journal article
Download Only Collection
Home
2017 Journal of Public Relations Research
doi: 10.1080/1062726X.2017.1281135
A case study of the American Social Hygiene Association (ASHA) campaign to craft a national vision for social health showed that the group used public relations-like strategies to, as one of their officials said, “crystallize public opinion” years before Edward Bernays wrote a book of the same title. Although these efforts might not have been labeled public relations at the time, this study introduces some precedents of contemporary public relations. In this study, social activism offered a more robust approach to addressing an issue than using media relations alone could do. ASHA members used communication strategies such as segmenting audiences, utilizing events to reach appropriate audiences, using visual media, and creating house organs to arouse public sentiment, influence attitudes, and promote desired behavior.This case study expands public relations history theory by examining why ASHA members practiced public relations as they did. In this case, ASHA used persuasive communication to pierce the veil of silence around venereal disease to craft a national vision for social hygiene and legitimize the group as the major voice on this topic. Lessons from this case can illustrate how public relations can be conducted more effectively, especially in relation to social movements.
Rodríguez-Salcedo, Natalia; Gómez-Baceiredo, Beatriz
2017 Journal of Public Relations Research
doi: 10.1080/1062726X.2016.1271983
This research concentrates on Teresa Dorn’s contributions to the history/herstory of public relations through the analysis of her first 20 years in the profession, 15 of which were devoted to making Burson-Marsteller a prominent multinational company in Spain and Europe. The study explores the process of how Burson-Marsteller became one of the top consultancies in a country with a newly established democracy through the report of a life history. This methodology leads to a better understanding of when, why, and how the first international consultancy was settled in Spain and succeeded under the guidance of an American female practitioner.
Spaulding, Cylor; Formentin, Melanie
2017 Journal of Public Relations Research
doi: 10.1080/1062726X.2017.1281137
Although L. Ron Hubbard is known for founding the Church of Scientology, he is not generally considered a public relations practitioner. However, his efforts to practice the discipline to advance Scientology are documented in Church publications. Unlike examinations of older religions, which require reinterpretations of activities through a public relations lens, existing Church documents allow for an evaluation of the role public relations played in building a religious movement. This article explores how Hubbard used public relations to establish Scientology, finding he embraced practices such as celebrity endorsement and image management but eschewed common media relations and crisis communication practices.
2017 Journal of Public Relations Research
doi: 10.1080/1062726X.2017.1281136
This article responds to calls for more comparative historical studies in public relations history across nations and cultures with a comparative analysis of the propaganda operations of Islamic State with the Nazi Party. This comparative historical approach aims to reduce the uncertainty associated with extremist terrorism and bring a historic-communicative perspective to an organization that politicians and commentators arguably overestimate in what has been described as the “epistemological crisis” of Western counterterrorism. This investigation attempts a methodological expansion of public relations historiography by applying the theoretical approach of historical institutionalism as basis for comparison between the two institutions alongside conventional content and artefact analysis. The project identifies ten parallels in propaganda and concludes that some of these commonalities – including a focus on engaging and recruiting young people, for example – can provide historically-derived guidance on counter terrorism responses in the communicative sphere.
Showing 1 to 6 of 6 Articles