By: Tom Heapes

Time for a quick humble brag from the UCM PR Program. I’m very proud of my colleagues Dr. Tricia Hansen-Horn and Dr. Adam Horn. In addition to being all around quality people, they are also really, really smart. They’ve written a new book that will make us all a little smarter too. Public Relations Strategy, Theory, and Cases (Peter Lang Publishers) is just out and if you are studying or already working in PR, you’re going to like the opportunity to explore your profession through this book.

At the UCM PR Program we’re all about strategy. It is the real key to effective communication with key target audiences. And strategy drives the learning opportunities in the Horns’ new book.

The book is easy to read and use. It breaks down the case study as a powerful tool for learning.

It involves the ability to read and apply theory like never before through clean writing and easy-to-use rubrics.

The featured case studies involving March of Dimes Rebrand; Inside Pediatrics Children’s Mercy Kansas City; Vanity Fair Women Who Do LiftTOUR; TouchNet + Heartland; WeatherTech Public Relations Super Bowl Ad Buy; ZF Race Reporter/Fan Reporter: Europe, Japan and the US; Pinnacle Not So Silent Night; Lee Jeans—Influencer Relations; Fight CRC One Million Strong Collection; Tips for Kids—Seventeen Years Later are developed with “best practices” in mind and were written in cooperation with public relations professionals working behind-the-scenes in each case. The Dairy Queen’s Fan Food Not Fast Food Campaign: Retrospective Cases Analysis from the Outside is an example of the insights one can glean from intense research and retrospective sense-making.

Many outstanding PR pros helped with the case studies.

“It’s vital for the business community to collaborate with professors and practitioners who are inspiring the next generation of talent. The role of public relations is rapidly evolving. This new book is a shining example of how collaboration can be achieved to share real-world work with students. It’s an honor to be part of the curriculum, as the examples in this book involve a variety of unique challenges. The communication strategies go beyond classroom theory to best practice.”

Jeff Madden, Senior Account Supervisor –Trozzolo Communications Group

So if you’re looking for a great boardroom training tool or want to learn more about applying theory to training, check out Public Relations Strategy, Theory, and Cases. And, by the way, it’s affordable.

https://www.peterlang.com/view/product/30096…

Public Relations Strategy, Theory, and Cases

Praxis at Its Best

Tricia Hansen-Horn and Adam E. Horn

Presenting a robust introduction to public relations strategy, this book helps readers explore their perceptions of what strategy is or might be; highlights influencers of strategic decision making such as distinctions among B2B, B2C, and B2G as well as public relations roles and organization types; discusses the education and training value and limitations of the popular case study; and provides a easy-to-understand overview of four theories important for every “student” (academic and non-academic) of public relations to understand. Excellence theory, contingency theory, rhetorical theory, and social capital theory are introduced. In the spirit of praxis (the application of theory to practice), the authors provide theory-specific and other relevant “keys” for use as the reader seeks to apply what is read to actual public relations cases. As might be expected, highly structured case studies that clearly distinguish between objectives, strategies and tactics are included for the purposes of education and training. The featured set of case studies includes: March of Dimes Rebrand; Inside Pediatrics Children’s Mercy Kansas City; Vanity Fair Women Who Do LiftTOUR; TouchNet + Heartland; WeatherTech Public Relations Super Bowl Ad Buy; ZF Race Reporter/Fan Reporter: Europe, Japan and the US; Pinnacle Not So Silent Night; Lee Jeans—Influencer Relations; Fight CRC One Million Strong Collection; Tips for Kids—Seventeen Years Later; and Dairy Queen’s Fan Food Not Fast Food Campaign: Retrospective Cases Analysis from the Outside