CHAPTER THIRTEEN: Focus On Asian Public Relations Management

Asia, like many regions all over the world, has its own set of systems, beliefs and cultures which is unique to it. What does this have to do with public relations practice? The answer is: application. In all of my previous blog entries, I have covered a whole spectrum of public relations theories, practices, case studies and examples.

Several times, I have listed out what should and what should not be done when doing PR.

However, one must remember that none of this is set in stone. A campaign that has worked for someone else may not necessary work for you. A campaign that has worked for you before may not necessarily work again. Everything is dependent on many factors such as time and situational aspects. In this case, we are discussing regional/geographical and most importantly, cultural factors.

Let's use the case study of a campaign mascot for example. A cute, round pig dressed in a brightly-coloured outfit may be suitable for promoting a related product in the USA or Australia. But doing that in countries such as Malaysia or Indonesia where Islam is the dominant religion is highly unacceptable as the pig is seen as a "dirty" creature and has many negative connotations.

In the end, it all comes down to research and professionalism.

Before venturing and conducting any form of PR in a region or country that the agency has not previously accessed, background research and analysis is of utmost importance. The better your understanding of the local culture, customs and practices, the easier it will be to reach out to whichever target audience your company or client may be targeting.

To end of, here is a video of the popular Russel Peters who takes a lighthearted look at different cultures and behaviors.