The case I chose for my Public Relations class was the Samsung Spirit of Sport Contest, Samsung’s Olympic Campaign in the US. I also used this for my University’s writing requirement and passed.

This campaign happened during the Salt Lake 2002 Olympic Games and it was essentially was an essay contest that asked entrants to identify and write about a mentor or individual in their lifetime that has both motivated the through challenges, and positively influenced their growth with on or off the playing field. Samsung would then choose five essay winners to fly them and their mentors out to the winter games  where they would be recognized. Samsung thoroughly wanted to focus on how encouragement from sports mentors can greatly enhance success in the youth. Samsung was already a highly respected company at the time, and partnering up with The Olympics would further gain brand awareness and help them reach their goal of becoming a global leader who promoted global friendship. They targeted on a few audiences like general consumers and sports related committees, but they also thoroughly focused on USA markets in general to hopefully succeed in collaborating with a foreign company, since Samsung is South Korean company. 

I applied this case to the agenda-setting theory because Samsung had to come up with efficient ways to promote their campaign in the media through a time when the media was booming with stories about 9/11. They needed to make their essay contest newsworthy to both readers and gatekeepers. The Agenda- Setting theory occurs when the media informs the users of what really matters, the more a story pops up the more society thinks that story is important. Samsung had to do this by holding a “kick off” press release in where 600 U.S. media would attend. Samsung incorporated media tours, online pop up ads, and planned events to help generate awareness for the campaign. They even got coverage on popular television stations such as FOX, NBC, and CBS. They also contracted with high profile U.S. athletes to go on media tours and write their own essays, which was a valuable success because it made the contest more relevant and personable. Samsungs initial goal was to create attention about the importance of a mentor, and the impact they have on forming a brighter future. This goal lead to other individuals taking part in the level of media coverage the campaign received because each winning essay chosen, tied in a personal story with it, making it more reader friendly.  Personal stories are effective when building a brand name or gaining brand recognition because they are one of the most powerful approaches to inspire, influence, and teach. Stories not only help unite and forge connections between people, but they also accentuate the values from within. Although this campaign does not necessarily focus on politics and chronic social issues, there was still a fight for media attention, and a strategy determined to persuade audiences to enter the contest and think about why it matters.

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