Backdated post of 3 days....

On 17 April I finally took my last University paper.

Goodbye to Murdoch University, thank you for the 1.5 years learning about PR and familiarising myself with the Marketing electives. Although it has been a tedious period, I have grown and learnt, while seeking new perspectives, understanding more about myself, making new friends and learning fresh knowledge.

The academic element of PR gives me hope of the industry. That PR is not an arm of Marketing or Business or Communications. But it stands as an individual component that is a rising star. The only obstacle now is that in the corporate world, it is seen as less important than profit-earning units, like Marketing and Advertising. See how Digital Marketing is shooting high up and you would know.

Coming to the topic of Digital Marketing, I used to have strong faith in Bloggers and Social Influencers, but now I begin to have doubts of the strategic use of these channels. Sure they have their following (popularity) and buzz, but how effective is it? Almost everyone is jumping on the bandwagon of new media, but is it suitable for everyone?

The same goes for television advertising. It is very strange to see some brands coming on board to take up commercial for visibility or whatsoever. Of course your brand becomes more noticeable and perhaps give you some kind of revenue, but the popularity of television itself has gone down. Therefore it feels like people are more desperate in filling their pockets. So what is the value then?

Going back to the importance of PR... with the accessibility of technology and rise in citizen journalism, people hold freedom and rights to publish anything over the Internet. There is a lack of control in the cyberspace, which can be detrimental to the corporate fellas and mankind in general. Because people are so quick to judge, so quick to take a picture/video and put a negative caption over it. And PR comes into play as a mediator and relationship intermediary that helps to bridge gaps across people of the world, people of a country, people of a community. It is a long-standing effort that should never cease and continue to engage people in order to build a better organisation, society and world.
That is the power of Public Relations. And it cannot be replaced by any other Marketing channels.


//midnight rant, do pardon my thoughts if it differs from yours//

Now as I revise my LinkedIn profile and start my job search, I pray that a future of colours and light awaits me.