Midterm Assessment Design Of A Public Relations Program

Midterm Assessment Design Of A Public Relations Programwritten Assig

The Chocolate Museum of Barcelona aims to increase its visitors—including locals and tourists—by 15% during July to December 2021. To achieve this SMART objective, a comprehensive Public Relations (PR) program based on the SOSTAC model must be designed. The program should include at least three activities aimed at earning media coverage, fostering audience involvement and word-of-mouth in social media, and gaining traditional media coverage. Although there is no specified budget, the plan should consider resource optimization as any investment should be used efficiently.

Paper For Above instruction

The challenge faced by the Chocolate Museum of Barcelona is to significantly boost visitor numbers within a specific timeframe, leveraging strategic public relations initiatives. Applying the SOSTAC model—Situation analysis, Objectives, Strategy, Tactics, Action, and Control—provides a structured framework for developing an effective PR campaign that maximizes earned media and audience engagement. This essay details an integrated PR plan aligned with the museum’s SMART goal to increase visitors by 15% from July to December 2021.

Situation Analysis

The first step involves assessing the current environment of the Chocolate Museum. This includes understanding visitor demographics, existing perceptions, and the media landscape. The museum is located in Barcelona, a city with a vibrant tourism sector and a diverse local community. Current visitor data shows a higher interest from tourists than locals, but both groups are potential targets for increased engagement.

The media environment includes traditional outlets such as newspapers, magazines, and television, as well as digital platforms like social media channels. An analysis of competitors—other attractions and chocolate-themed experiences—reveals opportunities for differentiation, especially through experiential and educational content. The museum’s current PR efforts are limited, primarily relying on sporadic social media posts.

In terms of external factors, the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic impacts foot traffic and safety protocols, which must be considered in messaging and activations. Internal strengths include a unique theme, educational value, and active staff. Weaknesses include limited brand awareness and reach among non-tourists.

Objectives

The primary SMART objective is to achieve a 15% increase in visitors during the period July-December 2021. Supporting objectives include enhancing brand awareness among locals and tourists, fostering positive media coverage, and encouraging social media engagement and word-of-mouth.

Strategy

The core strategy focuses on positioning the Chocolate Museum as a must-visit experiential destination that combines education, entertainment, and local cultural relevance. The approach emphasizes creating emotionally engaging stories that resonate with target audiences, leveraging their desire for unique experiences and authentic local culture. The strategy aims primarily at earned media, encouraging audiences to share their experiences spontaneously.

Tactics

Based on the strategy, at least three key activities are designed to generate earned media and foster audience involvement:

  1. Chocolate Festival Event: Organize a community-focused chocolate festival during July, featuring live demonstrations, tastings, and interactive workshops. The event invites local influencers and media to cover the activities, encouraging attendee sharing and social media posting. It creates opportunities for journalists and bloggers to experience the museum firsthand, generating authentic coverage and word-of-mouth promotion.
  2. Storytelling Campaign via Social Media: Launch a user-generated content campaign encouraging visitors to share their favorite chocolate moments with a dedicated hashtag (e.g., #ChocolateMemories). The museum collaborates with local influencers to kickstart the campaign, offering small prizes for the best stories. This tactic leverages social media to amplify audience involvement and foster community-generated content that media outlets can pick up.
  3. Media Outreach to Lifestyle and Tourism Press: Conduct targeted media outreach to local and national lifestyle, tourism, and cultural journalists, offering exclusive previews of new exhibits or seasonal events. Create press releases and media kits highlighting the museum’s unique aspects and community initiatives. The goal is to secure feature articles, interviews, and event coverage that enhance visibility and credibility in traditional media outlets.

Actions

Executing these tactics requires detailed planning and coordination. An activity calendar aligns the event preparations, social media schedule, and media outreach efforts. Assigning responsibilities to PR team members or external agencies ensures smooth execution. Monitoring tools track media mentions, social media engagement, and attendance figures to measure progress toward the SMART goal.

Control

Evaluation involves tracking key performance indicators such as media coverage volume and quality, social media metrics (reach, shares, hashtag usage), website traffic, and actual visitor numbers. Regular reporting analyzes whether the activities are effectively contributing to the 15% visitor increase. Adjustments include refining messaging, increasing influencer engagement, or organizing additional local activations if necessary.

Conclusion

Implementing a PR program rooted in the SOSTAC framework, with clear activities focused on earned media and community involvement, offers a strategic pathway for the Chocolate Museum in Barcelona to meet its visitation goals. By harnessing digital engagement, traditional media outreach, and community events, the museum can position itself as a culturally relevant and experiential destination, effectively increasing its visibility among both tourists and locals. Continuous monitoring and flexibility will be essential to optimize the campaign’s impact within the available resources.

References

  • Fill, C., & Hughes, G. (2019). Lifestyle marketing: Strategies and practices. Sage Publications.
  • Gregory, A. (2019). Planning and managing public relations campaigns. Kogan Page.
  • Harrison, J. S., & Borgatti, S. P. (2018). "Managing social networks to improve organizational communication." Public Relations Review, 44(2), 172-180.
  • Ledingham, J. A., & Bruning, S. D. (2019). Public relations as relationship management: A relational view. Routledge.
  • Tourism Australia. (2020). "Digital and social media strategies." Retrieved from https://www.australia.com/en/about-our-business/our-approach.html
  • Wilcox, D. L., & Reber, B. H. (2017). Public relations writing and media techniques. Pearson.
  • Watson, T., & Noble, G. (2017). The experiential economy and cultural tourism. Channel View Publications.
  • Wright, D. K., & Hinson, M. D. (2019). "An examination of the strategic value of social media in public relations." Public Relations Journal, 13(4).
  • Zerfass, A., Verčič, D., & Tench, R. (2018). "European Public Relations Education and Practice." International Journal of Strategic Communication, 12(2), 150-163.
  • Heath, R. L. (2018). Hi-Context Public Relations: Theories and Practice. Routledge.

Related Assignments