An 12-Year Longitudinal Analysis Tracking Social …€¢Although fewer than half of our respondents actually are measuring the • • ’ ’ •

Copyright© Dr.DonaldK.Wright

An 12-Year Longitudinal Analysis Tracking Social and Digital Media Use in Public Relations Practice

Remarks to PRSA, Richmond, Virginia, April 26, 2016

Donald K. Wright, Ph.D.Harold Burson Professor &

Chair in Public RelationsBoston University

DonaldKWright @aol.com @DonaldKWright


Summary of Major Findings

• AmountoftimePRpeoplespendworkingwithdigitalmediacontinuestoincreaseeachyear.

• ThePRorCommunicationsfunctionisprimarilyresponsibleformonitoringandmanagingdigitalmediacommunication.

• Facebookhasbeenthemostfrequentlyusedsiteeachyearexcept2014.Twitterissecond,LinkedInthird,YouTubefourthandInstagramfifth.

• FewerthanhalfthePRpeoplewesurveyedaremeasuringwhatmembersofvariousstrategicpublicshavecommunicatedabouttheirorganizationsortheirclientsondigitalmedia.

• Oftheresearchbeingconductedmostmeasuresoutputsratherthanoutcomes.


My Digital Media Experience

• OneofthefirstcommunicationscholarstoconductresearchexploringhowtheInternetandotheremergingtechnologiesareimpactingpublicrelations.– 1998– CorporateCommunicationsPolicyConcerningthe

Internet:ASurveyoftheNation’sSeniorLevel,CorporatePublicRelationsOfficers.

– 2001– TheMagicCommunicationMachine:ExaminingtheInternet’sImpactonPublicRelations,JournalismandthePublic.

• Since2001haveauthoredmorethan30scholarlyarticlesorjuriedacademicconventionpapersonsomeaspectoftheuseofsocialcommunicationmediainpublicrelationspractice.

• Thisincludesalarge,annual,internationaltrendsurveyofPRpractitionersconductedeachyearsince2006.– Myco-authoronthesestudiesisMichelleHinson


Why This Is Important for PR

• Peoplearechangingthewaytheyreceivenewsandinformation.

• Deathofdailynewspapersinmajorcitiesand/ornewspapersoncepublishedsevendaysperweeknowreducedtothreeissuesperweek.

• www.newspaperdeathwatch.com• Thearrivalofonlinemerchandisinghasdramaticallychangedthewaypeoplebuyitemsandotherwiseconductbusiness.


Death of Major Daily Newspapers

• CincinnatiPost• TampaTribune• BaltimoreExaminer• HonoluluAdvertiser• Denver’sRockyMountainNews

• OaklandTribune• SacramentoUnion• IndianapolisNews

• SanJuanStar• PittsburghTribuneReview

• BirminghamPost-Herald• AnchorageTimes• LosAngelesHerald-Examiner

• DesMoinesTribune• TulsaTribune


Once Daily Now 3 Times Per Week

• ClevelandPlainDealer• SeattlePost-Intelligencer

• PortlandOregonian• AnnArborNews• BirminghamNews• MobilePress-Register• HarrisburgPatriot-News

• DetroitNews/FreePress• ChristianScienceMonitor

• SyracusePost-Standard• FlintJournal• (Madison)CapitalTimes• SaginawNews


The Retail Apocalypse

• Thousandsofstoresareshuttingdowninperhapsthebiggestwaveofretailclosingsever.

• BusinessInsidermagazineclaimsmorethan3,500storeswillcloseinnextfewmonths.

• Majordepartmentstoresareclosing:– JCPenny– Macy’s– Sears– Kmart

• Middle-of-the-Mallchainsalsoclosingstores:– Crocs,Abercombie&Fitch,Guess,BCBG


The Retail Apocalypse

• Searsisclosing150stores(about10%ofSearsandKmartlocations).

• JCPennyisshuttingdown138stores(about14%ofitslocations).

• TheUSAhasthelargestamountofretailspaceperpersonintheworld(23.5sq.ft.ofretailspaceperperson).– Canadahas16.4sq.ft.andAustraliahas11.1sq.ft.

• Realestateresearchshowsvisitstoshoppingmallshavebeendecliningforyearswiththeriseofe-commerceandhugeshiftsinhowshoppersspendtheirmoney.

• VisitstomallsintheUSAdeclinedby50%between2010and2013accordingtoreal-estateresearchfirmCushman&Wakefield.


The Rules of Business Have Changed

• Uberisthelargestcompanyintheworldprovidingtaxiservicesbutitownsnovehicles.

• Facebook,theworld’smostpopularmedia,createsnocontent.

• AirBnB,theworld’slargestaccommodationprovider,ownsnobuildings.

• NeitherAmazonnoreBay,thenation’smostvaluableretailers,hasanystores.

• ThesamethingistrueforAlibaba,China’sbiggeste-commercegroup(AlibabahandlesmoretransactionseachyearthanAmazonandeBaycombined).


Literature Review

• AcknowledgetheeffortsofProf.SandraDuhé.• ChesterBerger(1981)predicted“newcommunication

technologieswouldchangecorporateAmericainfundamentalways” including:– Lowercommunicationcosts– Vanishingpapertrails– Streamlinedcommunicationsnetworks– Reductioninthefrequencyofface-to-facecommunication– Newfoundabilitytodirectmessagestospecificaudiences

• BetsyAnnPlank(1983)warnedPRpractitionersto“braceyourselfforthemixedblessingofimmediatereactiontoourmessagesinregardtotheinstant,sometimesthought-lacking,feedback(thenew)technologywouldallow.”


Literature Review

• Esrock&Leichty(1998)examinedhowcorporatesocialresponsibility(CSR)wasconveyedonwebsites.– Foundthepredominantcorporatemodelwas“top-

down/informationpushcommunications”

• White&Raman(1999)reporteda“trialanderrorapproach”towebsitedevelopmentwasmorecommonlyfoundthanonebasedonresearch,planningandevaluation.

• Heath(1998)said“newmedia:offerbothopportunitiesandthreatstorelationshipbuilding.

• Coombs(1998)describedtheInternetnotonlyasa“newweapon” forCSRbutalsoasa“potentialequalizer” thatwouldembracethepowerofactivistsandsignificantlyaffectissuesmanagementandcorporatesocialperformance.


Literature Review

• Taylor,Kent&White(2001)examinedhowactivistorganizationswereusingtheInternettobuildrelationshipswithstrategictargetpublics.– Reportedthatactivistsdidnotfullyengagepublicsintwo-way

communication.

• Naudé,Froneman&Atwood(2004)aswellasBortree&Seltzer(2009)reportedthatactivistorganizations,includingNGOsandadvocacygroups,weregoodatprovidinginformationbutlackedonlineinteractivitywiththeirpublics.

• Yang&Taylor(2010)foundsocialmovementsweredoinglittletoactivateofflineparticipation.

• Zoch,Collins,Sisco&Supa(2008)arguedthatactivistswereunderutilizingthepotentialofframingtechniquesontheirwebsites.


Literature Review

• Kent(2008)alsoacknowledgedthepotentialofblogsbutmainlyforresearch,framing,persuasion,issuemonitoringandenvironmentalscanning.

• Xifra&Huertas(2008)foundthatalthoughmostPRblogswerewrittenbyPRpractitioners,theylackeddevelopmentininteractiveresourcesandrarelyaddressedresearch.

• Xifra&Grau(2010)observedthatTwitterdiscourserelatedtoPRcontributedmoretopracticethantotheory.

• Yang&Lim(2009)encouragedbloggerstofocusmoreonmutualunderstandingratherthanpersuasion.


Literature Review

• Otherstudieshavehighlightedsuccessfuluseofdigitalmediainpublicrelationscampaigns.Theseinclude:

• Sweetser&Metzgar(2007)showinghowemotionalsupportwassoughtinblogsduringapetfoodrecall.

• Stephens&Malone(2009)comparingblogswithnewspapersincrisiscommunicationcoverage.

• Greer&Moreland(2007)discussinghowcompaniesusedtheWebintheaftermathofHurricaneKatrina.

• McCorkindale’s(2010)researchshowinghoworganizationseffectivelyusedFacebook.

• TheLevenshus(2010)studyofhowthe2008ObamapresidentialcampaignfullyleveragedtheInternet’spotential.

• Plusmanymore.


Literature Review

• Jo&Kim(2003)saidtheinteractiveparticipatorynatureofthewebdistinguishesitfromtraditionalmedia.– Especiallybecauseits“intrinsicinteractivity...Canenhancethe

mutualrelationshipandcollaborationbetweenmessagecenter(theorganization)andthereceiver(thepublic).”

• Seltzer&Mitrook(2007)suggestedblogswerepotentiallymoreeffectiveforrelationshipbuildingthanwebsitesbecauseoftheirinherentlyresponsivedesign.

• Inspiteofthesepotentialadvantages,studiesbyMcKeown&Plowman(1999),Curtin&Gaither(2004),Kirat(2007)andothersfindPRcommunicationwithintheemergingmediatobeprimarilyasymmetricalinnatureandlackingindialogicfeatures.


Literature Review - Grunig

• JamesE.Grunig(2009)hasadmonishedPRforusingdigitalmediainthesamewaytraditionalmediahavebeenusedfor“dumpingmessagesonthegeneralpopulation.”

• Grunigalsosays:“Forpublicrelationstofullyusedigitalmedia,practitionersandscholarsmustre-institutionalizepublicrelationsasabehavioral,strategicmanagementparadigmratherthanasasymbolic,interpretiveparadigm.”

• Grunigalsosays“thesenewmediahavethepotentialtomaketheprofessionmoreglobal,strategic,two-wayandinteractive,symmetricalordialogicalandsociallyresponsible.”

• However,manypractitionersareusingemergingmediainthesamewaystheyusedtraditionalmedia,asameansofsimplydisseminatinginformationratherthanasastrategicmeansofinteractingwithpublics.


Literature Review

• Inadditiontostudiesaboutsocialandemergingmediaintheliteratureofacademicfieldssuchaspublicrelationsandcommunication,researchaboutthesetopicshavebeenpublishedinscholarlyjournalsinmanydifferentacademicfieldsincluding:– Anthropology– History– Mathematics– Philosophy– PoliticalScience– Psychology– SocialWork– Sociology– Tourism&LeisureServices


Wright & Hinson Trend Analysis

• Everyyearsince2006;nowin12th year;largenumberofpublicrelationspractitionerrespondentseachyear.Wehad556responsesin2017(412in2016;329in2015;393in2014;378in2013;622in2012;479in2011;563in2010;574in2009).

• SubjectshavebeenmembersofprofessionalorganizationssuchasPRSA,IPRA,etc.,anddonorstotheInstituteforPublicRelations.

• Increasingannualagreementsuggestingsocialanddigitalmediahaveenhancedpublicrelationspractice.

• Resultssuggestthisparticularlyisthecasewithsocialmedia(e.g.,Facebook)andmicro-blogs(e.g.,Twitter).



• 91%ofPRpractitionerstellusemergingmediahavechangedthewaytheirorganizationscommunicate.

– Meanscoreswere3.38in2007;3.44in2008;3.81in2009;4.02in2010;4.10in2011;4.24in2012;4:14in2013;4:27in2014;4:35in2015;4:37in2016&4.44in2017.

• Impactremainsmorepronouncedwithexternalratherthaninternalcommunications.

• Strongagreement(increasingeachyear)suggestingblogs,micro-blogs,socialmediaandotherdigitalcommunicationmediacomplimenttraditionalnewsmedia(newspapers,magazines,radio,TV).



• Strongsupportindicatingdigitalmediahavemadecommunicationsmoreinstantaneousthusforcingorganizationstorespondmorequicklytocriticism.

• Strongopinionsindicatingdigitalmediahavealongdistancetogobeforetheywillbeequaltotraditionalnewsmediaintermsofaccuracy,credibility,truth,ethicsandsoforth.

• Blogsandsocialmediadonotreceiveveryhighscoresintermsoftruthtellingoradvocatingtransparentandethicalcultures.

• However,respondentsgivenewmediahighmarksforofferingorganizationslow-costwaystodeveloprelationshipswithmembersofvariousstrategicpublics.



• ThetimePRpractitionersspendworkingwithemergingmedia(blogs,socialmedia,etc.)hasincreasedeachyearandconsiderablywithinthepastyear.– In2015,29%spentmorethan25%oftheirworkinghourswithsocialanddigitalmedia.Thatpercentageincreasedto38%in2016andwas36%in2017.

– Only1%ofthePRpractitionerswesurveyeddon’tspendanyoftheirworkingtimewithdigitalmedia(in2013,2014,2015,2016&2017).Thisisdownfrom3%in2011&2012;4%in2010and7%in2009).


Organizational Governance

• OurresultsshowthePublicRelationsorCommunicationsfunctionisnowresponsibleformonitoringandmanagingemergingmediacommunication(includingblogs,micro-blogsandsocialmedia)in63%oftheorganizationswesurveyed(similarresultsin2013,2014,2015&2016).

• 75%ofour2017respondentsthinkPRorCommunicationsshouldhavethisresponsibility.(Thecreationofdigitalandsocialmediadepartmentshasloweredthispercentageovertheyears.)


Digital Media Use in PR

• Inour2009surveyofPRpeople,SearchEngineMarketingwasconsideredtobethemostimportantofsevenemergingmediaoptions.

• ThatchangeddramaticallyoverthepastsixyearswiththeincreasedimportanceofSocialNetworks(e.g.,Facebook),Micro-Bloggingsites(e.g.,Twitter)andVideoSharingoptions(e.g.,YouTube).

• SocialNetworksarenowconsideredtobethemostimportantemergingmediatoolsinPRpracticefollowedbyMicro-BlogsandVideoSharing.


Digital Media Use in PR

• Intermsofspecificdigitalmediause,Facebookrankedasthemostfrequentlyusedofthesesitesagainin2016witha4.36meanscoreaslightincreaseover2016(Mean=4.32)andconsiderablyupfrom2015(mean=4.15).

• Twitterwassecondat4.26withLinkedInthirdat3.60.Instragram(3.39)wasfourthandYouTube(3.25)fifth.


Social Media Measurement

• SinceresearchissuchanintegralpartofPR,allofourannualtrendstudieshaveaskedquestionsaboutsocialandemergingmediameasurement.

• EventhoughPRpractitionerssayresearch,measurementandevaluationareimportant,fewofourannualsubjectshaveclaimedtoactuallybeconductingthisresearch.

• Althoughthenumbersarestillembarrassinglysmall,thepercentageofthoseconductingemergingmediameasurementhasbeenincreasingeachyear.– In2016,49%oftheseorganizationsclaimedtobemeasuringwhat

membersofotherstrategicpublicshavecommunicatedabouttheirorganizationviablogsorothersocialmedia.

– Thesefiguresarefairlyconstantoverthepastfewyears.


Social Media Measurement

• Althoughfewerthanhalfofourrespondentsactuallyaremeasuringtheimpactofemergingcommunicationmedia,almostall(morethan90%eachyearsince2009)ofourrespondentstellustheythinktheyshouldbeconductingthisresearch.

• SubjectsinourresearchstudiesalsostronglyrecommendtheuseofOUTCOMESmeasuresasopposedtoOUTPUTmeasureswhenconductingnewcommunicationsmediameasurement.

• Unfortunately,thereisaconsiderablegapbetweenthekindsofresearchandmeasurementthisstudy’ssubjectsagreeshouldbetakingplaceandwhat’sactuallygoingon.

• Mostofourrespondentswhoseorganizationsareinvolvedindigitalmediameasurementtellusmoremeasurementistakingplaceintermsofoutputscommunicatedthanabouttheimpactinformationbeingdisseminatedabouttheirorganizationsthroughblocsandothernewmediawashavingoninfluentials,opinionleadersandmembersofotherstrategicaudiences.


Impact on Communication Theory

• Theemergingmediaarehavingahugeimpactonthesciencebeneaththeartofpublicrelations.

• TheyhavecompletelyempoweredanddramaticallychangedtheroleoftheReceiverinmanyofthetraditionalcommunicationmodels.

• TheyhavehadahugeimpactonalteringAgendaSettingTheory.• They’vealsodramaticallyalteredsomeinterpretationsofCognitive

DissonanceTheory.• Theinstantaneousnatureofmicro-blogs(e.g.,Twitter)andsocialmedia

(e.g.,Facebook)ischangingtherelationshipsbetweenpublicrelationspractitionersandattorneys.

• Socialandemergingmediaarehavingahugeimpactonthe“arenaofpublicopinion.”


Demographics

• 17%workedwithPRfirms;16%incorporate;13%universitynon-teaching;13%government;20%non-profit;5%healthcare;7%noresponse;9%“other.”

• Gender:68%female;32%male.• Age:13%youngerthan30yearsold;25%between30&39;

20%between40&49;23%between50&59;10%60orolder.(9%noresponse)


Criticism via Social Media

• Consumershaveeffectivelyusedsocialmediatocriticizebusinessandthewayitoperates.

• DonaldJ.TrumphasusedTwittertocomplainaboutmorethan60differentorganizations.– 2017GMformakingcarsinMexico.– 2016BoeingforcostoverrunsonnewAirForce1planes.– 2015Appleformaking“dumbdecisions.”– 2014T-Mobileforhaving“terrible” signalstrength.

• Trumpmadeeffectiveuseofsocialmediagettingelectedin2016.

• JustasBarackObamadidduringelectionsof2008and2012.


The Good . . . The Bad . . . And The Ugly

A Brief Look at Six Case Studies


McDonald’sVolvoDomino’s PizzaHershey Adobe PhotoshopUnited Air Lines


Case Study: McDonald’s

• McDonald’sandGolin– TheAll-Day-BreakfastLaunch.• McDonald’ssaleswereatanall-timelow.Thebusiness

neededamajorturnaround.• ResearchidentifiedbreakfastasoneofMcDonald’sbright

spotsbutmoderncustomersdidn’tlikefactMcDonald’sstoppedservingbreakfastat10:30a.m.

• McDonald’stestedall-daybreakfastserviceinselectmarkets.• Golinresearchpointedoutmorethan300,000peoplehad

mentionedall-daybreakfastonTwitter(since2007).• Golinstaffreachedouttoeverytweeterwhomentionedall-

daybreakfastonTwitter.Thisresultedinmorethan4,000individualizedTwitterresponses.


Case Study: McDonald’s

• McDonald’sannouncementaboutgoingtoAllDayBreakfasttrendedonTwitterandFacebookformorethanfivehours.

• Atitspeaktherewere340tweetsperminuteaboutMcDonald’sAllDayBreakfast.

• Theannouncementgenerated245mediaplacements,1,100influencerbrandengagementsand48mentionsinearnedmediastoriesaboutthelaunchstrategy.

• Onthefinancialside,McDonald’sstockrose25%inonequarterandstoresalesrecordedthestrongestquarterinfouryears.


Case Study: Volvo

• TheVolvo“Interception” campaign– VolvoNorthAmerica,WECommunications,GreyNewYorkandMindshare.

• In2015VolvowasfacedwithdecliningsalesaheadoflaunchingthenewVolvoXC60.

• ResearchpointedtoapotentialmatchbetweenVolvo’sexpressedvalues(safety,afocusonpeopleandsocialresponsibility)andthoseofahighlydesiredaudience(affluentmillennials).

• SuperBowlSundayprovidedaterrificopportunitytoreachthatdemographicbuttheVolvobudgetwouldonlybuyaboutone-thirdofonesecondofaSuperBowladvertisement.

• Otherautomakers(Chevrolet,Toyota,BMW,Mercedes-Benz,LexusandNissan)alreadyhadboughtmultimilliondollarads.


Case Study: Volvo

• Volvoconceptualizedthe“Interception” campaigntotapintothemillionsofdollarsbeingspentbyotherautomakers.

• EverytimeanadwasbroadcastforacompetitorautomakerduringtheSuperBowlviewerswereencouragedtousetheTwitterhashtag#VolvoContesttonominateanacquaintancetowinaVolvoXC60.

• The“Interception” campaignwasresponsiblefora70%year-over-yearsalesincreasefortheXC60providingthehighesteverFebruarybootinthecar’shistory.

• #VolvoContestwastweeted55,000-plustimesduringthegame,morethananyothercar-relatedhashtag.

• Estimatedmediapickupswerevaluedat$44million.


Case Study: Domino’s Pizza

• In2009,twoDomino’sPizzaemployeesmadeadisgustingvideowhilespittinginsandwichesandperformingotherunsanitaryactsdefacingfoodtheyweremakinginaDomino’sstore.

• Thevideowassharedonsocialmediawhereitwentviral.• Domino’srespondedimmediatelywithPatrickDoyle,

PresidentofDomino’sUSAmakinghisownYouTubevideotocounterandsincerelyapologizeforthenastyandinappropriateactionsofthesesoon-to-be-firedemployees.

• Thispromptandappropriateresponsewashighlysuccessful.


Case Study: The Hershey Company

• HersheyandKetchum– TheLeakedPhoto• AleakedphotoofanunreleasedproductdisruptedaHershey

launchanddealtablowtocustomeranticipation.• Ketchum’ssocialmediateamwasabletotakeasituation

thathadslippedoutofcontrolandusehumortosustainspeculationandenhanceproducthype.

• TheofficialannouncementonFacebookgeneratedalmost750,000viewsinoneday.

• Thenewsreachedmorethan1.1billionpeoplewithinafewdays.

• Since#Cupfusion’slaunchvolumeexpectationshaveincreasedmorethan200%.


Case Study: Adobe Photoshop

• TheAdobe“HonorableMention” campaignwithEdelman.• AyearafterAdobesaiditwoulddiscontinueitsphysical

softwareandmovetoafullycloud-basedproductline,consumersremainedunhappy.

• WithEdelman’shelp,twoactionablepointsemerged.• (a)Photoshopusersgravitatetowardthemacabreandliketo

sharetheirworkonsocialchannels.• (b)ThisinsightbecamethecatalystforaHalloween-themed

murdermysterycontestthatencouragedPhotoshopperstosearchforclueshiddenwithinanimagedistributedonsocialmediaandtosharetheirworkonline.

• Positivebrandsentimentrosefrom15%to76%.


Case Study: United Airlines

• Perfectexampleofacompanythat’spaidahugepricefornoteffectivelymanagingand/orrespondingtowhat’sbeingsaidaboutitinsocialmedia.

• “UnitedBreaksGuitars” in2008.CanadianmusicianDaveCarrollhadhisguitarbrokenbyUnitedbaggagehandlersashechangedplanesatChicagoO’Hare.

• WhenUALshowedcompleteindifferencetowardsCarroll,hewroteandrecordedthesong“UnitedBreaksGuitars.”– Thesongreceived150,000YouTubeviewswithinoneday;500,000views

withinonemonth,and5Millionviewswithintwomonths.

• Insteadofreplacinga$3,500guitarUnitedlostmillionsinreputationandbusiness.


Case Study: United Airlines

• ExamplesfromrecentmonthsmakeitapparentUnitedcontinuestohavehugeproblemswithsocialmedia.

• InMarchUALhadaprobleminvolvingnon-revenuepassengerswhowerewearingleggingsthatinitiatedawaveofonlinecriticismwhenmanycalledtheairline’sdresscode“outdated.”

• InApril,UnitedfacedsocialmediacriticismagainwhenitforciblyremovedapassengerfromaflighttomakeroomforaUnitedemployee.

• PRWeeknamesUnitedCEOOscarMunoz“CommunicatoroftheYear.”


Who Wants to be a Flight Attendant?• “They’restuckbetweencorporationstryingtoextract

maximumprofitsfromeachflightandpassengerswhocanbroadcasttheirfrustrationonsocialmedia.”

• “It’seasytoblameairlineemployeeswhensomethinggoeswrongwithaflight.” (“Whoelseistheretoscreamat?)

• Following9/11airlineswerelosingmoneyandtohelponthefinancialledgertheycutthenumberofcrewmembersperplaneinordertoaddseatstocoach,shrinkinglegroomandcuttingamenitiesforpassengers.

• Recentmergershaveledtoconsolidationsotodayfourairlinesaccountfor80%ofalldomesticseatssoldintheUSA.

• Bottom-Line:Wenowhavefewerairlinestocompeteonthekeymetricofcustomercomfortandsatisfaction.

• From:DerekThompson,“HowFlightAttendantsareSetUptoFail,” TheAtlantic,April25,2017.


Who Wants to be a Flight Attendant?• Flightattendantsnowmustdealwithtighterschedules,

overcrowdedplanes,shrinkingseatsandlimitedoverheadbinspace.Flightattendantsarecaughtinthemiddle.

• Meanwhile,majorairlinespostedrecordprofitsin2016.• Thisprofithascome,inlargepart,fromsqueezingboth

customersandemployees.• Seatwidthhasdeclinedatleast5%andasmuchas10%on

USAdomesticairlinessincethemid-1980s.Meanwhile,pitchhasshrunkbetweenthreeandsixinches.

• ...Lesslegroom,smallercrew,higherprofits,angrierpassengersandflightattendantsarecaughtinthemiddle.

• So,customersturntotheonebasicweapontowieldagainstthisinjustice:thecamerafunctionontheirphones.

• From:DerekThompson,“HowFlightAttendantsareSetUptoFail,” TheAtlantic,April25,2017.


Summary of Major Findings

• AmountoftimePRpeoplespendworkingwithdigitalmediacontinuestoincreaseeachyear.

• ThePRorCommunicationsfunctionisprimarilyresponsibleformonitoringandmanagingdigitalmediacommunication.

• Facebookhasbeenthemostfrequentlyusedsiteeachyearexcept2014.Twitterissecond,LinkedInthird,YouTubefourthandInstagramfifth.

• FewerthanhalfthePRpeoplewesurveyedaremeasuringwhatmembersofvariousstrategicpublicshavecommunicatedabouttheirorganizationsortheirclientsondigitalmedia.

• Oftheresearchbeingconductedmostmeasuresoutputsratherthanoutcomes.


An 12-Year Longitudinal Analysis Tracking Social and Digital Media Use in Public Relations Practice

Remarks to PRSA, Richmond, Virginia, April 26, 2016

Donald K. Wright, Ph.D.Harold Burson Professor &

Chair in Public RelationsBoston University

DonaldKWright @aol.com @DonaldKWright

Documents

An 12-Year Longitudinal Analysis Tracking Social …€¢Although fewer than half of our respondents actually are measuring the • • ’ ’ •