When you think of Spring Break, the first things that come to mind are traveling and
relaxing. Maybe you plan on taking a trip with friends or just reconnecting yourself with
family. With all of these hot vacation spots and events going on during this 1-2 week
period, public relation professionals are the busiest. This is a good opportunity to
connect audiences with what’s currently happening and increase visibility. Many
different companies take advantage of Spring Break. Hotels and airlines are the main
ones who benefit from this, with deals and campaigns. Public relation firms are
constantly working behind the scenes, from helping brands host sponsored events, to
companies hopping on viral trends to attract more people. It’s all about timing,
exposure, and making sure brands stay relevant.
Not all schools will have Spring Break at the same time, along with how fast paced
everything is. It can create opportunities and the same amount of risks. A popular
Expedia bundle might only be available during a time when most students are not on
break yet, meaning they won’t really get the type of traction they were looking for. One
trendy post from a brand trying to promote their Spring Break deal or just put their
business out there, may be controversial to some. Public relation teams would have to
work hard to monitor engagement, and be prepared to handle any negative feedback.
For example, if a travel company were to post a TikTok listing different vacation
packages they offer and include countries that may not be partially safe to go to…people will respond negatively. It is up to public relation professionals to help navigate how to
deflect the negative response. The post had the right timing, due to it being Spring
Break, but it wasn’t ideal for its audience. That constant need to adapt to patrons’
reactions shows how public relations is not just about brand promotions, but also about
maintaining credibility and building brand trust in real time. During Spring Break and
every other holiday or popular break, it is important for pr teams to stay alert and
responsive.
Spring Break is just another way for people to see that the public relations field is
nonstop. It heavily depends on understanding trends, people, and even timing. The need
for content creation and online engagement during these break periods or holidays
make it easier to spread a message quickly, but it also increases the risk of whether or
not the message is right for the target audience. Spring Break is a good real world
example of how powerful and immediate public relations can be. Managing public
image and handling people’s real time reactions never stops. The next time you see a
promotion for anything, take the time to think to yourself, “How much effort went into
making this? How many people did this idea and concept have to go through before
reaching me?