Question 1

You are a junior-level PR staffer for Newell Brands, maker of the Crock-Pot. You learn that on a recent episode of the NBC series, "This is Us," lead character Jack Pearson is killed by a house fire sparked by a defective Crock-Pot. Show fans are outraged, and potential customers and journalists have asked the company to respond. What public relations function are you performing as you attempt to tackle this incident?

Accepted Answer

A)   anger management
B)   product placement
C)   crisis communication
D)   storytelling C

Question 2

Provide examples of some of the societal and technological factors that have increased the importance of storytelling as a public relations function.

Accepted Answer

Answers would ideally include some combination of the following: In the past, newspapers and other media organizations were able to set their own agendas and publish the stories they felt were most relevant to their communities. Today, individual consumers go online to get the latest stories and information that is salient to them while bypassing traditional media outlets. Social media has revolutionized communication by creating platforms in which individual consumers control the stories and information they want and give feedback and voice to the organization or individual disseminating that message or story. Social media has forced PR professionals to be proactive and responsive in a changing environment.

Question 3

Research on the role of public relations and social media indicates that ______.

Accepted Answer

A)   PR professionals need to do more to participate in major decision making
B)   it is time to let experts from other disciplines control the conversation
C)   PR educators have the best insights into future trends
D)   the writing that PR people use will not work on new technology platforms A

Question 4

Some professionals in other fields do not take public relations seriously, claiming it is not "concrete" enough. What do they mean by such statements?

Accepted Answer

A)   PR emphasizes working with paid media.
B)   PR focuses largely on managing relationships.
C)   PR cannot deliver research-based results.
D)   PR works in a vacuum, isolated from other professions.

Question 5

Writing is becoming a less important public relations skill with the emergence of social media.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 6

Public relations professionals can assist marketing departments and organizations by ______.

Accepted Answer

A)   gaining more earned media for them, which saves on annual budgets
B)   helping them understand influencers and nontraditional media platforms
C)   serving as a "go-between" to journalists to secure positive media coverage
D)   making advertising buys for them in larger, complex media markets

Question 7

Why is it advantageous to be a skilled researcher in a public relations career?

Accepted Answer

A)   You can quickly switch careers in a slack economy.
B)   It hones your skills in writing SWEAT analyses.
C)   It helps you to apply what you learn in a strategic fashion.
D)   You can act as a mentor to junior PR practitioners.

Question 8

Managing relationships between publics and brands is an emerging but still minor aspect of the public relations practice.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 9

How has the task of writing changed for PR practitioners in the 21st century?

Accepted Answer

A)   It is less important than it used to be, thanks to social media.
B)   It is almost as important as technology skills.
C)   It is one that can now passed on to college interns.
D)   It involves new tasks and new kinds of writing.

Question 10

In the 21st century, graduates in marketing, advertising, and English are increasingly competing with those in public relations. What does this mean for PR students and professionals?

Accepted Answer

A)   They should report these as ethical violations to their employers.
B)   They should not be concerned, as PR is well-established.
C)   They should accept that PR has become secondary to these fields.
D)   They must work to stay ahead of this trend.

Question 11

If a group of your professors were to analyze the success of a recent public relations campaign, they would be likely to view it in terms of ______.

Accepted Answer

A)   an emphasis on asymmetrical communication
B)   a planned effort to influence public opinion
C)   overriding concern for the employer or client
D)   conflict management between publics

Question 12

In public relations, anyone with an emotional or financial investment in an organization or brand is considered to be a stakeholder.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 13

Public relations practitioners are now managing new roles and functions that were unheard of a generation ago.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 14

Using virtual reality (VR) to enhance stories on the Weather Channel or promote the movie "Tomb Raider" is primarily an example of ______.

Accepted Answer

A)   leveraging digital advertising opportunities
B)   using experiential media to tell stories
C)   creating product placement initiatives
D)   experimenting with new marketing approaches

Question 15

The Dove "Real Beauty" initiative proves that public relations practitioners must be ______.

Accepted Answer

A)   cause evangelists
B)   reputation managers
C)   strategists
D)   digital and social media experts

Question 16

Journalists can do much to help PR practitioners, but PR practitioners can't do much to help journalists.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 17

When attempting to define public relations, it is important to know ______.

Accepted Answer

A)   why it is more important than advertising or marketing
B)   that the original definition from 1905 still stands today
C)   how different parties may view the field
D)   that "spin" leads improved PR performance

Question 18

Categorize the future trends that public relations practitioners are likely to face in the decades ahead.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Categorize the future trends that public relations...

Question 19

The "PESO" acronym stands for ______.

Accepted Answer

A)   progressive, early, stated, and on-point objectives
B)   polished, expert, strategic, and on-time strategies
C)   progressive, entertaining, sales-oriented, and on-target event
D)   paid, earned, shared, and owned media

Question 20

Because public relations is a strong discipline on its own, it does not need to embrace other fields such as social psychology or journalism.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Exam 1: Introduction to Public Relations

Provide examples of some of the societal and technological factors that have increased the importance of storytelling as a public relations function.

Research on the role of public relations and social media indicates that ______.

Some professionals in other fields do not take public relations seriously, claiming it is not "concrete" enough. What do they mean by such statements?

Writing is becoming a less important public relations skill with the emergence of social media.

Public relations professionals can assist marketing departments and organizations by ______.

Why is it advantageous to be a skilled researcher in a public relations career?

Managing relationships between publics and brands is an emerging but still minor aspect of the public relations practice.

How has the task of writing changed for PR practitioners in the 21st century?

In the 21st century, graduates in marketing, advertising, and English are increasingly competing with those in public relations. What does this mean for PR students and professionals?

If a group of your professors were to analyze the success of a recent public relations campaign, they would be likely to view it in terms of ______.

In public relations, anyone with an emotional or financial investment in an organization or brand is considered to be a stakeholder.

Public relations practitioners are now managing new roles and functions that were unheard of a generation ago.

Using virtual reality (VR) to enhance stories on the Weather Channel or promote the movie "Tomb Raider" is primarily an example of ______.

The Dove "Real Beauty" initiative proves that public relations practitioners must be ______.

Journalists can do much to help PR practitioners, but PR practitioners can't do much to help journalists.

When attempting to define public relations, it is important to know ______.

Categorize the future trends that public relations practitioners are likely to face in the decades ahead.

The "PESO" acronym stands for ______.

Because public relations is a strong discipline on its own, it does not need to embrace other fields such as social psychology or journalism.