Public Relations MCQs

Public Relations MCQs

The following Public Relations MCQs have been compiled by our experts through research, in order to test your knowledge of the subject of Public Relations. We encourage you to answer these 100+ multiple-choice questions to assess your proficiency.
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1: What is the practice of crisis communications?

A.   It's a form of PR that focuses on containing and/or clarifying any negative, or potentially negative news about a company, product, service or person.

B.   It's what agencies do when there's an internal HR crisis, in hopes that they can improve poor morale.

C.   It's a type of PR that people with frayed nerves should go into as a specialty, as they are already natural worriers.

D.   Frankly, it's part of everyday in PR -- because there's always a fire to put out.

2: Why is a bylined article credited to the CEO of a client company an important element of a PR campaign?

A.   It is often drafted by a PR person (at the agency or in-house) to ensure that the messaging resonates with its intended audience.

B.   All of these.

C.   A growing number of consumers, investors and others want to know that the CEO of a company is an expert in his or her industry before purchasing one of the company's products.

D.   It offers great credibility for the company.

3: Why do most PR agencies need a pipeline of new business prospects?

A.   All of these.

B.   Clients may believe in the power of PR, but there could be internal budget cuts at their company and PR might be part of those cuts.

C.   PR clients can be great and others can be very fickle and impatient -- and they can walk away as quickly as they sign on with an agency.

D.   Agencies usually require a number of clients to keep the business going and growing.

4: Why would a public relations person use Cision?

A.   To locate editorial calendars.

B.   To send out email blasts.

C.   To identify media contact information and compile media lists.

D.   To send out press releases.

5: True or False? Sponsorship is a type of public relations.

A.   True

B.   False

6: Why is corporate social responsibility important in PR?

A.   It can positivilety influence a company

B.   It is not important

C.   It is a requirement for PR

D.   It is a profitable sector

7: Which one of these is NOT a public relations trend?

A.   RSS Feeds

B.   Blogging

C.   Discussion Forums

D.   Gaming

8: The aim of public relations is to persuade:

A.   Employees

B.   Investors

C.   All of these

D.   The public

9: True or False? Message points are key, well-crafted sentences and phrases that PR people create to help anyone prepare for different media interviews.

A.   False

B.   True

10: A crisis management is:

A.   Articles about a company that is in a crisis

B.   When a company needs to respond quickly due to negative information being spread

C.   When there are too many conflicting articles been released at once

D.   When a company plagiarizes a competitor's press release

11: True or False? A news release calendar is vital tool for public relations.

A.   False

B.   True

12: What should a Press Kit include?

A.   Press Releases

B.   Brochures

C.   Fact Sheet

D.   All Of These

E.   Introduction Letter

13: True or False? Bloggers have become increasingly important as "media" outlets?

A.   True

B.   False

14: True or False? A story may be picked up and spread by many media channels.

A.   True

B.   False

15: What are some of the ways to measure the success of a PR campaign?

A.   How many items are sold after the product is featured in an article, on a show or on a site.

B.   Total consumer impressions based on the audience numbers from publications, shows, and sites that cover a particular client.

C.   All of these.

D.   How much incremental traffic is generated (site visits for online stores/services/organizations or foot traffic for brick and mortar stores)

16: What is a mailing list?

A.   a collection of e-mails sent by you to important newspapers journalists.

B.   a collection of e-mails recieved from important newspapers journalists.

C.   a collection of names and addresses used by an individual or an organization to send material to multiple recipients

D.   a collective lists of all sent and recieved e-mails.

17: The best to do in a crisis situation is...

A.   to do nothing at all.

B.   deny everything at first and then come clean.

C.   deflect the bad news with more positive news.

D.   Be up front and truthful with the information.

E.   to sit back and let the controversy take its course.

18: True or False? The Associated Press is a form of syndicate.

A.   False

B.   True

19: True or False? You should always take up the opportunity to have a press conference even if you are not announcing something.

A.   True

B.   False

20: Which one of these is an important aspect in public relations?

A.   Using bold colors and sounds

B.   Maintaining relationships

C.   Having a writer with a well rounded background

D.   Creating exposure to all audiences

21: What is a desk-side tour?

A.   A schedule of visits with magazine editors promoting a new company, service or product.

B.   A sporting event.

C.   A practice that only people who promote travel clients embrace, as they tour around the country visiting travel editors' offices.

D.   A media tour where you bring a portable, rolling desk with you and pull up next to an editor to chat.

22: Which one of these is a social object?

A.   News stories

B.   All of these

C.   Facebook

D.   Political rallies

23: True or False? Public relations is always positive material.

A.   True

B.   False

24: What is a "Bandwagon effect"?

A.   When companies start copying their competitor's methods of advertising

B.   When people are influenced to do something because other people are doing it

C.   When a product or service is part of a new trend

D.   When brand reputations are damaged due to word of mouth advertising

25: What is a "boilerplate"?

A.   Short background of the individual, group, or company in a press release

B.   The headline of a press release

C.   Topic of the press release

D.   Contact information in a press release

26: A retweet or a "like" on Facebook is a form of:

A.   Engagement

B.   Media persuasion

C.   Social press

D.   Media management

27: A term to describe a form of propaganda is:

A.   Splash

B.   Spin

C.   Spill

D.   Spike

28: To secure media coverage, you must:

A.   Insert multimedia in your material

B.   Send out your material to every channel of media

C.   Follow-up

D.   Send out multiple edits of your material

A.   Press-releasewire

B.   Promotionwire

C.   Newsweek

D.   Newswire

30: The same release can be re-sent to the same media outlet:

A.   If two weeks have gone by and the outlet hasn't covered the story.

B.   The same release should never be re-sent to the same outlet.

C.   If two days have gone by and the outlet hasn't covered the story.

D.   If you want to be certain they read it.

31: What is an inverted pyramid?

A.   Information that is put in the lead, followed by less and less important information

B.   The groups of PR agencies ranked from most important to least important

C.   The groups of PR agencies ranked from least imporant to most important

D.   Information that is organized from less important information to most important information

32: Unannounced media that cannot be published before an agreed time:

A.   Secret

B.   Media restraint

C.   Embargo

D.   Low-key media

33: A brief quote from an interview is often called a:

A.   Quotebite

B.   Soundbite

C.   Soundsnippet

D.   Quotesnippet

34: What is a "Mat Release"?

A.   An article that negatively reflects a company

B.   A consumer related article that doesn't generate any public attention

C.   A small advertisement that is only released on the radio

D.   A consumer related article that supplements editors' publications

35: A cutline is:

A.   A measure of the number of people who viewed or listened to a PR material

B.   Jargon for the point of view of your story

C.   A list of editors in a publication issue

D.   A caption below an image

36: Whose decision is final in the Traditional Internal Communication?

A.   Both the Parties

B.   Management

C.   Tribunal

D.   None

E.   Arbitrar

37: Which of these require active customer participation?

A.   Blogs

B.   Bylined articles

C.   Case studies

D.   Speaking events

38: One-way symmetric model:

A.   Uses press releases to distribute organizational information

B.   Negotiates with the public about a conflict

C.   Persuades and influences the audience to behave as the organization desires

D.   None of these

39: A "round-up" is:

A.   An organization's first press release

B.   The summary of the article

C.   A story that displays the benefit of one product over another

D.   A story that displays more than one product or services that apply to a certain topic

40: The act of compiling and constructing information for a public relations article is called:

A.   Organization

B.   Mapping

C.   C&C

D.   Curation

41: Articles that are generally written subjectively by an expert in a specific field are often called:

A.   Byline articles

B.   Bow line articles

C.   Buyline articles

D.   Expert articles

42: Who is the recognized founder of modern public relations?

A.   Barbara Hunter

B.   Edward Bernays

C.   Benjamin Franklin

D.   David Ogilvy

43: What is the average length for a press tour?

A.   2-3 weeks

B.   1-2 months

C.   2-3 days

D.   24 hours

44: The one-way symmetric model and two-way symmetric model were created by which theorist?

A.   James E. Grunig

B.   Scott Cutlip

C.   Edward Bernays

D.   Ivy Lee

45: The effect of gaining good PR by "piggy-backing" someone else's coverage is:

A.   Second-hand PR

B.   Gurantee PR

C.   Plus-1 PR

D.   Collateral PR

46: What is a major advantage of public relations?

A.   Material does not get altered

B.   Ability to perfectly time the release

C.   Will always appear in the media channel

D.   Cost

47: A measure of what your editorial coverage would cost if it were advertising space is:

A.   MVE

B.   AVE

C.   PVE

D.   APM

48: A measure of how many people that had the opportunity to see and hear a specific marketing message is called:

A.   Bandwagon effect

B.   Boilerplate

C.   OP-Target

D.   OTH/OTS

49: When someone refers to an SMT, what are they talking about?

A.   A Sponsored Media Tour

B.   A satellite media tour

C.   A tour only for technology products

D.   A Social Media Tour

50: A key tool used in public relations:

A.   Consumer Kit

B.   Media Release Kit

C.   All of these

D.   Press Kit

51: Staged events and publicity stunts are part of:

A.   Press agentry

B.   Staged press model

C.   Public information model

D.   Two-way asymmetric model

52: What does 'serif type' refer to?


A.   The long, wavy tails found at the ends of most typefaces.

B.   A specific kind of print format, commonly used in tabloid newspaper printing.

C.   The same as 'sans serif' style.

D.   The short, decorative cross-lines or tails found at the ends of main strokes in some typefaces, such as Roman lettering.

53: What is 'narrowcasting'?


A.   Using a traditional, narrow TV set rather than a flatscreen.

B.   Broadcasting one TV or internet signal all over a houses to multiple TVs or computers.

C.   A kind of fishing technique similar to fly fishing — a frequent getaway for Public Relations executives.

D.   Using a specific broadcast medium to appeal to audiences with special interests. 

54: What is the name given to an advertisement that has the appearance of a news article or editorial (in a print publication)?


A.   Advert-mania

B.   Local feature

C.   Classified ad.

D.   Front-page banner

E.   Advertorial

55: Which of the following terms refers to a kind of deception associated with intelligence agencies - establishing credibility for the source disclosing the information but in actuality withholding key facts and protecting a more serious crime.


A.   Secret base

B.   Limited hangout

C.   Cool-off point

D.   Safe house

E.   All of the above

56: What is 'media spin'?


A.   An act of self-promotion on television or radio where personal credentials are exaggerated.

B.   The same as playing the blame game through the media.

C.   The term used to describe media re-interpretation of events, often to the point where the angle or meaning of a story is changed.

D.   A kind of PR campaign where the media presents a verifiable version of events that is simple and focused

E.   None of the above

57: What kind of journalism downplays legitimate news in favour of more eye-catching headlines that sell newspapers?


A.   Blue journalism

B.   Black journalism

C.   White journalism

D.   Yellow journalism

E.   Polka dot journalism 

58: What does 'coolhunting' refer to?


A.   A management technique in which Public Relations professionals 'hunt' for their own egos in a common Christmas party-game, adopted from law and accounting professionals.

B.   The low temperatures used by companies that manufacture CDs and DVDs and often employ important Public Relations firms.

C.   Aspiring media professionals who want to become celebrities — hunting for 'cool.'

D.   A new breed of marketing professionals who predict new cultural trends. 

59: What is 'corporate pathos'?


A.   When a company gives 25% of its annual revenue to charity.

B.   The CEO crying and begging forgiveness on national television, especially at Christmas.

C.   A term used to define the employment of emotional engagement techniques to shape and alter the public's perspection of a given company.

D.   When a company goes into either self-regulated liquidation or forced bankruptcy.

60: What is a 'boiler plate' text?


A.   A text shaped like a plate (circular).

B.   A text frequently written out-of-house but edited in-house.

C.   A text manufactured using a special boiler-cooling method, so the paper is extra durable (and used as pamphlets and brochures).

D.   A template text that is often reused without being altered (such as a press release).

61: Name the technique used in the radio industry that uses highly descriptive words to evoke images so the listener feels he or she is directly part of the scene.


A.   Line drawing

B.   Image crystallization

C.   Sound carving

D.   Word painting

E.   Imagizing

62: What is the term given to a type of marketing in which a company adapts itself to uncontrollable factors within the industry?


A.   Macromarketing

B.   Micromarketing

C.   Mega-marketing

D.   Mission-marketing

63: What term refers to the process of managing Public Relations problems usually by using technology to electronically automate the process.


A.   Computer pyrotechnics

B.   Financial wizardry

C.   Digital restructuring

D.   Issue management

E.   All of the above

64: What is the name given to a promotion that is intended to arouse interest in the main campaign which follows.


A.   Wonder-intro

B.   Highlight

C.   Teaser

D.   Manifest destiny

E.   None of the above

65: What is a 'publicity stunt'?


A.   Part-time work in the film industry as stuntmen by Public Relations employees.

B.   A marketing ploy that deceives the public but results in a great many extra sales.

C.   A planned event designed to draw the public's attention to a particular cause or campaign.

D.   An individual who controls spin at a Public Relations firm.

66: What is a story called in which the events are violently inflated to suggest the violation of a given set of assumed relationships, with the effect of reinstating the boundaries of those relationships?


A.   Homemade video

B.   Atrocity story

C.   Caricature tale

D.   Main news item

E.   All of the above

67: Which of the following terms for boosting public opinion is frequently used to enhance web page accessibility?


A.   Search engine optimization

B.   Search engine fixing

C.   Professional web blogging

D.   Multi-linking

E.   None of the above

68: What is meant by 'integrated marketing communications'?


A.   Combining the video game, music and home video entertainment systems in one package

B.   An approach to brand communications where the different modes work together to create a seamless experience for the customer and are presented with a similar tone and style that reinforces the brand's core message.

C.   Disparate marketing groups talking to each other, often at boardroom meetings

D.   A system whereby the CEOs of multi-national companies join an exclusive and secretive club, similar to the Freemasons

69: In Public Relations, what does 'sexed up' mean?


A.   It refers to making something appear more attractive than it really is, a modern update to the phrase 'hyped up'.

B.   Dressed smartly to impress.

C.   An honest account of an event, prepared for a news or Public Relations broadcast.

D.   All of the above

70: What is an 'infomercial'?


A.   A cross between a commercial and a press conference.

B.   The line of inquiry pursued by journalists that is not quite self-promotion and not quite information dissemination.

C.   A kind of internet company promotional strategy.

D.   A commercial that is similar in appearance to a news program, talk show, or other non-advertising program content.

71: Which of the following terms refers to a tactical relationship adopted by opposing organizations in which both sides benefit by attacking each other?


A.   Dissuading adversaries

B.   Defining your opponent

C.   Win-win relationship

D.   Equal footing bartering

E.   Promoting adversaries

72: What is an 'elevator pitch'?


A.   A pitch that only ever takes place inside, often in an actual elevator.

B.   A short presentation of a recommended Public Relations campaign, of limited time span (as though it could take place in a single elevator ride).

C.   The seating arrangements, often open-planned desks, at a city-style Public Relations company.

D.   A voice-recording gadget used in the elevators of high-end PR companies.

E.   Both a and d

73: What is a 'viral campaign'?


A.   A marketing campaign gone bad or sour after the initial novelty wears off in the public imagination.

B.   An advertising campaign infected by internal sabotage by certain individuals from rival companies.

C.   A highly orchestrated and therefore highly successful self-promotional event.

D.   A communications campaign designed to exploit the internet as a means of sending rapid messages — each user sending a message on to multiple other users.

74: What is the more common phrase used to describe a product or service given by a sales person to consumers to induce them to listen to a sales pitch?


A.   Door-breaker

B.   Door-jammer

C.   Door-opener

D.   Foot in the door

75: What is the name of the technique of using low pressure tactics in commercials and advertising in order to make a sale?


A.   Market targeting

B.   Base rate

C.   Soft sell

D.   Values and Lifestyle Research (VALS)

E.   Hard sell

76: An abbreviation often used in online content, what does 'marcom' mean?


A.   Market Company

B.   Market Cooperative

C.   Macaroni and cheese

D.   Marketing Company

E.   Marketing Communications

77: What is the name given to a short song, usually mentioning a brand or product benefit, used in a commercial?


A.   Lullaby

B.   Trick

C.   Teaser

D.   Jingle

E.   None of the above

78: What is an 'exclusive'?


A.   A one-off TV appearance presented by a celebrity.

B.   Very expensive online shopping goods.

C.   A news story offered by a PR practitioner to a single newspaper title, radio, TV station or website.

D.   A division within a Public Relations company responsible for managing all the other divisions.

79: What are 'demographics'?


A.   Graphs used to chart company clients and how often the employees log-in to certain websites.

B.   Descriptive classifications of consumers, such as their age, sex, income, education, size of household, etc.

C.   Predictive models used to give an impression of company profits over a future period of time.

D.   Specialist consultants brought in from the outside to affect company policy and save money.

E.   All of the above

80: Which of the following phrases refers to an equivocal denial made by an official to the press, often relating to an incident that is actually true.


A.   Non-denial denial

B.   Double cross

C.   Non-apology apology

D.   Non-confession confession

E.   None of the above

81: Which of the following is the best definition of 'Corporate Social and/or Environmental Responsibility (CSR)'?


A.   Small-scale social outreach programs, set in motion for cosmetic effect.

B.   Taking positive action to show an organization has a responsible attitude to the people and environment it affects.

C.   When a CEO personally donates his annual salary (and bonuses) to a local charity.

D.   A press conference handled by a Public Relations company in which various claims for ethical behaviour for the future are outlined.

82: Which of the following terms is used to refer to a rhetorical attempt to generate misdeeds or cover up an incident within a group?


A.   A cartload of oranges.

B.   A tricky trickster on the loose.

C.   Wagging the dog.

D.   Taking it on the run.

E.   A few bad apples, or a bad apples excuse.

83: Who are the 'sector/trade press'?


A.   The newspapers and magazines read by the general population.

B.   The media relevant to specific audiences, such as special interest magazines, trade journals etc.

C.   Private collectible newspapers often archived at universities and museums.

D.   Heads of the top five media corporations in a given country.

84: What is a 'press pack/kit'?


A.   Free giveaway presents to the press at the end of the year, frequently toy versions of a company's products.

B.   The bags brought by individual members of the press to interviews.

C.   A collection of lost at a Public Relations firm.

D.   The precise folding of articles for archiving.

E.   A branded pack handed out to the media by an organization, usually containing background information, photographs, news releases etc.

85: Which of the following best describes 'crisis communications'?


A.   The inability or unwillingness of large companies to communicate in the middle of a crisis.

B.   A sub-specialty of the Public Relations industry that is designed to protect an individual or organization from a public challenge to their reputation.

C.   The release to the media of detrimental information when a company is facing bankruptcy.

D.   Internal politics at a Public Relations firm.

86: What is a 'transcript'?


A.   A document that explains tax returns for the fiscal year.

B.   A complete written text of what someone said - an accurate written version of the spoken word.

C.   A printing technique using monotone colors.

D.   A double side 4-color advertisement ordered by special request.

E.   Both c and d

87: What is 'spin' exactly?


A.   The rotation of company policy that often involves a high turnover of personnel.

B.   The circular motion made by the revolving door at a Public Relations company's corporate headquarters.

C.   The representation of an event so that the audience believes the opposite is true, often with malicious intent, and intending to willfully deceive.

D.   The representation of an event or series of events to persuade public opinion to become for or against a certain organization or individual — not malicious, but often without real, factual or moral justification. 

88: What does it mean when a newspaper or magazine copy or a picture is said to 'bleed'?


A.   The copy or picture extends — seemingly 'bleeds' - beyond the normal margin of a printed page, often all the way to the edge.

B.   The colors all blue together, often resulting in a clear white effect.

C.   The copy is black and white only.

D.   The copy is a mixture of black and white, and two other colors, such as red and green.

89: What does 'column inch' refer to?


A.   The distance between tables at a press conference.

B.   The gap on the London underground that is commonly referred to with the phrase 'mind the gap.'

C.   A description of a Public Relations technique where columns dominate the front of buildings to give the impression of wealth creation, success and status.

D.   A common unit of measure by newspapers, whereby ad space is purchased by the width, in columns, and the depth, in inches.

90: What is the term used to describe the relationship between a change in an advertising budget and the resultant change in product sales?


A.   Ad. fix

B.   Advertising elasticity

C.   Marketing ploy

D.   Advertising inflation

E.   Downsizing

91: Which of the following is the best definition of 'crisis management'?


A.   Creating a management team that might bring about a crisis.

B.   Avoiding any internal problems by deferring a crisis.

C.   a and b

D.   Generating a communications plan that can be put into action when something goes wrong for a company.

E.   All of the above

92: What is 'airbrushing' and when is it usually employed?


A.   A cleaning technique employed at Public Relations firms, whereby the floor is airbrushed a shiny white color.

B.   An artist's technique for creating a smooth gradation of color, often used to cover physical imperfections in a photograph.

C.   Skipping over certain paragraphs when reading from an autocue.

D.   A technique of mass e-mailing but in a way that hides the recipients' e-mail addresses from one another. 

93: What is an 'electric spectacular'?


A.   Outdoor signs or billboards composed largely of lighting or other electrical components.

B.   A car roadshow with the fastest cars on the market, an event covered by all the major newspapers.

C.   A hot-air balloon.

D.   An advertising technique where colored lights are given away free on the covers of magazines and newspapers.

94: Name the world's largest independent Public Relations firm from the list below.


A.   Wal-Mart

B.   Edelman

C.   Woolworth's

D.   Reuters

E.   b and d

95: Which of the following is the best description of 'managing the news'?


A.   Influencing the presentation of information in the news media, often with a negative spin.

B.   Deciding on the schedule of programs and their transmission order.

C.   Appointing a hierarchy of news presenters.

D.   Planning untrue stories and broadcasting them as though they were true.

96: What is a 'cue sheet'?


A.   The tip right at the end of a snooker cue, for snooker, a game often played at lunchtimes at Public Relations firms.

B.   The television monitor from which lines are read during press conferences.

C.   A special type of card-like printing paper.

D.   Briefing notes, often to help the company spokesman prepare for an interview with a journalist on a prepared subject.

97: Which of the following best describes the political tactic known as 'defining one's opponent'?


A.   Same as defying one's opponent.

B.   A tactic often used in political campaigns to define and thereby undermine one's political adversary.

C.   Creating an imaginary opponent and then to knock down and defeat him, like a straw man.

D.   Turning on and betraying one's former allies in order to be the sole competitor in a certain field.

98: Which of the following phrases represents an artificial or manufactured controversy, often developed by an interest group rather than from a broad range of opinion.


A.   Fake campaign

B.   Advertising heist

C.   Pseudo-management ploy

D.   Artificial controversy

E.   None of the above

99: What is 'e-PR'?


A.   Using Public Relations techniques in an online environment.

B.   Public Relations online.

C.   e-PR involves using the internet and new technologies (such as IM or Skype) to communicate with stakeholders.

D.   Same as online-PR.

E.   All of the above

100: What is the term used to describe consumers' perceptions that they are being misled by a company with regard to the environment?


A.   Greenpeace

B.   Greenwash

C.   Whitewash

D.   Green Deception

E.   Green Goblin