This writing assessment evaluates your strategic PR and management skills through real-world scenarios. Please read all instructions carefully before beginning.
🔒 Confidentiality Notice
The scenarios in this assessment reference real Bear Icebox clients and past campaigns. All information is proprietary and confidential. These scenarios are used exclusively for assessment purposes — your responses will not be used in any active client work. By proceeding, you agree to keep all client details confidential.
What to expect
Scenario 1 — Strategy, media planning & outlet identification
Scenario 2 — Pitch revision & editorial coaching
Time limit: 90 minutes — timer begins after you enter your info
Candidate Info
Tell us about yourself
Please complete all fields before starting the timed assessment.
⏱ Heads up: Once you click continue, a 90-minute timer will start and cannot be paused. Make sure you are in a quiet space and ready to begin.
Scenario One
Strategic Media Planning — Linnworks Report Launch
Demonstrate your ability to lead a media campaign from strategy to execution.
Client Brief: Our client Linnworks, a leading connected commerce ops platform working with small to mid-sized e-commerce businesses in the fashion, consumer tech, and home & garden industries, is releasing a report that Bear Icebox is responsible for amplifying. You are leading this campaign. Based on the report's findings, complete the following tasks.
Task 1 of 6 — Scenario One
List five questions you would ask the Linnworks CMO during your kickoff meeting to ensure a strong media strategy and successful report launch.
Be strategic — these should reflect your ability to extract the information needed to build a compelling PR campaign.
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Task 2 of 6 — Scenario One
Create a comprehensive media strategy and distribution plan for the Linnworks report launch. Provide your rationale.
Include: timing/phases, outreach approach, media mix, and the reasoning behind your strategy choices.
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Task 3 of 6 — Scenario One
Create 2–3 KPIs for the Bear Icebox team to measure the success of the distribution plan.
KPIs should be specific, measurable, and tied to the campaign's goals.
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Task 4 of 6 — Scenario One
Identify 6 media outlets — 4 digital publications and 2 podcasts — with a contact from each and your reasoning.
For each: outlet name, specific journalist or host contact, and 1–3 sentences on why they're the right fit for this story.
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Scenario Two
Pitch Review & Editorial Coaching
Your coordinators have submitted two pitches for your review. Revise them and explain your edits.
✏️ Instructions: Read each pitch below carefully. In the response field, write your revised version of the pitch and explain the changes you made and why. Focus on what would make each pitch more effective with reporters.
📧 Pitch #1 — Review & Revise
Subject: News from Linnworks regarding our new report
Hi [Name],
I hope you are having a really good week so far!!! I am reaching out today because our client, Linnworks—which is a platform that works with small and mid-sized e-commerce businesses in the fashion, consumer tech, and home and garden industries—is releasing a new report today that we are responsible for amplifying.
It is called the 2025 Retail Resilience Report. We are really excited about it and wanted to see if you would be interested in taking a look. The report goes into detail about how U.S. and U.K. retailers are responding to economic challenges, such as rising costs and shifting consumer expectations, and it covers how businesses are trying to drive growth despite these issues.
There is also a press release on Business Wire if you want to find more information. If you have any time to chat about this or if you want to see a copy of the report, let me know what you think and maybe we can schedule something later.
All the best,
[Your Name]
Task 5 of 6 — Scenario Two
Revise Pitch #1 and explain your changes.
Write your revised pitch in full, then briefly explain the key revisions you made and why they improve effectiveness.
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📧 Pitch #2 — Review & Revise
Subject: Embargoed announcement: AI's use in manufacturing highlighted in upcoming Fast Company innovation nod
Hi Xx,
I'm excited to share embargoed news: CADDi, a leading manufacturing solutions provider, has been named one of Fast Company's Most Innovative Companies.
CADDi's recognition reflects its pioneering efforts on a national scale. With its innovative SaaS platform, CADDi Drawer, powered by AI, CADDi is transforming procurement processes and setting new standards for the manufacturing industry.
The official press release will be provided once the list is released on March 19—We kindly request that you observe this embargo until then. Your coverage of CADDi's achievement and its impact on the national manufacturing landscape would be invaluable.
For any further inquiries or to arrange an interview with Yushiro Kato, co-founder and CEO of CADDi, please don't hesitate to reach out.
Thank you for your attention.
Best regards,
Xx
Note: CADDi is a past Bear Icebox client. This pitch is used for assessment purposes only.
Task 6 of 6 — Scenario Two
Revise Pitch #2 and explain your changes.
Write your revised pitch in full, then briefly explain the key revisions you made and why they improve effectiveness. Note any revisions you would or would not make and why.
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✅ Review all your responses before submitting. Once submitted, you will not be able to make changes.
Assessment Submitted
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Account Manager Writing Assessment
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