conference was a success. All the foreign delegates enjoyed it. The Prime Minister's wife was so impressed with our team that she gave us a new tender to plan an event for the closing ceremony for ASEAN since Malaysia was playing host for the year 2015.



over 40,000 people from around the world attended the conference. you can view the video at  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6GcRUXSiqmQ

i was happy to be part of the team organizing the video. I had to lead a meeting for the video and constantly check up on the videographer, photographer and the editor to ensure that the photos and videos are ok due to the protocols involving diplomats and politicians

Khairi Ariff

16045767

Curtin Sarawak Campus

ASEAN Women in Politics Conference 2015

Hi,

I don't know why my posts were not up, it kept on saving as drafts. it turned out that i had issues with my login on gmail.

well,  continuing with my placement at CD Group,  we were in the midst of finalizing the ASEAN conference when my supervisor came up to me and said. "Khairi, we need you to manage the event's social media because the person in charge has to go back to her home town due to some personal issue" i was at the moment juggling few things at one time like media monitoring, copywriting and leading a corporate video team. I was coming late almost every night like at 12am. sometimes at 3am.

But managing social media platform sounds like a fun task so i took it. i was managing 3 accounts at one time. Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. So i had to constantly update new information even at wee hours. Sometimes, i would get texts or whatsapp from my supervisor and the client's representative at 2, 3am asking to post new updates about the event.

It went well at the end of the day. many people including the client's side praised me for my constant on the spot updates. it was a fun experience but it came with a price though. i could not log on to my own Instagram and Twitter account because i had only my phone to do so. Facebook was not an issue because i had my laptop and my phone. 1 device for the event account and the other device for my personal use

Managing social media accounts is fun but it is around the clock.

Khairi

16045767
Curtin Sarawak Campus

A Different Kind of PR.

Hello there guys!

My name is Jonathan Philip and I would like to say that during my internship i'm having a blast with all the adventures and experience that i'm currently going through. I am currently having my internship at a palm oil company which is known as the Malaysian Palm Oil Board. 

A little background about the company, Malaysian Palm Oil Board or MPOB for short is the premier government agency entrusted to serve the country’s oil palm industry. It's main role is to promote and develop national objectives, policies and priorities for the wellbeing of the Malaysian oil palm industry. 

When i first arrived at the office, i felt nervous meeting all my colleagues but they welcomed me with open arms. My colleagues then showed me some of the work they did and thought me what to do and by the end of the day i got used to the work and it was good. I was then given some paperwork on sorting out the licenses of small stakeholders and we went to meet them and explain the solution to the issues that they are facing. I was surprised there were no Media Release kind of documents here but the PR i'm doing is involving more to the community relations. 

Engagement: Spend little money to surprise guests

During my internship, there is no significant festival or big day. So, my task is to “make a guest a special day”. It is an ongoing weekly activity that to engage with guests and enhance reputation.

iu Hotel is a very new budget hotel brand under Plateno Hotel Group, the biggest hotel group in China and the top 7^th in the world. Since the whole week is raining quite often. I was thinking to decorate a romantic room. Hopefully this would make a couple feel warm and surprised.

On the Tuesday department meeting, I did a presentation to show my colleague about the idea.

 

Once my idea was agreed by my colleagues, I started preparation. And I was given 1000 Chinese Yuan (660RM) for this week’s special day.

Firstly, I select a hotel branch that is the nearest to our office, so that it is convenient and easier to be controlled.

Secondly, I communicate with the hotel branch manager about the plan and get her approval. And also she is going to reserve a room with a king-size bed for the day.

Thirdly, I list down all the things for decoration and gifts and careful decide where to buy or get sponsorship. We contact Daxiang, which is a very popular condom brand among young adult in China. That matches our target segment of customers. And we also have wine sponsor as well.

Fourthly, get everything ready one day before the activity. Check carefully to make sure they are safe and have least negative impact. For example, the sticker that we use to sticker balloons on the ceiling MUST be removable. So that it won’t hurt the surface of the ceiling. But it also has to be sticky enough to last at least two days so that it won’t fall down in the middle of the night to scare my guests. I was enjoying improving these details that my colleagues think I am quite considerate and organized ;)

To make it more efficient, I prepare a sketch of what to expect and the positions of everything.  

(bed deco)

The noon after guest check out, we went in to decorate the room. We took less than one hour to do everything and clean and leave. The hotel branch is satisfy with our works. And the night, we suceffully have a young random couple to stay in the room. I have heard the staff said that when the young lady open the guest door...Her mouth was like an" O" and said she love it so much. And of course both the couple and we post on social media and a lot of people reply to ask where can they get this! 

So this is the room and me holding the really nice flower....Just wish it was a better weather. But yes, we made a nice day and a nice memory for a guest. And less than half of the budget was spent. 

Have a nice day!

Claudia Xinyin Xie

TPFF 15

It doesn’t get much bigger than this event for the fashion industry in Perth. The Telstra Perth Fashion Festival 2015 (TPFF) was one of the many highlights I experienced through my internship.

Having never participated in TPFF before or worked with a designer, I was extremely intimidated leading up to the event, but eager to learn as much as I could.

While my role with Steph Audino for TPFF 2015 wasn’t revolved around Public Relations (although leading up to the event there was media liaising in regards to photo shoots and news articles), it was to help Steph in anyway I could and learn as much about the fashion industry as I could to see if it is an industry I wanted to be apart of.

The lead up to the night was all about organising the event as best we could.

As a team we:

• ·      Went to model castings
• ·      Decided the line up for the outfits
• ·      Went to model fittings
• ·      Finalised shoes, steaming etc.
• ·      Dressed the models for dress rehearsal 

On the night of the show I was apart of the back of house (BOH) team for the Steph Audino show on closing night. And BOH was chaotic, stinking hot and confined, yet it was exhilarating, fast paced and so much fun.

Words cannot describe the atmosphere backstage, it was electrifying and adrenaline pumping. Dressing models is by far an extremely stressful job; trying to zip, button, add belts, lace up shoes and make sure everything is 110% correct before they step foot on the runway.

Although no matter how stressful, it was an amazing experience and a success that I wouldn’t have been able to be apart of if I hadn’t undertaken this internship at Steph Audino. I couldn’t be more grateful or lucky to be apart of it. 

This event definitely re-ignited my feelings towards wanting to be apart of the fashion industry through public relations.

*note; photos of the runway can be found on the Steph Audino Instagram page: @stephaudinolabel 

Did you feel that your internship help you decide whether or not you wanted to pursue a role in the public relations industry? Why/why not?

Intro to my dream internship!

I am completing my PR placement at a Fashion Agency, called Jett in central Perth. Although there is not PR department at the agency a lot of the work the staff do is somewhat related to PR practices. Some of the most common tasks they are found doing include producing flyers, organising events (showings), managing social media and so on. So it may not be a PR specific but there is still a fair amount work which can be linked back to PR practices.

For those who don’t know what a Fashion Agency does, they are basically the middleman between a brand/designer and a store. Jett agency represents over 40 different brands ranging from casual to high fashion and there are both international and Australian based designers. Each season the brands send their new collection to the Agency (before manufacturing and distribution). Its then Jett’s job to organize showings with stores and boutiques in Western Australia and use their sales knowledge and skills to sell the collection to buyers. These buyers choose what they will think is going to sell in their stores and order the colour and quantity they want. The agency sends off their order forms and then when the collection is manufactured its ready for distribution. So ultimately it’s the agency’s job to ensure all the brands are receiving the right exposure and achieving sales, this is where social media and promotion is vital in ensuring Jett achieves its goals.

It gets a bit crazy at Jett Agency, some days busier than other but no less interesting. There is something different to do everyday and it sure does keep you on your toes. I can’t wait to see what else awaits me! Is anyone else working in a non PR specific organization?

All Good Things Come To An End

All good things will eventually come to an end. Yes, it’s the final day of my internship at Miri Marriott. After spending one month time here, it is time to say goodbye. This marks the last day that I will be working here. I will definitely miss this place. The smiles that greet me whenever I arrive in the morning, the daily morning briefings, the many hours spent just on media clippings and wonderful lunch breaks with my colleagues. It’ll all be part of my memories now.

Throughout this one month internship, I learnt a lot of things that was once new to me. From answering calls, to writing press releases and doing media clippings and media monitoring as well as learning a new software CorelDraw for designs of posters and banners. I enjoyed learning how to use this software. My supervisor was definitely helpful. Let me share with you some the works done by yours truly. :D

 The Borneo Baking Company (BBCo) requested me to design a poster for sales on their baked goods. This is what I have come up with. What do you think? 

This next one is a Gold Card that is to be given to all Marriott's Platinum & Gold Marriott Rewards Elite Member. 

Within this one month, I have learnt more about how PR tactics are applied in the corporate world. Make sure you stay attentive in class because I could link whatever I have learnt in class to what I experience or witnessed at work. For example, the importance of media clippings, media relations, social media monitoring and being professional at all times. As a PR person within the company, you act as the bridge of bringing all information of all departments and you need to communicate well to get things done. Working well with people is one essential tip for every PR person. So, don’t be scared to approach people and talk to them; be it the stranger sitting at the hall or strike up a conversation with your colleague during coffee breaks. Step out of your shell and meet new and interesting people.

It has been a fun and educational journey that seem to end a little too soon. For all those who are still doing your internship, have fun while you’re at it and make the best out of it. This is truly a one of a kind experience for me before I graduate in a few more months.
All the best to all of you!

“Fare thee well, and if for ever

 Still for ever fare thee well.” 
― George Gordon Byron

Till then, signing off. 

Jasmine Alyssa Epui
Miri Campus
Curtin Sarawak University
17143743

Halfway Point

Greetings, how are things going for all of you? I’m having a great time at work, though it is a little tedious having to sit in the office staring at the laptop screen for 9 hours straight. But, all in all, I have great colleagues to talk to and seek advice from. So, it makes life in office a little better.

This is my third blog post and also my halfway point through my internship period. 15 days have gone by and in these 15 days, I have learnt a lot about PR in the hospitality industry.

So, what exactly is PR?

Public relations defined:

“Public relations is the deliberate, planned and sustained effort to establish and maintain mutual understanding between an organisation (or individual) and its (or their) publics. It's the key to effective communication in all sectors of business, government, academic and not-for-profit.”- Public Relations Institute of Australia

To find out more on public relations, please visit this website.

The broad definition above may explain why the field of Public Relations is often hard to be categorized and to understand. In this blog post, PR is defined as the subset of marketing communications that shapes attitudes and perceptions, help establish and reinforce corporate and brand values and image and influences customer, associate and investor behavior.

Public Relations can be your most effective communications technique for two reasons:

• Public Relations usually involve the “third party” editorial endorsement of the media, thereby making your message more credible in the public’s mind.

• Sustained PR efforts result in enhanced awareness and attitudes among consumers. Once positive attitudes and beliefs are firmly embedded, it is much harder for a competitor to change those perceptions.

Public Relations practitioners use the following strategies to achieve their objectives:

Media Relations: Interaction between PR and the news media that results in positive publicity or media coverage that builds a favorable image and understanding of your establishment. Tactics include establishing media relationships, distribution of press releases or other materials, planning press events and property visits, even communication with media in a crisis.

Special Events: Events that attract media attention and generate news or feature coverage. These include press conferences, new openings and press visits to your establishment.

Internal Relations: Communication with fellow associates, strengthening both morale and loyalty by informing them, motivating them and their families and responding to their concerns.

Community Relations (Spirit to Serve): Involvement with special causes that are of concern to the community that builds goodwill for your hotel and its “neighborhood”, including fundraising, volunteer work, disaster relief and/or donations to special community projects- your community relations efforts.

Issues Management: Implementation of proactive communications to address and shape public concerns or interests. By following the news, you will be in a position to provide key counsel to your executive committee about consumer trends or potential threats that may impact the establishment.

External Relations: Communications and interaction with other organization that aid or impact your establishment or your industry as a whole, such as NGOs , associations and interest groups, tourism offices, major local attractions and art museums, etc.

Crisis Management: Communications activities during a disaster or a challenge to your establishment’s integrity. A sound crisis communications management plan is essential to any marketing plan because presence of negative communications during a crisis can have long-lasting, damaging consequences from which you or your establishment may never recover.

"Whatever course you decide upon, there is always someone to tell you that you are wrong. There are always difficulties arising which tempt you to believe that your critics are right. To map out a course of action and follow it to an end requires courage.”– Ralph Waldo Emerson

I am looking forward to what’s in store for me for my next 5 days in the office.

That's all for my third blog post. Stay tuned for my next post. 

Till then, happy working!

Jasmine Alyssa Epui
Miri Campus
Curtin Sarawak University

17143743