ma-PR

From the very start I was really eyeing on getting a PR or advertising internship because of my interest on the field and my saturation to TV.

I work for Fleishman-Hillard Inc, one of the world’s leading strategic communications firms. Based in St. Louis, USA, the firm operates throughout North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East, Africa and Latin America through its 80 owned offices. Their accomplishments include being named Best Large Agency to Work For and Large Agency of the Year. FH is also beneficiary of some of the industry’s most distinguished honors, ranging from the prestigious Silver Anvil, SABRE and CIPRA awards, to the coveted Webby. So much for introduction, I just want to say that I am simply pressured to do good.

The Manila office's clients include Avaya, HSBC, BBDO, TBWA, Etihad Airways, Boehringer-Ingelhheim, and Moldex Realty among others.

On my first day, Ms. Cosette Romero, Philippine General Manager, introduced me to the account manager and my supervisor, Ms. Christine Tria and to the two other account executives. There was a mini-turnover of responsibility from the outgoing interns to me, so to speak and a little celebration for, them.

The bosses and the outgoing interns (in light colors) and I didn't know Fridays are casual-wear days!

Afterwhich, I didn’t notice that work was quickly piling up in my workplace. The next thing I knew I was scanning broadsheets, editing a radio interview script and manipulating photos for release. Later that day, we were gathered in the conference room to brainstorm for a European trade commission project here in Manila. Fleishman Hillard is pitching an event plan for them that will run for a week. My PR class in the university got me prepared for this I tell you!

The daily paper monitoring is just inevitable in a PR firm and it should be the last time I will talk about it. Hell yes to charcoal black fingertips and the aroma of freshly-baked newspaper. It is not a for-interns-only job and that it only confirms my fondness of FH, the bosses do what we do!

Marga and I also did the media rounds with her supervisor on our first week. We went to seven major publications around the metro, sending press releases and goodies to the different periodicals. My first time in any of those places, a surprise for a MassComm student like me.

Field trip anyone? In order of our visit was – Manila Standard Today, Malaya, Philippine Star, Manila Bulletin, Manila Times, The Daily Tribune, Philippine Daily Inquirer and Business Mirror. I guess that makes up for my non-visit in my four years in college.

L-R: The interns with Ms. Dinah Ventura, lifestyle editor of The Daily Tribune; Ms. Lourdes Fernandez, EIC of Business Mirror and; Ms. Isabel de Leon, Manila Bulletin lifestyle editor.

All in all, I met two editors-in chief, three lifestyle editors (all of which looked like their part), two section editors, one motoring editor, an advertising officer and eight security guards that let us in regardless of our new faces. Everyone in just one afternoon.

At the end of the day, it is about smiling and shaking hands. You just have to be ma-PR. After all, it is PR.

-Pao Goze