Provided by Professor Karen Freberg at University of Louisville

1. COMM 510:
Public Relations & Crisis Communications
Department of Communication
College of Arts & Sciences
University of Louisville
Fall 2017
CLASS LOCATION/TIME: Wednesdays, 5:30 – 8:15 PM in 310G Strickler
INSTRUCTOR: Karen Freberg, Ph.D.
• OFFICE: 305B Strickler Hall
• PHONE: 852-4668
• EMAIL: karen.freberg@louisville.edu [best way to get in contact]
• TWITTER: @kfreberg
CLASS HASHTAG: #FrebergPR (follow for articles, updates + PR professionals/agencies to connect with for class)
OFFICE HOURS: Wednesdays 4:30 – 5:30 PM, or by appointment
TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT OUTSIDE OF OFFICE HOURS: contact professor
COMM 510 (Public Relations and Crisis Communication) is a graduate level strategic thinking and critical analysis
course in the public relations curriculum, developed through written and oral analysis of current and classic literature
related to management and leadership, the management function, theory and theory development, public relations
management and public relations theory, and related communication theories that are applicable to the field.
Because the practice of public relations management spans so many areas of business and society, the literature will
offer a great variety of venues of communication activity. Issues and crises span the range of practice from employee
communication to fundraising, from business and industry to politics and education. In a related manner, literature
regarding ethics will also be studied.
The goal of this course is to apply both theoretical and practical principles of public relations management and theory
to the myriad of situations calling for action and responses to an organization’s stakeholders. As public relations
professionals, we are judged by our success in implementing communication and management theory to drive
strategy and tactics for the benefit of our organizations and clients.
We will prepare to implement and utilize public relations theory as a practicing professional. Overall, we will work to
understand how to analyze and solve organizations’ challenges using the theories and applying these theories into
creative campaigns and strategic initiatives.
REQUIRED READING:
• Wilson, L.J., & Ogden, J.D. (2015). Strategic Communications: Planning for Public Relations and Marketing.
6th Edition. Kendall Hunt Publishing.
ISBN: 9781465249159
PUBLIC RELATIONS BOOKS (If interested)
• Cook, F. (2014). Improvise: Unconventional Career Advice from an unlikely CEO.
• Breakenridge, D. (2017). Answers for Modern Communicators: A guide to effective business
communication.
RECOMMENDED READINGS:
• Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (6th ed.). Washington, DC: American
Psychological Association.
• Considerable readings and materials will be assigned throughout the course of the semester that will
be made available via the Library, Internet or Blackboard.
• Students are expected to monitor the mass media daily for campus, local, national and international
news related to our topics.
• Students are also encouraged to follow readings + updates related to the class on Twitter
(#FrebergPR).
o You do not need to follow me on Twitter, but you can follow and review the readings shared
by following this hashtag.
o I will also be sharing + tagging relevant PR accounts and professionals to follow during the
course of the semester.

2. COURSE GOALS:
• Increase students' understanding of how companies and other organizations use communication to
influence public policies;
• Examine the nature of theory development in public relations;
• Examine the nature of public relations education;
• Examine the major theoretical paradigms for public relations;
• Understand the top-level management structure of organizations and where public relations and
communications fits into that structure;
• Become familiar with the critical thinking processes necessary for conducting theory-based research to
apply or advance the body of public relations knowledge;
• Understand the techniques organizations use to perform issues and stakeholders analysis;
• Understand that the contest in creating public policy is not limited to opinions but includes the
management of public policy resources;
• The role of public relations and public relations education in society;
• Professional standards, ethics and values in public relations; and
• Writing, research, and oral communication and presentation skills critical to public relations practitioners.
PUBLIC RELATIONS PROFESSIONALS AND BRANDS TO FOLLOW ON TWITTER
Social media is a great way for PR professionals to share, engage, and network with each other. Many times, this
happens on Twitter, so it may be a good idea to follow these professionals and reach out to them with proper
etiquette. This is a starting point to get you connect you to some of the top professionals, agencies, and brands out
there doing great work in PR.
While it is NOT required to 1) follow me on Twitter or 2) create an account for class, it is HIGHLY recommended to do
this to help establish a professional presence. Twitter, in many ways, is the platform many connections, relationships,
and opportunities arise in.
If you need assistance in setting up an account + best practices for personal branding/networking, I would be more
than happy to assist.
Professionals Agencies + PR accounts Corporate PR Accounts
• @deirdrebreakenridge
• @shonaliburke
• @ginidietrich
• @armano
• @wadds
• @melissa_agnes
• @scottmonty
• @MarkWSchaefer
• @garyvee
• @JayBaer
• @DennisYu
• @leeodden
• @Britopian
• @JasonFalls
• @JeremyDarlow
• @MichaelEhlrich
• @BrianSolis
• @LarsSilberbauer
• @markragan
• @prsarahstevens
o @EdelmanPR
o @FleishmanHillard
o @Edelman
o @B_M
o @KetchumPR
o @OgilvyPR
o @InstituteforPR
o @PRSA
o @PRnews
o @PRWeekUS
o @PRdaily
o @spinsucks
o @PRSABluegrass
o @LouDigital
o @Digiday
o @Meltwater
o @Social@Ogilvy
o @247LS
o @Droga5
o @Vaynermedia
o @delmondo
o @Golin
o @72andsunny
o @CannesLions
o @E_TV_PR
o @GM
o @adidas
o @WashPostPR
o @ESPNPR
o @DerbyMedia
o @SamsungUS
o @Honda
o @CocaCola
o @UPS_News
o @StarbucksNews
o @SouthwestAir
PUBLIC RELATIONS RESOURCES
• Arthur W. Page Society: http://www.awpagesociety.com/
• Corporate Communication International at Farleigh Dickinson University: http://www.corporatecomm.org/
• Council of Public Relations Firms: http://www.prfirms.org/

3. • PR-Education.Org (maintained by Dr. Hallahan, Colorado State University), general public relations web site
portal, especially related to public relations education: http://lamar.colostate.edu/~pr/
• Global Alliance: http://www.globalpr.org/knowledge/landscapes.asp
• Hispanic Public Relations Association: http://www.hpra-usa.org/
• Institute for Public Relations: http://instituteforpr.org/
• International Association of Business Communicators (IABC): http://www.iabc.com/
• IABC Research Foundation: http://www.iabc.com/rf/
• International Public Relations Association: http://www.ipra.org/
• Issues Management Council: http://www.issuemanagement.org/
• Journal of Public Relations Research:
http://www.lib.utk.edu/cgi-bin/auth/connect.cgi?sfxejournal=1062-726X
• National Black Public Relations Association: http://www.nbprs.org/
• National Investor Relations Institute: http://www.niri.org/
• National School Public Relations Association: http://www.nspra.org/
• Odwyer PR: http://www.odwyerpr.com/
• Public Relations Society of America (PRSA): http://www.prsa.org/
• PRSA Silver Anvil Awards home page: http://www.silveranvil.org
• Cannes Lions Festival for Creativity: http://www.canneslions.org
•
COURSE FORMAT
• Each week, particular readings and book chapters have been assigned for more in-depth analysis of
structure, writing styles, methodology, results and discussion analyses. However, I encourage you to stop
outside of these readings and acquaint yourself with the rapidly growing body of literature public relations.
• Although the professor will introduce the topics, students are expected to contribute their experience, their
questions, and their beliefs to all discussions.
• As the course proceeds and members have had a chance to complete more of the background readings,
students will assume responsibility for initiating and leading discussions.
BASIS FOR COURSE GRADE:
• Attendance [20%]
• Class Preparation/Participation, Lead Discussant [20%]
o Presentation
o Peer Evaluation
o Professor Evaluation
• Meltwater Brand Media Analysis Report [10%]
• Midterm Report – Background + Meltwater Analysis [20%]
• Final Paper [30%]
o Revised Background Paper (based on feedback)
o Additional PR components
o Peer Evaluation
o Integrated PR Campaign Proposal + Presentation
GRADING BASED ON WRITING ASSIGNMENTS
A = Outstanding. This grade is for work of clearly professional quality (publishable or broadcast ready). The writing is
clear and well-organized; it requires virtually no editing. The work is turned in by or before deadline, needing no
changes before submission to clients or editors. These strategic messages get results and they are executed with
comprehensive research, interesting presentation and nearly flawless writing.
B+ = Good. This grade is for work that could be raised to professional standards without extensive editing. Writing is
grammatically correct but may lack the sparkle and fine organization of "A" work. The writing does address the main
questions but may miss the proper emphasis or the best sources. The work is turned in by deadline with little or no
prompting and needs only minor revisions in such areas as reorganizing, rewriting, reformatting or providing more or
better sources. "B" work doesn't necessarily have any errors, but it could be better, often with a stronger topic or
subject, a more artistic presentation, better information or improved writing. "B" work demonstrates basic broadcast
or print style.
B- = Adequate. This grade is for work that indicates a problem in at least one area, such as grammar, diplomacy or

4. strategy. It does not measure up to professional quality but could be saved by revision. Work is incomplete by
deadline and/or needs more than minor revision before submission. These messages have weak ideas, concepts or
presentation. They draw attention because they don't quite do the job. In summary, the work is an adequate first
draft but isn’t yet ready to show a client or supervisor.
C+ or below = Failing. This grade is for work that is clearly unacceptable even in a classroom setting. The writing is
confused and/or ungrammatical. The reporting is flawed and may contain major factual errors and/or omissions or
may show little concept of basic strategic judgment.
COURSE ASSIGNMENTS
Class preparation/participation and Lead Discussant
After the first two weeks, students will be asked to lead the class discussion on
the associated readings for the week. You have the option to work as a team
(two students max) for the readings. I will be providing you all with a sign up
sheet in class.
The lead discussant needs to prepare questions, handouts, and commentary to
enhance the overall learning for the entire time slot assigned.
Also, the lead discussant needs to prepare an in-class exercise to help apply the
key concepts discussed in the readings and current crisis communication events.
The lead discussant needs to balance both theory and practice to tie into the
class readings along with current/similar cases in crisis communications.
NOTE: Undergraduate students work in pairs (two) on this project and graduate
students work individually on this. Sign ups will be given during the second week
of the class.
Students who are assigned as lead discussants for the week need to prepare the following for the class:
1. A summary of the readings for the class that will be created using Adobe Spark Pages. This is a visual tool for
you to use and another opportunity to be creative with the readings and insights. You can add images,
videos, etc along with your text and summary. The images and insights need to all have proper citations and
reference list.
a. You will need to email this to the professor by Tuesday 8 pm EST (day before the class).
2. Structure and schedule for the class session for the lead discussant:
a. First half of class (1 – 1.5 hrs): The summary of the readings for class discussion will take place the
first half of class time.
i. Focus on the main topics that will be covered in the readings + think about not only key
theoretical concepts, but ways in which they are applied and used in public relations
practices each and every day for campaigns and initiatives.
b. Second half of class (30-45 minutes): A class exercise to demonstrate and apply the key concepts
discussed in the class reading. This should be conducted during the last half of class. You can have
group exercises, assignment for individual case studies focusing on topic of the week, role playing
simulation exercises, etc.
c. After class: Provide your answers via the Survey Monkey feedback form. As the lead discussant,
you and the class will have a chance to provide your thoughts on how the session goes. The link
will be available right after class.
3. Provide at least three additional readings, case studies, resources and articles (on current cases) to share
with the class. Showing visuals (ex. videos, articles in the news, social media updates), are strongly
encouraged. These are going to be helpful resources for your fellow classmates to save and use for the
future (ex. jobs/comprehensive exams for graduate students and graduate school/internship/job
opportunities for undergraduate students).
As the lead discussant, make sure to note that I will be looking for the following things for this assignment:

5. • Preparation: The lead discussant needs to be prepared not only with the readings, but also in translating
what the readings are talking about and bring forth the main points for all of us to note and consider.
• Have questions prepared ahead of time: Have at least 10 -15 questions you’d like to ask for the class on the
readings.
• Bring forth current case studies to discuss among the class: This can be part of the additional reading list
requirement. Make sure these cases happened in the last <3 years.
• Videos and interactive media: Since you are asked to create this via Adobe Spark Page, I would strongly
encourage you to integrate these into the class discussion.
• Call on your fellow classmates: Everyone needs to have prepared for the readings as they would if they had
to present. As the lead discussant, make sure to monitor and help engage the conversation. If the lead
discussant calls on a classmate and he/she has not read the article, participation points for the class will be
deducted and noted for this student.
• Time management: You have to fulfill the time allotted for your lead discussant role. Ending your session 30
minutes early is not acceptable.
• Peer evaluation: Lead discussant AND class will evaluate each other for each session. These evaluations will
only be viewed by the professor and will be noted in the feedback for the lead discussant.
Meltwater Brand Media Analysis
In many PR cases, you may be tasked to be the one who has to do the research and analysis for a brand, and be able
to report these findings (and recommendations) back to senior management and your team.
This assignment will be individual assignment where you will choose one brand (listed below) and use Meltwater to
do a media monitoring analysis report on it. This will help you familiarize yourself with the dashboard, program, and
key functions you will need to have in place for your midterm report for your class client and your final group
campaign proposal.
You will choose ONE brand from this list to do your Meltwater Brand Media Analysis.
Brands to choose from
• Adidas
• Doritos
• Wendy’s
• Adobe
• Delta
• KFC
• Tesla
• Uber
• Pepsi
• United
• Texas Roadhouse
• Papa John’s
• Old Forrester
• Chipotle
• GoPro
• Lego
• Mattel
You will need to evaluate their brand overage in the media, identify key influencers and media professionals to target
based on industry. Here is the outline you should follow. Brand analysis report should be between 4-5 pages in length
(not counting appendix).
Brand Media Analysis Paper Outline
Overview of the brand
• History of the company
• Current standing in the industry
• Major timeline events
Situational Analysis for the brand
• Problem
• Opportunity
Comprehensive Media Report (including analysis of each

6. of these + graphics)
• Media Exposure
• Media Global Heat Map
• Media and Social Reach
• Sentiment
• Share of Voice
• Topic Momentum
• AVE
• Influencers (Name, Keyword, Industry, Outlet,
Rationale)
• Analysis of recent coverage of the brand
(outlets, top stories, and influencers).
Summary
• Three takeaways from findings
• Three recommendations + next steps on how
to apply these findings
Appendix
• Snap shots of media reports
• References
Midterm Report (Background + Meltwater Media Analysis for Client). Each group will submit a 12 page paper
(maximum, including references, not including cover page) of the background of your company for class. This will be a
group assignment using Meltwater as well.
You will be including the findings you have collected from your Meltwater program and exercises along with your
original research. This paper should be formatted in APA style.
In your plan, you will need to cover the following areas for your organization (all of these sections are outlined in your
textbook):
• The External Environment
• The Industry
• The Client
• The Product, Service or Issue
• Promotions
• Market Share
• Competition
• *Research
o Meltwater Media Analysis
o Research [Attn: Graduate Students]
• SWOT Analysis
• Key audiences
• Goals and objectives
*NOTE: Everyone will be doing their own Meltwater Media Analysis. Graduate students have to do extra research in
addition to media monitoring (ex. focus groups, surveys, etc) for their client and report the findings here in this
report.
Graduate students: The proposed research method has to be approved by the professor before conducting the
research. We will need to discuss specifics (ex. questions, number of participants, etc) here. The findings need to be
incorporated within the midterm report and finalized for the final campaign proposal.

7. Final Campaign Proposal: You will be asked to create an original PR campaign proposal based on the framework
presented in the textbook and readings. This will be for a real client (more information will be provided on this). The
total length of the PR plan should be between 25-30 pages long (not including appendix, references, and images).
There will be three teams for this project. One group will be dedicated with graduate students (they will have to do
extra research + tie in the literature more in their final PR campaign proposal), and two groups of undergraduate
students. Each team will choose a different angle to address in their PR campajgn for the client. Presentations will be
scheduled on the last day of class.
As far as the final PR plan, along with the revisions made from the midterm report, you will need to include the
following:
• Executive Summary
• Team Members
• The External Environment
• The Industry
• The Client
• The Product, Service or Issue
• Promotions
• Market Share
• Competition
• Research
• SWOT Analysis
• Key audiences + messages
• Goals and objectives
• Strategies and Tactics
• Proposed Crisis Communication Plan
• Evaluation
• Budget
• Calendar
• Summary and final recommendations
CLASS POLICIES:
• Students must meet prerequisite and co-requisite requirements for this course. Students are required to
ensure their proper registration for the course.
• Students are expected to attend all classes, arrive on time and participate in class discussion. Since this is a
graduate seminar that meets less frequently, students are expected to attend all classes.
• In general, students will not be allowed to make up missed work. Exceptions to this policy will be limited to
documented exceptional circumstances (i.e., travel authorized by the university, documented emergencies).
Important dates have been announced in advance in the syllabus so that students can schedule other
activities around these deadlines. Exceptions will be rare and at the discretion of the instructor. Any late
assignments accepted will be graded significantly lower than work turned in on time.
• No extra credit will be given for additional work.
• Lectures may not be tape-recorded.
• Syllabus is subject to change, as instructor deems appropriate and necessary.
• Please turn off all handheld devices, including mobile phones, pagers, PDAs, etc. during class.
• All discussions will be ruled by mutual respect
for people and their opinions. Effective public relations
practice is dependent on gathering and understanding diverse viewpoints. Furthermore, professionalism
requires an appreciation for the multicultural society and global economy in which students plan to work.
• All written assignments for this course must be typed in 12-point Times New Roman/Arial/Calibri font,
one-sided paper, double spaced, and have one-inch margins. Points will be deducted for spelling,

8. punctuation and grammatical errors, as well as failing to follow assignment directions and requirements.
APA is the standard for references and citations.
PROFESSOR POLICIES
• Addressing Professor in the classroom and by email. I prefer to be addressed as ―Dr. Freberg or Professor
Freberg. Mrs. Freberg is my Mom. J
• Be on time for class: Class starts exactly at 5:30 PM- students are encouraged to be on time and lateness to
class will be noted.
• Treat class like you would on the job. When in doubt, treat your classroom performance as a paid job. You
are all graduate students, so this is to be expected. If you do in class what you would do at work (without
getting fired), you are likely to be doing the right thing.
• Personal Responsibility for Class material. We are all busy people. Please do not email me about stuff that is
your responsibility to know, such as “When is the assignment due?” or “What chapters or articles should I
read for the this class?” or “How much is this assignment worth towards my final grade?” to “What week
did I sign up for to be the lead discussant?” The answers to all of these questions are on the syllabus.
• Class will end on time. We are scheduled to meet from 5:30 – 8:15 pm. I will NEVER hold you later than that.
In exchange, please do not “pack up” as the end of class approaches. The resulting noise can be very
distracting to all of us.
• In-class computer and/or tablet use: You may use a computer to take notes in class. However, in-class
computer usage is restricted to taking notes about this particular class. Writing papers for other classes,
surfing the Internet, checking email, visiting Facebook, or other such distractions are prohibited. I will take
off participation points if I see this happening in class.
• Email Etiquette: Please be professional when writing emails to the professor – and make sure that correct
spelling and grammar is used. I will respond to emails as soon as possible. I welcome email inquiries and
comments from students. However, please consider that you may have 2 or 3 professors per semester, but I
typically have 100 students. I will not answer emails that do not include the information below:
• Your full name—I do not like to guess from your email or look you up on my class roster in order to
respond appropriately.
• Which class you are in—I teach three different courses this semester.
• Signature – make sure to conclude your email with your name – not sent via iPhone, Samsung, iPad,
etc.
ACADEMIC POLICIES
• Academic Integrity: Professors may use a range of strategies (including plagiarism-prevention software at the
university) to compare student works with private and public information resources in order to identify possible
plagiarism and academic dishonesty. Comparisons of student works may require submitting a copy of the original
work to the plagiarism-prevention service. The service may retain that copy in some circumstances.
For more information about the SafeAssign plagiarism-prevention tool, visit:
http://delphi.louisville.edu/help/safeassign/ (opens in a new window).
• Plagiarism (or any other incident of academic dishonesty) is an affront to the educational system and will not be
tolerated. Students discovered in this situation will have a letter placed in their academic file documenting the
incident. Students will receive a zero on any assignment that is plagiarized, which means:
o Copying someone else’s work and claiming it as your own, including but not limited to, work
accessed in person, from computer files, or from the internet;
o Paraphrasing someone else’s work and claiming it as your own;
o Collaborating excessively with another person and claiming it as your own.
NOTE: If a student cheats or plagiarizes a paper for this class, the professor will not only fail the student on the
assignment, but will submit a report to the department chair of the Department of Communication, Graduate
Program Chair, and to the Undergraduate and Graduate School at the University of Louisville.

9. TENTATIVE CLASS SCHEDULE
Readings will balance both practical and research based articles in public relations.
*Chapters will be assigned from the textbook and listed as SCPR
**Note: I will also be tweeting relevant and current cases, campaigns + resources using #FrebergPR on
Twitter as well this semester.
Wednesday, August 23 Course Overview
§ Introduction to Public Relations
§ State of the field of PR (practice and research)
§ Review Cannes Lions PR cases (bookmark site) + PESO model
§ Relationship Building Approach to PR and Public Information
o Chapters (SCPR) 1-2, 15 (Ethics and Professionalism)
o Review Appendix A (Tips from the Pros)
o Review Appendix C (Professionalism Code of Ethics)
§ Read latest GAP study (conducted by USC Annenberg).
PR leaders to research + report on for the first day of class + impact they have had on the public relations field (ex.
perspectives, campaigns, contributions to the field, notable clients, etc).
• P.T. Bartnum
• Ivy Lee
• Edward Bernays
• Dan Edelman
• Fred Cook
• Betsy Plank
• Harold Burson
• Deirdre Breakenridge
• Shonali Burke
• Gini Dietrich
• Stephen Waddington
• Richard Edelman
• Rob Flaherty
• Brian Solis
Wednesday, August 30th
The Profession of Public Relations
§ Introduction to Meltwater (brand, program + assignments)
o Overview of the Program and Brand
o Complete Meltwater Initial Survey (will be posted on BB)
§ Sign up for lead discussant roles for the semester
§ Meet with groups for final PR campaign plan for the class.
§ Review PR History Timeline (Museum of Public Relations) + Stephen Waddington’s post
on Mary Meeker’s report for the internet / connections to PR.
§ SCPR Chapters:
o Research (3) & Using Research for Effective Communication Planning (4)
§ Duhe, S. (2015). An overview of new media research in public relations journals from
1981 to 2014. Public Relations Review, 41(2), 153-169.
§ Supa, D. (2014). A qualitative examination of the impact of social media on media
relations practice. Public Relations Journal, 8, 1-11.
§ The Authentic Enterprise. (2007). New York: Arthur W. Page Society. Both the
complete report and the executive summary are available.
§ Case studies + campaigns to discuss from Cannes Lions:
o “Fearless Girl” – McCann + Ketchum
o “The DNA Journey” – MOMONDO
o “Cheetos Museum” – Goodby and Partners
o “Kingsman 2 Movie + Statesman” – Brown-Forman
Wednesday, September 6th
Bridge between practice and education in PR
§ Class Client Meeting (UofL – Erica Walker, Office of Communications and Marketing)
o Three groups, each with a different focus for their PR plan to address a
problem / opportunity.
o Issues: Accreditation, NCAA, UofL Foundation
§ SCPR Chapter 5: Setting Goals and Objectives + Chapter 6 (Creativity)

10. § Waddington, S. (2014). BledCom Keynote: Engaging as a community of public relations
practice. Retrieved from http://wadds.co.uk/2014/07/04/bledcom-keynote-engaging-
community-public-relations-practice/.
§ VanLeuven, J. (1989). Practitioners talk about the state of PR Education. Public
Relations Review, 15(1), 5-11.
§ Berkowitz, D., & Hristodoulakis, I. (1999). Practitioner roles, public relations education,
and professional socialization: An exploratory study. Journal of Public Relations
Research, 11(1), 91-103.
§ Wright, D. K. (2005). We have rights too: Examining the existence of professional
prejudice and discrimination against public relations. Public Relations Review, 31, 101-
109.
§ Botan, C., & Taylor, M. (2004). Public relations: State of the field. Journal of
Communication, 54(4), 645-661.
Wednesday, September 13th Message Strategies, Influencers + Key publics
• Meltwater Brand Analysis Assignment due (via BB)
• SCPR Chapters 7 (Key Publics) and 8 (Message Strategies and Tactics)
§ Review Appendix B (Strategy Briefs)
§ Review 8 PR Practices (Deirdre Breakenridge): http://www.8prpractices.com/
• Gillin, P (2008). New media, new influencers and implications for the public relations
practice. Retrieved from http://media-s3.blogosfere.it/iab/images/NewInfluencer.pdf.
• Freberg, K., Graham, K., McGaughey, K., & Freberg, L. (2011, March). Who are the
social media influencers? A study of public perceptions of personality. Public
Relations Review, 37, 90-92. doi: 10.1016/j.pubrev.2013.02.007
• Pang, A., Chiong, V.H.E., & Hassan, N. (2014). Media relations in an evolving media
landscape. Journal of Communication Management, 18(3), 271-294.
• Zhang, Y., Moe, W.W., & Schweidel, D.A. (2017). Modeling the role of message
content and influencers in social media rebroadcasting. International Journal of
Research in Marketing. 34(1), 100-119.
• Audiences and Influencers
§ Traackr Academy of Influencer Marketing (FREE – good to have here!):
http://education.traackr.com/courses/settingsail
§ AdWeek Marketing Report: http://ow.ly/Cx9q30dLGMJ
§ New influencers: changing the face of PR and marketing | PR Week
http://ow.ly/t8mB30dLHtk
§ Brands, Listen Up: Influencers Striking a Pose is the New Normal – Adweek
http://ow.ly/439k30dLHvI
• Case studies and campaigns
§ HubSpot Review of Influencer Marketing Campaigns + eConsultancy List
§ “Dove Influencer Campaign goes wrong”
§ “I am a Witness Campaign”
§ Marshawn Lynch + Skittles
Wednesday, September 20th
Defining the Discipline via Theory Development: Paradigm Struggle + Historical perspectives on PR
• Ki, E.J., & Ye, L. (2017). An assessment of progress in research on global public relations
from 2001-2014. Public Relations Review, 42(1), 235-245.
• Botan, C. (1993). Introduction to the paradigm struggle in public relations. Public
Relations Review, 19(2), 107-100.
• Hallahan, K. (1993). The paradigm struggle and public relations practice. Public
Relations Review, 19(2), 197-205.
• Heath, R. L. (2006). Onword into more fog: Thoughts on public relations’ research
directions. Journal of Public Relations Research, 18(2), 93-114.
• Budd, J. Jr. (1995). Commentary: Communications doesn’t define PR, it diminishes it.
Public Relations Review, 21(3), 177-179.
• Broom, G. B., Cox, M. S., Krueger, E. A., & Liebler, C. M. (1989). The gap between
professional and research agendas in public relations journals. Journal of Public
Relations Research, 1(1-4), 141-154.
• Sallot, L. M., Lyon, L. J., Acosta-Alzura, C., & Jones, K. O. (2003). From aardvark to
zebra: A new millennium analysis of theory development in public relations academic
journals. Journal of Public Relations Research, 15(1), 27-90.

11. • Broom, G. M. (2006). An open-systems approach to building theory in public relations.
Journal of Public Relations Research, 18(2), 141-150.
Wednesday, September 27th Defining the Discipline via Theory Development: Excellence Theory,
Symmetry, Situational Theory & Rhetoric
§ Grunig, J. E., & Grunig, L. S. (1989). Toward a theory of the public relations behavior of
organizations. Public Relations Review, 1(1-4), 27-63.
§ Grunig, J. E. (2006). Furnishing the edifice: Ongoing research on public relations as a
strategic management function. Journal of Public Relations Research, 18(2), 151-176.
§ Roper, J. (2005). Symmetrical communication: Excellent public relations or a strategy
for hegemony? Journal of Public Relations Research, 17(1), 69-86.
§ Marsh, C. (2008). Postmodern, symmetry, and cash value: An Isocratean model for
practitioners. Public Relations Review, 34, 237-243.
§ Heath, R. L. (1993). A rhetorical approach to zones of meaning and organizational
prerogatives. Public Relations Review, 19(2), 141-155.
§ Leichty, G. (2003). The cultural tribes of public relations. Journal of Public Relations
Research, 15(4), 277-304.
§ Marsh, C. (2003). Antecedents of two-way symmetry in classical Greek rhetoric: The
rhetoric of Isocrates. Public Relations Review, 29, 351-367.
Wednesday, October 4
th
Research and Measurement within Public Relations
• SCPR Chapter 12 (Communications Measurement and Evaluation)
• Ketchum. Principles of PR measurement. Retrieved from
https://www.ketchum.com/sites/default/files/insights/ketchum_white_paper_princi
ples-pr-measurement.pdf
• Review the AMEC Social media measurement framework:
https://amecorg.com/social-media-measurement/
• Stacks, D., & Bowen, S. (2013). Dictionary of public relations measurement and
research. Retrieved from http://www.instituteforpr.org/wp-
content/uploads/PRMR_Dictionary_1.pdf
• Jeffrey, A. (2013). Social media measurement: A step-by-step approach using the
AMEC Valid Metrics Framework. Retrieved from http://www.instituteforpr.org/wp-
content/uploads/Social-Media-Measurement-Paper-Jeffrey-6-4-13.pdf.
• Waddington, S. (2017). New metric, same old flaws: AVE mutated into EMV.
Retrieved from http://wadds.co.uk/2017/06/28/ave-mutates-emv/.
• Watson, T., (2012). The evolution of public relations measurement and evaluation.
Public Relations Review, 38(3), 390-398.
• Volk, S.C. (2016). A systematic review of 40 years of public relations evaluation and
measurement research. Looking into the past, the present, and future. Public
Relations Review, 42(5), 962-977.
• Macnamara, J., & Likely, F. (2017). Revisiting the disciplinary home of evaluation: New
perspectives to inform PR evaluation standards. Research Journal of the Institute for
Public Relations, 3(2), 1-21.
• Thorson, K., Michaelson, D., Gee, E., Jiang, J., Lu, Z., Luan, G., Weatherly, K., Pung, S.,
Qin, Y., & Xu, J. (2015). Joining the movement? Investigating standardization of
measurement and evaluation within public relations. Research Journal of the Institute
for Public Relations. 2(1), 1-25.
Wednesday, October 11
th
NO OFFICIAL CLASS MEETING
• We will not have class. This will be time spent to finalize your midterm report.
• Submit the midterm Report is due via SafeAssign at 11:59 pm EST
Wednesday, October 18
th
Public Relations and Relationship Management
• Guest Speaker: Caitlyn Crenshaw (Signature Healthcare)
• SCPR Chapter 7 (Key Publics)
• Broom, G. M., Casey, S., & Ritchey, J. (1997). Toward a concept and theory of
organization public relationships. Journal of Public Relations Research, 9(2), 83-98.
• Ledingham, J. A. (2003). Explicating relationship management as a general theory of
public relations. Journal of Public Relations Research, 15(2), 181-198.

12. • Rawlins, B. L. (2006). Prioritizing stakeholders for public relations. Institute for Public
Relations. Gainesville, FL.
• Gower, K. K. (2006). Public relations research at a crossroads. Journal of Public
Relations Research, 18(2), 177-190.
• Hon, L. C., & Grunig, J. E. Guidelines for measuring relationships in public relations. The
Institute for Public Relations, Commission on Public Relations Measurement and
Evaluation, Gainesville, FL.
• Traackr Influencer Marketing Course (FREE):
http://education.traackr.com/courses/settingsail
Wednesday, October 25th Global Public Relations
• Guest Speaker: Joey Wagner, JWagner Group
• SCPR Chapter 10 (Budget and Calendar) and Evaluation (Chapter 12)
• Wakefield, R. I. ( 1996). Interdisciplinary theoretical foundations for international
public relations. In H. M. Culbertson & N. Chen (Eds.), International public relations: A
comparative analysis (pp. 17-30). Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum. HARD COPY.
• Taylor, M. (2000). Media relations in Bosnia: A role for public relations in building civil
society. Public Relations Review, 26(1), 1-14.
• Van Ruler, B., Vercic, D., Butschi, G., & Flodin, B. (2004). A first look for parameters of
public relations in Europe. Journal of Public Relations Research, 16(1), 35-63.
• Case studies to explore from Cannes
o Meet Graham - Australia
o The Refugee Nation – Ogilvy NY + Amnesty International
o Google Sheep view – Visit Faroe Islands
Wednesday, November 1st Public Relations Strategic Management: Issues, Crisis and Risk
• Case studies to explore
o Tylenol Case Study (1982)
o Exxon Valdez (1989)
o 9/11 Terrorist Attacks (2001)
o BP Oil Spill (2011)
o Boston Bombings (2013)
o Wells Fargo (2016)
o Chipotle (2015)
o Brexit and US Election (2016)
o Samsung (2016)
o Uber (2017)
o United Airlines (2017)
o Pepsi Campaign (2017)
• Issues Management:
o Bridges, J. A. (2004). Corporate issues campaigns: Six theoretical approaches.
Communication Theory, 14(1), 51-77.
o CASE STUDY: Hearit, K. M. (1999, Fall). Newsgroups, activist publics and
corporate apologia: The case of Intel and its Pentium chip. Public Relations
Review, 25(3).
• Risk Communication:
o Jones, R. (2002). Challenges to the notion of publics in public relations:
Implications of the risk society for the discipline. Public Relations Review, 28,
49-62.
o McComas, K. A. (2006). Defining moments in risk communication research:
1996-2005. Journal of Health Communication, 11, 75-91.
• Crisis Communication:
o Coombs, W. T. (2004). Impact of past crises on current crisis
communications. Journal of Business Communication, 41(3), 265-289.
o Reynolds, B., & Seeger, M. W. (2005). Crisis and emergency risk
communication as an integrative model. Journal of Health Communication,
10, 43-55.
o Taylor, M, & Kent, M. L. (2007). Taxonomy of mediated crisis responses.
Public Relations Review, 33, 140-146.
Wednesday, November 8th Social Media and PR
• Guest Speaker: Deirdre Breakenridge

13. • SCPR Chapter 9 (Social Media)
• Conversation Prism 5.0. (2017). Retrieved from https://conversationprism.com/
• Wright, D.K., & Hinson, M.D. (2017). Tracking how social and other digital media are
being used in public relations practice: A twelve-year study. Public Relations Journal,
11(1), 1-31.
• Freberg, K. (2012, September). Intention to comply with crisis messages communicated
via social media. Public Relations Review, 38, 416-421.
• Vercic, D., Vervic, A.T., & Sriramesh, K. (2015). Looking for digital in public relations.
Public Relations Review, 41(2), 142-152.
• Allagui, I., & Breslow, H. (2016). Social media for public relations: Lessons from four
effective cases. Public Relations Review, 42(1), 20-30.
• Gregory, A., & Halff, G. (2017). Understanding public relations in the ‘sharing
economy.” Pubic Relations Review, 43(1), 4-13.
• Valentini, C. (2015). Is using social media “good” for the public relations profession? A
critical reflection. Public Relations Review, 41(2), 170-177.
• Case studies + campaigns to discuss from Cannes Lions:
o #NuggsForCarter – VML
o Create Positivity – Adidas
o SpiderMan - Marvel
Wednesday, November 15th
NO OFFICIAL CLASS – DEDICATED FOR FINALIZING GROUP WORK FOR PR PLAN
• Read SCPR Chapter 14 (Presentations)
• Finalize PR plan report based on feedback throughout the semester
• Work on organizing materials for final presentation (after Thanksgiving)
• Designate team roles for presentation
• Finalize PowerPoint / Keynote / etc presentation
Wednesday, November 22
nd
NO CLASS – THANKSGIVING BREAK
Wednesday, November 29th Course Conclusion
• Course Evaluation
• Final paper is due
• Final Presentations during class
• Complete Post-Meltwater Program Survey