Journal of Public Relations Research

Spaulding, Cylor

2021 Journal of Public Relations Research

doi: 10.1080/1062726X.2021.2018844

Tilson, Donn James

2021 Journal of Public Relations Research

doi: 10.1080/1062726X.2021.2018843

Morehouse, Jordan

2021 Journal of Public Relations Research

doi: 10.1080/1062726X.2021.2011730

The relationship management perspective and research on organization–public relationships have dominated the pages of public relations journals for decades. This has resulted in scholarship that heavily focuses on organization–public relationships, while overlooking other relationships that organizations strive to cultivate through their public relations efforts. This study applied the devotional campaign framework to addresses gaps in relationship management research regarding other relationships organizations strive to foster, including intra-stakeholder relationships and relationships with an object of devotion. Results from a mixed method case study, including a quantitative content analysis of 820 public relations materials and interviews with communication employees within a religious organization, suggest that organizations strive to foster organization–public relationships, a relationship between stakeholders and an object of devotion, and intra-stakeholder relationships. Findings advance relationship management theory and provide an updated framework for analyzing relational goals and messages in public relations materials.

Smith, Brian G.; Hallows, Danielle; Vail, Maggie; Burnett, Alycia; Porter, Caleb

2021 Journal of Public Relations Research

doi: 10.1080/1062726X.2021.2011728

The growing importance of social media influencers (SMIs) as sources for attitude and behavior necessitate a focus on influencers (and their strategies to influence) in public relations research and practice. This study investigated perspectives among a specific type of SMI – the religious or faith-based influencer. In-depth interviews with 17 religious influencers reveal motives and meanings of individuals who take on the title of influencer. Findings suggest a dichotomy of altruism and egoism in religious influence, and the prevalence of parasocial interaction underlying the SMI influence efforts. Results also suggest lessons for influencer relations as an emerging focus in public relations theory and practice.

Golan, Guy; Morehouse, Jordan; English, Ashley E.

2021 Journal of Public Relations Research

doi: 10.1080/1062726X.2021.2011729

The current study investigates how Church communicators perceive the role of social media platforms and influencers in their overall stakeholder engagement strategy. Building upon the Organization-Public Relationship (OPR) body of literature, we conducted 13 in-depth interviews with public relations professionals at megachurches throughout the United States. Findings reveal a reliance on one-way communication strategies to build relationships that shifted two-way communication as congregations prioritized digital connections due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We also found that Church communicators understand the concept of social media influencers differently than their corporate communicator peers to also include influence on another’s spiritual beliefs and well-being.

Waymer, Damion; VanSlette, Sarah

2021 Journal of Public Relations Research

doi: 10.1080/1062726X.2021.2018694

Corporate social advocacy (CSA) is an emerging framework in public relations research that is receiving increased scholarly attention; however, we find that in light of the fact that CSA applies a narrow application of the term “corporate” and tends to focus on progressive/left-leaning issues and corporations at the expense of understanding potential similarities and differences of organizations managing contentious issues across the political spectrum, the current CSA framework needs further nuance to better capture publics’ or consumers’ motivations for proposed actions they take in response to CSA efforts. This essay addresses these limitations and advances the CSA framework by foregrounding religious conviction and the role it plays in CSA efforts. We argue that religion generally and religious conviction specifically in CSA warrant further study, as such investigations offer the potential for making CSA a more robust conceptual framework.