Research is key. It is the first essential step of executing effective public relations. Before developing objectives or planning for events, a foundation must be put in place by gathering information and listening. This initial step is where we need to distinguish and understand our targeted publics.
Source: http://www.ethlife.ethz.ch/
What is a public?
A public is a distinguished group of people within the general population. These publics are identified based on demographic such as age, income, social strata, education, existing ownership or consumption of specific products; residency; lifestyle; and characteristics. Establishing your publics will help reach your message to the appropriate audience effectively.
Examples of Publics and Where I Fit In
Source: http://www.allaboutyou.com
Considering the age factor, I best fit into the youth category, being born between 1981 and 2003. Other terms for this age group include Generation Y (Gen Y), Millennials or the E-Generation. Most people born into this age group will spend about 1/3 of their lives online. We are the E-Generation because of our consumption of electronic media. Our lifestyles are geared towards the online community when interacting with friends through social media, text, email, etc. We are a tech savvy generation. We develop attitudes towards certain products, and act as mentors to towards buying decisions. We’ve become extremely resourceful and independent.
Ethnically, I belong into the Filipino community (although my nationality is Canadian). My parents moved into Canada from the Philippines, and in the way that I was brought up, I inherited the characteristics and lifestyles of a Filipino. Some of these characteristics include food choices, music, religion, and language. This lifestyle separates us from other ethnicities in how we present ourselves, in our traditional celebrations, and interactions with people. Although I was born in Canada, I am highly influenced by the Filipino culture.
Lastly, I’m a woman! Gender plays a huge role in distinguishing publics. We may share similar traits with men, but women behave differently. Our buying habits, opinions, and interests may not be the same, and in the way we communicate/express our emotions are also different. We have needs that men don’t, and it’s important to address what those are.
Researching is strenuous work, but defining your public is integral. The more you develop and narrow your understanding of who your public is, the better your campaign objectives will be.
Mercy-Anne Guevarra 