Public Relations Trivia 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is 'corporate social responsibility' (CSR) communication primarily aimed at achieving?
- Reducing corporate tax liability through charitable deductions
- Building reputational capital by demonstrating positive societal impact (Correct answer)
- Complying with mandatory government reporting requirements
- Generating direct sales through cause marketing
Correct answer: Building reputational capital by demonstrating positive societal impact
CSR communication aims to build brand reputation, trust, and goodwill by showcasing a company's positive contributions to society and the environment.
Question 2: Which term describes the phenomenon where a PR crisis escalates because of how an organization responds to it rather than the original incident?
- Reputation contagion
- Double deviation (Correct answer)
- Crisis amplification
- Secondary crisis
Correct answer: Double deviation
Double deviation occurs when a company's poor handling of an initial complaint or crisis creates a second, often more damaging, public relations problem.
Question 3: In investor relations (IR), what is a 'quiet period'?
- A scheduled media blackout before a major product launch
- A legally restricted window before an IPO when companies limit public statements (Correct answer)
- A moratorium on negative press during quarterly earnings
- A mandated 30-day cooling-off period after executive departures
Correct answer: A legally restricted window before an IPO when companies limit public statements
The quiet period (or 'gun-jumping' restriction) limits what a company can say publicly in the weeks before an IPO to prevent improperly influencing investors.
Question 4: What PR concept describes building a reserve of positive reputation that can absorb the damage of a future crisis?
- Reputational arbitrage
- Crisis insurance
- Goodwill banking
- Reputational equity (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Reputational equity
Reputational equity refers to the accumulated goodwill and positive perception a brand builds over time, which can buffer the impact of a crisis.
Question 5: Which term refers to a PR strategy that proactively gets ahead of a negative story before it breaks publicly?
- Inoculation theory
- Pre-bunking
- Getting ahead of the story (Correct answer)
- Controlled disclosure
Correct answer: Getting ahead of the story
Getting ahead of the story means voluntarily releasing damaging information with context and a response before journalists or opponents can define the narrative.
Question 6: What is the primary function of an 'issues management' program in corporate PR?
- Managing media complaints about editorial coverage
- Identifying and monitoring emerging issues that could affect an organization before they become crises (Correct answer)
- Coordinating legal responses to regulatory investigations
- Tracking competitor PR campaigns
Correct answer: Identifying and monitoring emerging issues that could affect an organization before they become crises
Issues management involves scanning the environment for emerging social, political, or regulatory trends that could impact the organization, enabling proactive responses.
Question 7: Which famous PR practitioner coined the phrase 'the engineering of consent'?
- Ivy Lee
- Arthur Page
- Edward Bernays (Correct answer)
- Harold Burson
Correct answer: Edward Bernays
Edward Bernays, often called the 'father of public relations,' coined 'the engineering of consent' to describe PR's role in shaping public opinion.
Public Relations Trivia 5
What is 'corporate social responsibility' (CSR) communication primarily aimed at achieving?