Business acumen has emerged as a critical competency for communicators. But if you're a public relations, advertising or communication professional that didn't go to business school, how can you make sure you have the abilities and skills to evolve along with your role? Business Acumen for Strategic Communicators is the book for you. Offering a critical primer for the world of business, Ragas and Culp equip you with the must-have business know-how needed to understand everything from the language and thinking of C-suites and boardrooms, to organizational agility, business models, rules and regulations, the money and the numbers, and even how to read financial statements and reports. Written for communicators by communicators, the concepts in each chapter are illustrated by expert insight essays written by a diverse group of senior communications leaders, and packed full of case studies, interviews, key terms and cutting-edge research. Brands profiled include Aflac, Costco, CVS Health, Levi Strauss, Mayo Clinic, Southwest Airlines, Target and YMCA of America. With these critical business literacy skills in hand, you will be set to serve with success as strategic counselors to the organizational leaders that are your colleagues, clients, and business partners.

What is public relations? What do public relations professionals do? And what are the theoretical underpinnings that drive the discipline? This handbook provides an up-to-date overview of one of the most contested communication professions. The volume is structured to take readers on a journey to explore both the profession and the discipline of public relations. It introduces key concepts, models, and theories, as well as new theorizing efforts undertaken in recent years. Bringing together scholars from various parts of the world and from very different theoretical and disciplinary traditions, this handbook presents readers with a great diversity of perspectives in the field.

Winner of the 2014 NCA PRIDE Book Award Why are some voices louder in public debates than others? And why can't all voices be equally heard? This book draws significant new meaning to the inter-relationships of public relations and social change through a number of activist case studies, and rebuilds knowledge around alternative communicative practices that are ethical, sustainable, and effective. Demetrious offers a powerful critical description of the dominant model of public relations used in the twentieth century, showing that 'PR' was arrogant, unethical and politically offensive in ways that have severely weakened democratic process and its public standing and professional credibility. The book argues that change within the field of public relations is imminent and urgent-for us all. As the effects of climate change intensify, and are magnified by high carbon dioxide emitting industries, vigorous public debate is vital in the exploration of new ideas and action and if alternative futures are to be imagined. In these conditions, articulate and persistent publics will appear in the form of grassroots activists, asking contentious questions about risks and tabling them for public discussion in bold, inventive, and effective ways. Yet the entrenched power relations in and through public relations in contemporary industrialized society provide no certainty these voices will be heard. Following this path, Demetrious theorises an alternative set of social relations to those used in the twentieth century: public communication. Constructed from communicative practices of grassroots activists and synthesis of diverse theoretical positions, public communication is a principled approach that avoids the deep contradictions and flawed coherences of essentialist public relations and instead represents an important ethical reorientation in the communicative fields. Lastly, she brings original new perspectives to understand current and emergent developments in activism and public relations brought about through the proliferation of Internet and digital cultures.

An integration of research, theory and application written by leading scholars in crisis communication Social media is a key component of any public relations course or practice, and this volume presents the latest thinking in the discipline as related to crisis communication Second edition includes greater international coverage, coverage of new social media platforms and technology, and an enhanced focus on ethics.

Saying sorry is in crisis. On one hand there are anxious PR aficionados and social media teams dishing out apologies with alarming frequency. On the other there are people and organizations who have done truly terrible things issuing much-delayed statements of mild regret.

We have become addicted to apologies but immune from saying sorry.

In January 2018 there were 35 public apologies from high-profile organizations and individuals. That's more than one per day. Between them, in 2017, the likes of Facebook, Mercedes Benz and United Airlines issued over 2,000 words of apologies for their transgressions. Alarmingly, the word 'sorry' didn't appear once.

This perfectly timed book examines the psychology, motivations and even the economic rationale of giving an apology in the age of outrage culture and on-demand contrition. It reveals the tricks and techniques we all use to evade, reframe and divert from what we did and demonstrates how professionals do it best. Providing lessons for businesses and organizations, you'll find out how to give meaningful apologies and know when to say sorry, or not say it at all.

The Apology Impulse is the perfect playbook for anyone - from social media executive through to online influencers and CEOs - who apologise way too much and say sorry far too infrequently.

Strategic communication is a pre-requisite for the achievement of organisational goals, and an effective strategic communication plan is vital for organisational success. However, systems and models dominant in the West may not necessarily be best suited for the sub-Saharan Africa reality, where many organisations lack adequate financial resources to develop and implement an effective strategic communication plan. This book examines current practices in sub-Saharan Africa, as well as the challenges faced and the intersection with culture. It packages inspiring debates, experiences and insights relating to strategic communication in all types of institutions, including private and public sector organisations, governmental organisations and NGOs, political parties as well as social movements in the sub-Saharan context. It explores how culture is integral to the attainment of strategic communication goals, and diverse case studies across socio-economic contexts offer insights into the successes of organisations across Africa, including Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Lesotho and Nigeria. This unique edited collection is a valuable resource for worldwide scholars, researchers and students of strategic communication and organisational studies, as well as related fields including public relations, advertising, political and health communication and international studies.

By taking a strategic communication approach, the text integrates public relations, marketing communication, and advertising concepts and tailors them to the particular context of sport communication. Sport communication is a growing focus of students within public relations and strategic communication programs, and this text merges these fields to give students a comprehensive guide to constructing strategic communication efforts in the sports arena. Most books provide a broad overview of sports media and communication or a narrower view of public relations in a sports context; this book broadens the latter's scope to include marketing and advertising considerations, while still providing a practical guide to creating strategic communication campaigns.

Visitors to museums, galleries, heritage sites and other not for profit attractions receive their information in changing ways. Communications channels are shifting and developing all the time, presenting new challenges to cultural PR and Marketing teams. Marketing and Public Relations for Museums, Galleries, Cultural and Heritage Attractions, as well as providing some of the theory of marketing, provides the latest available case studies coupled with comments and advice from professionals inside and outside the cultural sector to describe the possibilities and outline strategies for the future. A strong theme of change runs through each chapter. The economic climate is already affecting the publicly funded sectors and business and private sponsorship. How will it change over the next few years? The print media is contracting; reading and viewing patterns are changing as online and mobile media grow. What are the trends here, in Europe, US and elsewhere? Sustainability and global warming are not just buzz words but will have a real impact on public and private institutions and their visitor patterns. Population patterns are also changing with new immigrants arriving and the proportion of over 60s increases in Western countries. Cultural tourism has enjoyed a great surge in popularity and huge investments are being made in museums, galleries and events. Marketing and PR play a crucial role in the success of such ventures and will be illustrated with case studies from the UK, US, Canada, Australia, Middle East and China. Marketing and Public Relations for Museums, Galleries, Cultural and Heritage Attractions is aimed at students of marketing, museums, culture and heritage as well as professionals working in a range of cultural organisations from small to large and at different stages of market development from new entrants to those offering mature products. This includes museums, galleries, heritage and visitor attractions, community organisations, as well as organisers of festivals, markets, craft fairs and temporary exhibitions.

The opening chapter explains the recent growth of industry PR, and travel & tourism news coverage which today focuses on the considerable economic benefits of the industry. Additionally, it reviews the leading news media that covers the industry, the primary PR tools and audiences, and details the factors leading to PR's new prominence across the industry. It also provides informative sidebars with lists of key industry print media, top travel agencies, plus a Travel Industry Association of America case study of a post-9/11/2001 campaign to restore American confidence in travelling. It also includes a composite definition of PR, and tells how PR is a discipline distinctively different from publicity, propaganda, advertising, and marketing. The author notes how, over the past decade due to economic conditions, PR in many cases has been integrated with marketing communications and played an important role in both strategic and tactical marketing activities.
Following this overview, the ensuing five chapters examine communications model specifics that are of special importance to the industry's major sectors: hotels/lodging establishments; restaurants; tourist attractions/destinations; and transportation services. Each of these sectors have their own
special messages, PR tools, and audiences. For example, meeting planners and travel agents are of most importance to hotels, while travel agents are of little importance to airlines and restaurants. Also included is a chapter about what travel employers should understand about PR
The chapters will be followed by appendices that will include:
The top 30 U.S. Travel & Tourism Professional/Trade Associations; and the Leading U.S.Travel & Tourism Universities.
* Provides a comprehensive how-to guide for travel & tourism PR practitioners to increase profits and enhance the visibility and image of their company or client
* Introduces the key domestic/international media and audiences that PR pros in travel & tourism need to target, plus what the best PR tools are to use -- including crisis communication -- along with case studies
* Addresses the unique communication challenges in each major industry sector as faced by travel & tourism PR professionals through perspectives from industry experts
* Features a dozen sidebar contributions by some of the industry's top PR experts and media stars
* Advises industry employers about the value of PR, what it is and is not, and suggests ways to identify PR talent

This book brings together a broad and diverse range of new and radical approaches to public relations focussing on the increasingly vital role that visual, sensory and physical elements factors play in shaping communication. Engaging with recent developments in critical and cultural theories, it outlines how non-textual and non-representational forces play a central role in the efficacy and reception of public relations. Challenging the dominant accounts of public relations which center on the purely representational uses of text and imagery, the book critiques the suitability of accepted definitions of the field and highlights future directions for conceptualizing strategic communication within a multi-sensory environment. Drawing on the work of global researchers in public relations, visual culture and communication, design and cultural theory, it brings a welcome inter-disciplinary approach which pushes the boundaries of public relations scholarship in a global cultural context. This exciting analysis will be of great interest to public relations scholars, advanced students of strategic communication, as well as communication researchers from cultural, media and critical studies exploring PR as a socio-cultural phenomenon.

Handling a crisis and knowing how to manage the potential reputational damage that can occur has become a top priority for all businesses. Learn from international brands like Nestle, Unilever, McDonalds, Cadbury, RBS and more, to discover the value of reputation management and how to effectively and proactively approach the Corporate Social Responsibility of your business. Whether it is an internal or external crisis, now more than ever brands and organizations are having to understand and respond rapidly to shifting public values, rising expectations, demands for public consultation and increasingly intrusive news media. Crisis, Issues and Reputation Management defines and explores the value of reputation, providing practical guidelines for effective reputation management that will resolve issues with minimum damage and disruption to the business. Showcasing a variety of crises through a range of case studies from international brands including Nestle, Unilever, General Electric, McDonald's, Coca-cola, Cadbury, Tesco, Pan Am, RBS and more, this definitive handbook provides a new and broader perspective on the topic for new and seasoned practitioners alike. Practical and accessible, it outlines a comprehensive approach to managing situations that may turn into crises - and handling crises once they occur.

The public relations landscape has changed dramatically from what it was in 1989, when the original Public Relations Theory volume was published. Reflecting the substantial shifts in the intervening years, Public Relations Theory II, while related to the first volume, is more a new work than a revision. Editors Carl H. Botan and Vincent Hazleton have brought together key theorists and scholars in public relations to articulate the current state of public relations theory, chronicling the ongoing evolution of public relations as a field of study. The contributors to this volume represent the key figures in the discipline, and their chapters articulate the significant advances in public relations theory and research. Working from the position that public relations is a theoretically grounded and research based discipline with the potential to bring numerous areas of applied communication together, Botan and Hazleton have developed this volume to open up the public relations field to a broad variety of theories. Organized into two major sections--Foundations, and Tools for Tomorrow--the volume presents four types of chapters: discussions addressing how public relations should be understood and practiced; examinations of theories from other areas applied to public relations; explorations of theories about a specific area of public relations practice; and considerations of public relations theories and research that have not been given sufficient attention in the past or that hold particular promise for the future of public relations. It serves as a thorough overview of the current state of theory in public relations scholarship. Like its predecessor, Public Relations Theory II will be influential in the future development of public relations theory. Taken as a whole, the chapters in this book will help readers develop their own sense of direction for public relations theory. Public Relations Theory II is an essential addition to the library of every public relations scholar, and is appropriate for use in advanced public relations theory coursework as well as for study and reference.

Exploring Communication Ethics is a comprehensive textbook on the ethical issues facing communication professionals in today's rapidly changing media environment. Empowering students to respond to real-world ethical dilemmas by drawing upon philosophical principles, historical background, and the ethical guidelines of major professional organizations, this book is designed to stimulate class discussion through real-world examples, case studies, and discussion problems. Students will learn how to mediate between the best interests of their employers and their responsibilities toward other parties, and to consider how economic, technological, and legal changes in their industries affect these ethical considerations. It can be used as a core textbook for undergraduate or graduate courses in communication or media ethics, and provides an ideal supplement for specialist classes in public relations, professional communication, advertising, political communication, or journalism and broadcast media.

This book explores the wide-ranging elements of property PR in the UK, with a strong emphasis on communications theory, strategy and technique. The editors begin with an introduction to the property cycle and the role of property PR within it; consideration of the changes and challenges facing the industry; various structures of property communications; and the need for a strategic approach. Subsequent chapters provide perspectives and lessons from contributors in a variety of property sectors including commercial property, estate agency, social housing, property consultancy, proptech, retail and homebuilding. The book concludes with insight into future change, both for the property industry and for the communication function within it. This book is recommended reading for all property PR teams, for students studying for property, PR or marketing degrees, and for anyone working in the built environment sector who needs to consider PR and marketing as part of their role.

"Gaining Influence in Public Relations "explores how professionals can increase their influence in practice to help their organizations achieve success. This provocative book explores the largely uncharted territories of power, resistance, dissent, and activism in public relations, arguing that practitioners can increase their power and social legitimacy by developing and using a wider range of influence resources, strategies, and tactics. Authors Bruce K. Berger and Bryan H. Reber talked with hundreds of practitioners, analyzed original survey data, and examined a detailed case study to develop a theory of power relations. Ultimately, the book seeks to advance the ethical and effective practice of public relations.
Intended for scholars and graduate students in public relations, it also has much to offer practitioners, as well as scholars and students in organizational communication, organizational theory, human resources, and leadership.

This volume addresses the importance of images of nations in international relations. One fundamental assumption is that the behavior of states is not the same as that of individuals. States are social systems whose behavior as a rule directly corresponds neither to the motives of their respective leaders nor to those of their populations. However, it is also self-evident that international activities always depend on personal relationships. The studies presented relate to more or less deliberate attempts to induce change in images. Given the interdisciplinary nature of the subject matter, findings made in public relations, advertising research, prejudice research and other fields are also taken into account. Very often it is impossible to distinguish between the image of the nation-state and the images of big enterprises such as Krupp, Ford, or Coca Cola. For this reason, the country of origin effect is also discussed.

It is, of course, commonplace for corporations to operate sophisticated identity programmes. But identity has now moved way beyond the commercial area. We live in a world in which cities, charities, universities, clubs - in fact any activity that involves more than two or three people - all seem to have identities too. However, very few of these organizations have released the full potential that effective management of identity can achieve. In this book, the world's leading authority on corporate identity shows how managing identity can create and sustain behavioural change in an organization as well as achieving the more traditional outcome of influencing its external audiences. The New Guide to Identity provides a simple clear guide to identity, including what it is and how it can be used to full effect. If a change of identity is required, the whole process is described from start-up (including investigation and analysis of the current identity), through developing the new identity structure, to implementation and launch. For anyone responsible for the identity of an organization, or for designing it for someone else, or attempting to achieve change in their organization, or studying the subject, this straightforward guide is essential reading.

Some of the most life-changing connections are made at events. But if you can't design events, how can you change your world? The answer? This handbook will change the way you think about how events change the world you live in. It shows the way to re-design your world on one sheet of paper using the #EventCanvas. This book identifies the starting point of any event and outlines steps of how events come to life. It focuses on the DNA of specific aspects of events, and provides insight into how to observe and analyze events, understand stakeholders, and define behavioural changes required to deliver value. It also identifies the levers and mechanisms that influence such behavioural changes in event design. This handbook lays the foundation for creating a common language. A language that can be spoken and understood by those who know and those who don't yet know the mechanics of events. It is a pragmatic approach for designing and creating events that matter. For more information about the #EventCanvas visit: www.eventcanvas.org/eventdesignhandbook

A specific look at political public relations, helping students understand how theories of public relations tie into political campaigns and what constituents see in the media. Tying into current political events, it is incredibly timely given current political atmosphere. New chapters on lobbying, activism and underrepresented groups bring the material fully up to date and relevant for today's students.

This new (third) edition of Rethinking Public Relations continues the argument of previous editions that public relations is weak propaganda. However, while earlier editions focused on PR as representative of the uneven power distribution in society, this book goes further, conceiving the power of PR as more than just structural but also as having an important rhetorical component. In this extensively revised edition, Moloney and McGrath dissect the nature of the modern PR industry, arguing that its idealised self-presentation should be replaced by a more realistic and credible defence of the societal value produced by advocacy and counter-advocacy. This book includes expanded coverage of PR's impact on society (through areas such as CSR, sponsorship and community relations), its relationship with stakeholders, and its role in democratic debate and public policy making. It also considers the ways in which journalism has capitulated to PR in an era of 'fake news' and 'churnalism' and, in this new edition, the role of digital and social media is examined for the first time. Maintaining the rigorous and critical stance of previous editions, this new edition will also prove accessible to Master's level and final-year undergraduate students studying public relations, media and communications studies. Additionally, it will be of great value to practitioners who seek to widen PR's 'voices'.

There is a growing interest in corporate whistleblowing, but no comprehensive research has yet focused on public relations practice. Drawing on extensive research on Fortune 1000 and Wilshire 5000 corporations, this book reveals executives' attitudes and relationships toward their organizations and their impact on whistleblowing. Perhaps unsurprisingly, it reveals that wrongdoing in corporations and the privileges of power coexist. Top-ranking public relations executives, who are mostly white and male, are more likely to be aware of wrongdoing but no more likely to blow the whistle, fundamentally due to their positive relationship with their employers. Using the new lens of evolutionary theory, this study explains whistleblowing, retaliation, and relationships, and in the light of the connection between whistleblowing behavior and executives' attitudes, it proposes a new theory of the phenomenon of Golden Handcuffs. As public attitudes to corporations, corporate social responsibility (CSR), and transparency harden, these findings have serious implications for companies globally. Researchers, scholars, and advanced students in public relations, organizational communication, corporate communication, strategic communication, corporate reputation, and CSR will find this book full of revealing insights.

Unlike most existing PR writing wortexts that try to be everything by incorporating sections on PR principles and the PR process in addition to PR writing, this worktext focuses strictly on PR writing. This allows students and educators to focus on the key objectives set forth by most PR writing courses. PR writing is a commonly required course for public relations majors. This text provides the tools students need to dive into their PR careers. Teaches students the most widely used forms of PR writing in the field, including up-to-date coverage of social media writing, and provides training in Associated Press (AP) Style - the style guide used within the field of communication. Online materials include downloadable writing templates for each form of PR writing with which students need to be familiar.

What do seat belts, life jackets and anti-jack knife technology have in common? They were all the subjects of campaigns run by the British Safety Council since its inception in 1957. James Tye, its charismatic founder and leader for nearly 40 years, created the British Safety Council to bring about a transformation in how Great Britain viewed safety and health. In 1957, hundreds, if not thousands, of workers were killed in accidents and James marshalled every conceivable technique to save lives, including PR stunts, training, lobbying for better laws and, crucially, what he called 'propaganda', in the form of posters and other communication tools. In 2014, a long-lost collection of posters, papers and letters were found gathering dust in a warehouse. The British Safety Council, wanting to mark its 60-year history and its role in reducing deaths at work, decided to preserve the collection and commissioned historian Mike Esbester to trace the history of health and safety in Britain from the late 1960s through the posters and photographs of the time. Transformative Propaganda: Opening the Archives of the British Safety Council offers a fascinating and vivid insight into the social and political realities of the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s through a wealth of historical documents, press cuttings, correspondence, photographs and posters. It offers a truly extraordinary window onto the evolution of health and safety within the UK and richly deserves a place on the bookshelf of every safety professional.