Deck 21: Public Relations,Word-of-Mouth Influence,and Sponsorships

Question 1

Conspiracy rumors deal with undesirable or harmful product or store features.

Answer 1

False

Question 2

Product releases cover forecasts of future sales and views on the economy.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

All new products can rely on publicity for successful introductions.

Answer 3

False

Question 4

Marketing public relations messages are considerably more expensive than advertisements.

Question 5

Proactive marketing public relations is undertaken as a result of external pressures.

Question 6

Reactive marketing public relations deals typically with changes that have negative consequences for an organization.

Question 7

Public relations efforts should not be aimed at employees.

Question 8

Executive-statement releases may address such topics as forecasts of future sales or views on the economy.

Question 9

Proactive marketing public relations is dictated by a company's marketing budget.

Question 10

Marketing public relations messages come across not as advertisements but as unbiased reports from journalists.

Question 11

Research has shown that those who are loyal to a company or brand are more likely to experience diminished evaluations following negative publicity about that company.

Question 12

Feature articles are expensive to prepare.

Question 13

A product release may be aired on television networks.

Question 14

Commercial rumors are widely circulated but unverified propositions about a product,brand,company,store,or other commercial target.

Question 15

Reactive marketing public relations describes the conduct of public relations in response to internal influences.

Question 16

Publicity is the major tool of proactive marketing public relations.

Question 17

Feature articles are detailed descriptions of products or other newsworthy programs that are written by a public relations firm for immediate publication or airing by print or broadcast media or distribution via appropriate Internet sites.

Question 18

Executive-statement releases are typically published in the business section of a publication.

Question 19

Quick and positive responses to negative publicity are imperative.

Question 20

In general,the most dramatic factors underlying the need for reactive MPR are product defects and failures.

Question 21

Brands are increasingly customizing their own events because it can be more effective and less costly than a preexisting event.

Question 22

Opinion leaders are found in every social class.

Question 23

Some critics have claimed that sponsorship arrangements often involve little more than managerial ego trips.

Question 24

Reaching new market segments is a benefit of cause-related marketing.

Question 25

Cause-oriented sponsorships typically involve supporting athletic events.

Question 26

The only effective way for marketers to handle a commercial rumor is to ignore it.

Question 27

An opinion leader is a person who frequently influences other individuals' attitudes or overt behavior.

Question 28

Consumers have favorable attitudes toward cause-related marketing efforts.

Question 29

Event marketing generally incorporates elements from other communication tools.

Question 30

Brands may not benefit from CRM efforts if their support is perceived as having an ulterior motive rather than authentic concern about the sponsored cause.

Question 31

Companies are able to avoid the clutter inherent in advertising media by attaching their names to special events and causes.

Question 32

Market mavens are individuals who have information about many kinds of products,stores,and other facets of markets,and initiate discussion with consumers and respond to requests from consumers for market information.

Question 33

Marketers can minimize negative word-of-mouth by being responsive to legitimate complaints.

Question 34

Sponsorship of special events and causes enables marketers to target their communication and promotional efforts to specific geographic regions and/or to lifestyle groups.

Question 35

Event sponsorship typically involves supporting causes deemed to be of interest to some facet of society.

Question 36

Opinion leaders tend to have less contact with the mass media than do followers.

Question 37

Sponsorship marketing involves investments in events or causes for the purpose of achieving various corporate objectives.

Question 38

Cause-related marketing consists of a company contributing to a cause every time the customer undertakes some action that supports the company and its brands.

Question 39

Ambush marketing is illegal.

Question 40

Jamming takes place when companies that are not official sponsors of an event undertake marketing efforts to convey the impression that they are.

Question 41

Walmart has been criticized as being discriminatory in its employment practices toward women and minorities.Walmart has developed a concerted public relations effort to counter this criticism.This public relations effort is an example of _____ marketing public relations.

A) proactive
B) reactive
C) offensive
D) accommodation
E) tactical

Question 42

Walmart is using marketing public relations to let the public know of its support for hurricane Katrina victims.Company leaders have been on several morning talk show programs discussing the money and aid they've provided to the affected areas and victims of this storm.Walmart is using _____ marketing public relations.

A) reactive
B) proactive
C) defensive
D) tactical
E) strategic

Question 43

A(n)_____ announces new products,provides relevant information about product features and benefits,and informs interested listeners/readers about how additional information can be obtained.

A) product release
B) executive-statement release
C) feature article
D) press conference
E) news statement

Question 44

Blossom is a chain of clothing stores.It recently stopped carrying a line of clothing because many customers complained about the working conditions of the factories where that particular brand is manufactured.Blossom no longer carries that line and has become an advocate of humane working conditions around the world.This is an example of a(n)_____ marketing public relations strategy.

A) tactical
B) accommodation
C) offensive
D) reactive
E) proactive

Question 45

Sears,the large retail chain,was accused in the 1990s of charging customers in California for automobile repair work that allegedly was never performed.The CEO of Sears immediately hit the airways to apologize and announce that nothing like this would happen in the future.The CEO's action represents _____.

A) proactive marketing public relations
B) reactive marketing public relations
C) rumor control
D) an executive-statement release
E) sponsorship

Question 46

Betty's Garden was a successful restaurant until rumors spread about a bug infestation of its food.To combat the rumors,Betty arranged a dinner and invited the food editors of local newspapers to visit the restaurant and evaluate the cuisine and service.Later,she volunteered several recipes for publication in the "Home and Gourmet Cooking" sections of the local newspapers.We might specifically characterize these actions as _____.

A) proactive marketing public relations
B) cause-related marketing public relations
C) image engineering
D) reactive marketing public relations
E) sponsorship

Question 47

Public relations efforts can be aimed at _____.

A) employees
B) stockholders
C) governments
D) labor groups
E) All of these are correct.

Question 48

A product release may address _____.

A) forecasts of future sales
B) views on the economy
C) comments on environmental issues
D) how additional information can be obtained
E) statements about industry developments and trends

Question 49

_____ is an organizational activity involved with fostering goodwill between a company and its various publics.

A) Advertising
B) Promotion
C) Public relations
D) Personal selling
E) Marketing

Question 50

An executive-statement release may address _____.

A) comments on environmental issues
B) forecasts of future sales
C) new marketing programs
D) views on foreign competition
E) All of these are correct.

Question 51

Kellogg's,a manufacturer of breakfast cereals,wants to help educate children about healthy lifestyles.The company has developed a teaching resource for elementary school teachers to use in their classrooms to help children learn the basics of a healthy diet and how breakfast (which includes cereal,of course)fits into that lifestyle.This is an example of _____ marketing public relations.

A) proactive
B) reactive
C) defensive
D) tactical
E) strategic

Question 52

The _____ marketing public relations strategy is offensively oriented and opportunity seeking.

A) proactive
B) reactive
C) defensive
D) accommodation
E) tactical

Question 53

A(n)_____ is a detailed description of products or other newsworthy programs that are written by a public relations firm for immediate publication or by airing by print or broadcast media or distribution via appropriate Internet sites.

A) news release
B) press conference
C) executive-statement release
D) product release
E) feature article

Question 54

In general,the most dramatic factors underlying the need for reactive MPR are _____.

A) employee behaviors and the consequences
B) executive behaviors and the consequences
C) product defects and failures
D) product price and value
E) consumer behaviors and the consequences

Question 55

Publicity is the major tool of _____ marketing public relations.

A) advertising
B) sales promotion
C) proactive
D) personal selling
E) strategic

Question 56

Product releases are typically published in the _____ section of a publication.

A) news
B) business
C) product
D) editorial
E) business and product

Question 57

Marketing public relations messages should come across as _____.

A) advertisements
B) unbiased reports from journalists
C) special promotions
D) behavior-influencing advertisements
E) journalistic investigations

Question 58

Executive-statement releases are published in the _____ section of a publication.

A) news
B) business
C) product
D) editorial
E) sports

Question 59

The _____ marketing public relations strategy describes the conduct of public relations in response to outside influences.

A) proactive
B) reactive
C) offensive
D) accommodation
E) tactical

Question 60

Which factor largely accounts for the effectiveness of proactive marketing public relations?

A) additional exposure
B) newsworthiness
C) credibility
D) efficiency
E) wide exposure

Question 61

Opinion leaders are motivated to engage in communications exchanges with others because they _____ from sharing their opinions and explaining what they know about products and services.

A) gain self-worth
B) derive satisfaction
C) gain a feeling of superiority
D) find self-meaning
E) derive a feeling of importance

Question 62

A person within a social network of family,friends,and acquaintances who has particular influence on other individuals' attitudes and behavior is referred to as a(n)_____.

A) opinion leader
B) facilitator
C) mediator
D) information leader
E) mentor

Question 63

Rob is an outstanding skier who is often called upon by other consumers for advice about water skis.For this product category,Rob apparently is considered a(n)_____.

A) laggard
B) opinion leader
C) innovator
D) endorser
E) maven

Question 64

A(n)_____ immediately following negative publicity can lessen the damage that will result,such as diminished public confidence in a company and its brands,or a major loss in sales and profits.

A) corporate denial
B) internal investigation
C) stockholder meeting
D) call to the corporate lawyer
E) corporate response

Question 65

What are the two basic types of commercial rumors?

A) Primary and secondary
B) Conspiracy and contamination
C) Positive and negative
D) Strategic and tactical
E) Low level and high level

Question 66

The systematic and organized effort to encourage people to talk favorably about a particular product,service,or brand,and to recommend its use to others who are part of their social network is known as _____.

A) spreading the word
B) news creation
C) network diffusion
D) epidemic creation
E) buzz creation

Question 67

Marketing communications-especially via advertising media-is critical for getting the information-dissemination ball rolling.Thereafter,it is _____ that drive the flow of information about products,services,and brands.

A) sales promotions
B) social interactions
C) Internet communications
D) public relations
E) personal sales

Question 68

The spread of negative product news via the Internet is equivalent to _____.

A) guerilla marketing
B) blogging disease
C) ambush marketing
D) reverse viral marketing
E) reactive MPR

Question 69

Ellen owns a restaurant.There were rumors that she uses horse meat in her hamburgers.This is a _____ rumor.

A) contamination
B) competitive
C) jagged
D) conspiracy
E) planted

Question 70

It has been estimated that the average American consumer participates in excess of 120 WOM conversations over the course of a typical week,with conversations focusing most often on _____.

A) food, beverages and dining
B) media and entertainment
C) sports and hobbies
D) shopping and retail
E) All of these are correct.

Question 71

Marzetta has information about many kinds of products,stores,and other facets of markets,and initiates discussions with consumers and responds to requests from consumers for market information.Marzetta is a(n)_____.

A) market leader
B) opinion initiator
C) market maven
D) innovator
E) product engineer

Question 72

In social networks of interpersonal relationships,consumers' interpersonal relations range along a continuum from very _____ (such as frequent and often intimate communications between friends)to _____ (such as rare interactions between casual acquaintances).

A) weak ties; strong ties
B) close associations; distant associations
C) strong ties; weak ties
D) distant associations; close associations
E) inter-personal ties; intra-personal ties

Question 73

Cybill Shepherd was a spokesperson for the "Beef is Good Food" advertising campaign until a reputable magazine published an interview with Shepherd in which she admitted never eating red meat.From the Beef Board's perspective,Shepherd's magazine interview was _____.

A) reactive PR
B) a conspiracy rumor
C) negative publicity
D) a contamination rumor
E) positive publicity

Question 74

A _____ rumor involves supposed company policies or practices that are threatening or ideologically undesirable to consumers.

A) contamination
B) competitive
C) jagged
D) conspiracy
E) planted

Question 75

_____ is (are)widely circulated but unverified propositions about a product,brand,company,store,or other commercial target.

A) Urban legends
B) Product releases
C) Commercial rumors
D) Buzz
E) Viral buzz

Question 76

Which of the following activities should be included in an anti-rumor campaign?

A) Deciding the specific points in the rumor that need to be refuted
B) Emphasizing that the rumor is untrue or unfair
C) Picking appropriate media and vehicles for delivering the anti-rumor message
D) Selecting a credible spokesperson to deliver the message on the company's behalf
E) All of these are correct.

Question 77

Ramesh's Kitchen was a very successful restaurant until it was widely rumored that bugs infested the rice that it serves.Ramesh's Kitchen's popularity has been victimized by a _____.

A) competitive rumor
B) conspiracy rumor
C) reactive rumor
D) contamination rumor
E) false rumor

Question 78

Which of the following activities should NOT be included in an anti-rumor campaign?

A) Deciding the specific points in the rumor that need to be refuted
B) Emphasizing that the rumor is untrue and unfair
C) Circulating a rumor about a competitor to direct attention away from the company
D) Picking appropriate media and vehicles for delivering the anti-rumor message
E) Selecting a credible spokesperson to deliver the message on the company's behalf

Question 79

John Smith owns three gas stations.There are rumors that he is a drug dealer.This is a _____ rumor.

A) planted
B) conspiracy
C) jagged
D) competitive
E) contamination

Question 80

A _____ rumor deals with undesirable or harmful product or store features.

A) planted
B) conspiracy
C) jagged
D) competitive
E) contamination