Instructor Resource
Page, Introduction to Strategic Public Relations, 1e
SAGE Publishing, 2019
Chapter 5: Implement Your Strategic PR/CSR Plan
Test Bank
Multiple Choice
1. Which statement best describes the overall purpose of the situation analysis in
strategic PR?
a. demonstrates your understanding of the company or industry
b. explains the budget needs and time constraints
c. achieves consensus among the management team or client leadership
d. sets the stage and defines the problem or opportunity
2. What was the primary objective of the “Food Lion Feeds” project?
a. increase store traffic in specific local markets
b. reinvent its charitable activity to more closely align with the company’s core business
c. decrease losses due to food wastage
d. educate the public on food deserts as a factor in poor nutrition
3. Nonprofit organizations benefit from workplace giving to the tune of $4 billion each
year, according to America’s Charities. How does this charitable giving financially
benefit the companies doing the giving?
a. decreases in revenue and pre-tax profit
b. increases in employee satisfaction
c. increases in revenue and pre-tax profit
d. decreases in brand loyalty
Instructor Resource
Page, Introduction to Strategic Public Relations, 1e
SAGE Publishing, 2019
4. A report by Project ROI presents evidence that corporate philanthropy programs are
stronger when ______ is integral to the plan.
a. employee engagement
b. management buy–in
c. customer loyalty
d. return on investment
5. Why do most scholars and practitioners believe it is best to have only two or three
objectives in a strategic PR plan?
a. to allow management to add their own objectives to the plan
b. to provide more focus and discipline to the planning process and avoid overwhelming
the plan
c. to keep the plan flexible and fluid
d. to achieve management buy-in and support
6. While drafting strategic PR objectives, it is vital to connect the plan to ______.
a. customer purchasing decisions
b. employee donations
c. product market position
d. corporate strategy
7. Informational objectives focus on creating awareness by sharing information and
attributes. A recent example of an informational campaign aimed at an entire industry
was implemented by which of the following corporations?
a. SAP
b. Johnson & Johnson
c. Carnival
d. Food Lion
8. When the Carnival Corporation was rocked by the Costa Concordia sinking and
problems with its ability to care for sick passengers on another ship, in what way did the
company respond?
a. offered half-price fares for one year
b. sold its cruise ships to a competitor and focused on travel tours
c. developed and implemented a strategic PR plan with reputational objectives
d. brought in a new CEO
9. Throughout his career, Aaron Pickering of Cone Communications has seen which
one of the following elements as the “secret sauce” in driving social change?
a. strategic public relations
b. stakeholder relationships
c. corporate social responsibility initiatives
d. measurable objectives
10. After developing strategic objectives you advance to the programming stage which
encompasses these activities:
a. testing objectives, determining key strategy, choosing key messages, and developing
tactics
b. defining target audience, developing a budget, determining strategy, and choosing
key messages
c. defining target audience, determining strategy, choosing key messages, and
developing tactics
d. defining target audience, determining strategy, developing tactics, and securing a
spokesperson
11. The AADP wanted to reach three specific groups through its “Monster-Free Mouths
Movement” campaign. This is an example of which fundamental rule of effective PR?
a. Use research to identify your target audience.
b. Know your audience.
c. Develop measurable objectives.
d. Target at least three distinct audiences.
12. What is a clear statement of how you will achieve the objectives of your plan and
what will guide your tactics?
a. tactics
b. strategy
c. situation analysis
d. key message
13. While you are developing programming strategy for a campaign designed to
encourage kids to be more physically active, a manager requests that you hire a local
pro basketball player as a celebrity spokesperson. What should you do?
a. Contact the team’s PR Director immediately and ask for an appointment with the
athlete.
b. Incorporate this tactic into the overall strategic plan.
c. Ignore the manager’s request because you think he’s being pushy.
d. Resist the urge to act on this tactic until you have completed the strategy and are
ready to fully consider this tactic, as well as others.
14. Which of the following is part of the foundational work required to develop a sound
strategy?
a. planning the appropriate tactics to meet the objectives
b. measuring the results
c. identifying the audience to reach
d. determining the budget and timetable
Instructor Resource
Page, Introduction to Strategic Public Relations, 1e
SAGE Publishing, 2019
15. In her book Just Good Business, UC Berkeley Professor Kellie McElhaney cites
what statistic as evidence that business leaders view corporate social responsibility as
good business?
a. Three-quarters of business leaders are focusing on CSR to create revenue streams.
b. 87% of Millennials prefer to purchase products with a social or environmental benefit.
c. 54% of business leaders are convinced that their companies’ CSR activities give
them a competitive advantage over their top competitors.
d. In 2016, Fortune 500 companies collectively saved nearly $3.7 billion through climate
change and energy conservation activities.
16. Which one of the following strategies is the best starting point for further developing
strategic plans?
a. Launch strong and monitor intensely.
b. Use CSR to enhance talent recruitment.
c. Consider customers’ needs and preferences.
d. Develop a vision.
17. After the program is implemented, what element is most critical for the target
audience to understand and agree with?
a. strategic plan
b. brand loyalty
c. key message
d. corporate social responsibility
18. What element of the plan is the “how” not the “what” of programming?
a. vision
b. tactics
c. objectives
d. strategy
19. In addition to serving as a tracking tool, what other purpose does a timetable serve?
a. calendar for monitoring schedule and progress
b. plan that ensures all key players are aware of critical dates
c. budget management tool for expenditures and resources
d. call to action
20. According to Martha Whitely, what ability should you develop in order to grow from a
tactical PR practitioner into a sought-after strategic planner?
a. strategic thinking
b. master planning
c. financial analysis
d. creative writing
21. Who once said, “However beautiful the strategy, you should occasionally look at the
results”?
a. George C. Patton
b. John F. Kennedy
c. Steve Jobs
d. Winston Churchill
22. Data from upfront primary and secondary research served as a benchmark to
measure awareness after campaign completion in which case study?
a. Johnson & Johnson
b. Food Lion
c. TD Bank
d. Carnival Corporation
23. Corporate giant SAP is laying groundwork for increasing employee engagement and
developing talent for the future through which strategy?
a. allowing employees to take educational sabbaticals
b. providing day care facilities at all of its offices
c. offering salary and travel incentives to employees
d. increasing donations of its technologies around the globe
24. With what activity does the strategic planning process begin and end?
a. developing objectives
b. conducting research
c. identifying target audiences
d. determining a timetable
25. Why is it beneficial to conduct research during the implementation of a plan?
a. to supplement preliminary research
b. to justify an increase to the budget
c. to engage your target audience
d. to measure progress and course adjust if needed
Instructor Resource
Page, Introduction to Strategic Public Relations, 1e
SAGE Publishing, 2019
26. Based on her research in fundraising, Dr. Kathleen Kelly identified the importance of
stewardship using these four dimensions.
a. reciprocity, realism, reporting, and relationship nurturing
b. recognition, responsibility, reporting, and relationship nurturing
c. reciprocity, responsibility, reporting, and relationship nurturing
d. reciprocity, responsibility, reporting, and realistic results
27. Why did TD Bank implement a campaign targeting the Hispanic community in four
major markets?
a. Hispanics are the fastest growing U.S. demographic yet they are under–utilizing
banking and financial services.
b. TD Bank would like to expand its locations into Central and South America.
c. The President of TD Bank is Hispanic.
d. TD Bank wanted to promote its image as “America’s Most Convenient Bank.”
28. Dozier and Broom note that “strategic planning is deciding where you want to be in
the future and how to get there.” What does this interplay of goals and strategy make
possible for a company?
a. defines the objectives for strategic PR plans
b. leads to solid corporate social responsibility initiatives
c. sets the organization’s direction proactively, thereby avoiding drift and repetition of
activities
d. provides a starting point for all future campaigns
29. Which of the following statements best describes the results of an Edelman study on
the role of social purpose in purchasing decisions?
a. Brand loyalty is increasing.
b. Consumers are buying and advocating for purposeful brands.
c. Supporting a good cause is important.
d. Consumers base purchasing decisions more on perceived value than on a
company’s social involvement.
30. Which type of objective should an organization develop to rebuild its reputation after
a negative event?
a. motivational
b. situational
c. informational
d. reputational
31. When an organization successfully implements a CSR campaign in an emerging
market that fosters a supportive business climate leading to a reduction in
unemployment, what is one of the key results for the emerging market?
a. global recognition
b. increased competition for jobs
c. increased economic opportunity
d. happier citizens
32. If corporate social responsibility efforts promote a business as a good neighbor but
its business practices have historically ignored pollution at its manufacturing plants,
what degree of risk is this business taking?
a. no risk
Instructor Resource
Page, Introduction to Strategic Public Relations, 1e
SAGE Publishing, 2019
b. serious risk because hypocrisy, or any hint of it, can seriously damage CSR efforts
and corporate reputation
c. medium risk because it is possible something catastrophic could occur at a CSR
promotional event
d. minimal risk because most people don’t pay that much attention
33. An objective of the Johnson & Johnson plan is: “Engaging and educating healthcare
professionals about sustainability best practices.” What is an example of an appropriate
tactic to implement in support of this objective?
a. hiring a highly respected physician to serve as campaign spokesperson
b. sending out media kits with information on sustainability
c. holding a major industry conference on sustainability best practices
d. offering discounts to healthcare providers who publicly support Johnson & Johnson
initiatives
34. Based on Martha Whiteley’s insights, what is one of the best ways to sharpen your
critical thinking skills?
a. Research cognitive brain function.
b. Evaluate PR campaign case studies.
c. Rewrite your situation analysis until it is flawless.
d. Compare and contrast successful PR campaigns to unsuccessful ones.
35. Demonstrating the impact of the plan against its objectives occurs during the
evaluation phase. How would positive results benefit you as the plan author?
a. Encourage management/client support for future plans.
b. Guarantee the campaign will continue.
c. Increase current budget and resources.
d. Eliminate the need to request more funds.
36. In most cases, what kind of research is the basis for developing PR plans since it is
already available and less expensive and time consuming to produce?
a. ongoing
b. primary
c. interim
d. secondary
37. When your client suffers a public catastrophe that erodes consumer confidence in
its brand, which course of action would you recommend?
a. CSR campaign with motivational objectives
b. strategic PR plan highlighting the corporate history of excellence
c. CSR campaign with reputational objectives
d. retooling the organization’s mix of products
38. What tool do you use to explain why the plan is needed and how it reflects the
current situation facing the company?
a. strategic plan
b. research
c. situation analysis
d. tactics
39. In a nutshell, what does evaluation allow you to do?
a. write plan objectives
Instructor Resource
Page, Introduction to Strategic Public Relations, 1e
SAGE Publishing, 2019
b. measure progress
c. rank research methods
d. plan for the future
40. For the American Academy of Dermatologists CSR campaign, which of the following
would be a good tool to increase awareness?
a. writing additional secondary objectives
b. surveys mailed to large mailing lists
c. beach parties with sunscreen giveaways
d. media outreach program targeting general media as well as African American–
focused media
41. Situation analysis, objectives, target audience, key message, and strategy are all
part of the ______.
a. tactics
b. corporate social responsibility plan
c. strategic plan
d. stewardship program
42. What is defined as the process of creating business value while promoting positive
social change?
a. good business sense
b. corporate social responsibility
c. strategic planning
d. business philanthropy
43. Which phrase best describes the communications planning process?
a. rigidly defined and structured
b. rapidly changing in response to social and cultural shifts
c. must be based on the ROPES approach
d. fluid and dynamic yet requires structure and process
44. Which of the following objectives best illustrates a strategy based on motivation?
a. Engage and educate healthcare professionals about sustainability best practices.
b. Mitigate negative news with “good news” about the company and its new CEO.
c. Establish pediatric dentists and the AAPD as a trusted source and champion for
children’s oral health.
d. Emphasize checking accounts as the entry point to the overall bank experience.
45. Strategic communications plans can have more than one ______.
a. structure
b. audience
c. situation analysis
d. budget
46. The overall goals for the AAD combined PR/CSR campaign include an increase in
dermatological office visits and sales/use of sunscreen by African Americans. To
support this effort, the association hopes to do which of the following?
a. partner with additional corporate sponsors
b. recruit a high profile spokesperson
c. increase their use of social media
d. time the campaign to coincide with peak spring break activities
47. How can you demonstrate to clients that the time, effort, and resources put into
strategic public relations programs will demonstrate a return on the investment they are
making in the effort?
a. Meet goals and objectives in every campaign.
b. Commit to plan budgets and never request additional resources.
c. Adhere to strict dedication to strategic planning and build plans that deliver
meaningful results.
d. Base plans on a succinct, well-written situation analysis.
48. Based on an article by D. M. Dozier in the Public Relations Review, on what does
management buy-in and support for a proposed plan often depend?
a. budgetary constraints
b. quality of the plan’s objectives
c. well-defined strategy
d. perceived return on investment
49. What one habit should you develop to ensure that you will be able to efficiently
navigate the strategic planning process in a crisis situation?
a. Execute tactics according to the timetable.
b. Practice strategic planning principles routinely every day.
c. Incorporate elements of stewardship into every plan.
d. Keep clients informed throughout the process.
50. Which of the following plan objectives is written to ensure that the results can be
accurately measured?
Instructor Resource
Page, Introduction to Strategic Public Relations, 1e
SAGE Publishing, 2019
a. Emphasize checking accounts as the entry point to the overall bank experience.
b. Drive parents to take young children to pediatric dentists for preventive care.
c. A company-wide focus on improving the passenger experience.
d. Increase the number of African American donors joining the registry by 20%.
True/False
1. According to the American Association of Dermatologists, darker skinned people are
just as susceptible to many forms of skin cancer as lighter skinned people. This fact has
led the organization to launch a new program that will focus on behavior change in the
African American community.
2. Strategic planning is central to the concept of strategic public relations and promoting
social responsibility initiatives.
3. Workplace giving has a positive effect on brand loyalty from new customers and on
brand awareness from existing customers.
4. The four types of strategic objectives are informational, motivational, relational, and
reputational.
5. Researching and identifying your target audience is a critical step in developing a
viable communications plan.
6. A key message describes what you want your target audience to understand and
agree with after the program has been implemented.
7. Every plan should have a built-in assessment or evaluation phase at the beginning of
implementation.
8. According to a report by Project ROI, a well-designed corporate social responsibility
program can increase employee productivity by 13% and reduce employee turnover by
50%.
9. The Johnson & Johnson campaign on sustainability issues in healthcare had two
clear motivational objectives.
10. Once a campaign has successfully engaged publics, stewardship considerations
help to ensure a healthy ongoing relationship with them.
Instructor Resource
Page, Introduction to Strategic Public Relations, 1e
SAGE Publishing, 2019
Short Answer
1. What are three of the reasons the “Food Lion Feeds” program was successful?
2. Motivational objectives are more complex than informational objectives yet they are
easier to measure, according to D. W. Stacks. Summarize the points that support this
statement.
3. The AADP campaign “Monster–Free Mouths Movement” is an example of targeting
more than one primary audience while also reaching out to a secondary audience.
Discuss how and why this campaign successfully reached multiple audiences.
4. For some companies, why is it a wise policy to engage in strategic philanthropy
through CSR in emerging markets?
5. It is predicted that by 2020, one-third of all retail sales are expected to come from
millennials, of whom 87% prefer to purchase products with a social or environmental
benefit. What does this prediction foretell for the future of strategic PR and CSR
initiatives?
Difficulty Level: Medium
Essay
1. Describe why a well-crafted situation analysis is one of the most important parts of a
strategic plan.
2. Explain how the motivational objectives of the American Academy of Pediatric
Dentistry’s (AAPD) “Monster–Free Mouths Movement” campaign were specific and
measurable.
Instructor Resource
Page, Introduction to Strategic Public Relations, 1e
SAGE Publishing, 2019
3. Corporate communications and PR consultant Martha Whiteley states that “a big part
of life is learning from one another.” How does this belief relate to strengthening your
contribution to successful strategic PR campaigns?
4. Do you agree with Dr. Kathleen Kelly that without stewardship, the practice of public
relations is incomplete? Explain why or why not.
5. Peter Economy maintains that CSR can enhance talent recruitment. Explain how this
is possible.
