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The need for hands-on learning in advertising education has been expressed for decades. With the increasing push toward live tweeting by brands, more attention needs to be given in advertising classrooms to opportunities for students to practice online engagement. In this study, a class "war room" simulation offered an experiential learning opportunity and gave students a taste of how brands and their advertising agencies are handling Twitter and other social media channels during major live events like the Super Bowl. This hands-on exercise could give professors another tool to help reduce the gap between academic knowledge and real-world skills. Through a post-event discussion and survey, students said they learned the importance of teamwork, client relationships and quick thinking. They were able to practice live tweeting on a client's behalf, interacting with followers and working under pressure.

Quantitative content analysis was used to examine social media responses to the BBC's announcement of the first female Doctor in the science-fiction show Doctor Who. Tweets reacting to the BBC's framing of the decision (N = 2,971) were coded for mentions of representation, impact on the character, political correctness, feminism, impact on ratings, and impact on younger generations. Results indicated that audience responses did not reflect the BBC's framing but were generally supportive of the casting choice. Explanations for the lack of correspondence between the BBC and responses are explored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When firms face crisis, the instant and open channels of social media communication create a double-edged sword. While corporations can more quickly communicate with stakeholders, any missteps will have drastic and nearly immediate repercussions. What are the relationships among social media, subjective norms, attitudes, and intentions during corporate crisis? We explore this phenomenon via a study of a crisis faced by Lowe's, an international home improvement store, and how current and potential customers reacted. By utilizing a structural equations model to examine an integrated model of multiple constructs, we find that Facebook usage is associated with behavioral intent, perceptions of ethicality, and attitudes toward the organization. Counter intuitively, we find that an increase in participant Facebook usage is negatively related to felt subjective norms. Our findings indicate that beyond the traditional relationships examined by the Theory of Reasoned Action (e.g., norms, attitudes, and behavioral intent), that social media and subjective norms have a strong relationship with general attitudes and ethical attitudes toward an organization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As most college campuses across the U.S. switched to remote learning in March 2020 as a result of COVID-19, students began taking classes online, many of them using video conferencing tools such as Zoom asynchronously and synchronously. Quantitative and qualitative data from an online survey administered between April and July 2020 at two university campuses located in COVID-19 hotspots document the impact of this sudden pedagogical change on 295 respondents. Results showed many students acknowledged both practical and psychological challenges associated with the change, yet recognized that skills gained during the pandemic could be beneficial for their future careers. Overall, the study presents a look at the impact COVID-19 has had on university students and how a sudden change in education practices can affect learning, based on factors including self-efficacy, interaction, and motivation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The University of North Alabama (UNA) was accused of negligence in the handling of a student's allegation of sexual assault by a professor. The initial university response prompted backlash from students, alumni, and the community. A more conciliatory response followed, and the UNA president spoke of the case during his annual address. These three responses, prompted by stakeholder critique, provided a unique opportunity to extend theory by analyzing how dialectical tensions and stakeholder responses affect organizational strategic decision-making in image reparation efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While data, digital analytics, and technology have the possibility of further elevating public relations to a strategic function, many communicators cite barriers, including that many on their teams lack digital data and analytics competency. Researchers interviewed 28 senior-level communicators who have experience working with digital data and analytics. The study sought to examine how communicators are adapting to and leading teams in this data revolution by exploring two primary research questions: (1) What are the perceived opportunities and challenges with digital data and analytics? and (2) How can communicators create an environment to encourage discovery and innovation connected to digital data and analytics? Participants described the challenges of managing vast data streams and alignment, staying current with digital trends and technology, and dealing with the shortcoming of AI tools and algorithms. When asked about opportunities, participants described how communicators are uniquely positioned to align data and analytics efforts to help them understand audiences, foster mutually beneficial relationships with publics, and share stories with these publics and senior counsel that contribute to organizational objectives. Participants said they develop data competency among their communication teams by fostering a creative and curious culture, creating diverse teams, and championing employees. In summary, this study expands understanding of how communicators can evolve and lead in an increasingly data-driven world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lowe's decision to pull advertising fromAll-American Muslimand Susan G. Komen for the Cure's announcement of new granting criteria impacting Planned Parenthood prompted angry outcries, as well as apologies, on social media. Through 2 online surveys, this study gauges people's thoughts about purchasing from or donating toward the organization in crisis and discusses the use of online apologies. Attitudes and social norms held the most sway over respondents’ reported intentions to donate or buy. We suggest a paradigm shift in how social media have expanded the referent others to whom people listen and about whose reactions people care. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The need for hands-on learning in advertising education has been expressed for decades. With the increasing push toward live tweeting by brands, more attention needs to be given in advertising classrooms to opportunities for students to practice online engagement. In this study, a class "war room" simulation offered an experiential learning opportunity and gave students a taste of how brands and their advertising agencies are handling Twitter and other social media channels during major live events like the Super Bowl. This hands-on exercise could give professors another tool to help reduce the gap between academic knowledge and real-world skills. Through a post-event discussion and survey, students said they learned the importance of teamwork, client relationships and quick thinking. They were able to practice live tweeting on a client's behalf, interacting with followers and working under pressure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nonprofit organizations are as susceptible to crisis as any organization as exemplified by Livestrong's attempts to outlive Lance Armstrong's downfall and Planned Parenthood (PP) overcoming Susan G. Komen for the Cure's (SGK) policy to defund organizations under investigation. The public battles held on social media during crises such as these have forced organizations onto new battlegrounds. Supporters for each of these nonprofits proudly shared their thoughts via tweets (e.g. #IstandwithPP) and status updates, as the organizations raced to control the situation. PP had tweeted SGK's policy change creating a bevy of support while sending SGK into a reversal that is still costing racers. Surveys were distributed following Armstrong's performance-enhancing drug use confession and SGK's funding policy announcement to determine attitudes toward giving after organizational crisis. The Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) was used to assess the strength of attitude, social norms, and perceived behavioral control on the intent to donate to these organizations. The use of TPB expands nonprofit marketing horizons by helping better understand stakeholder intentions and their causes. On the basis of the findings, best practices for nonprofits handling crisis were identified. In particular, organizations need to know their target audiences, know what will make supporters remain, look at crises as opportunities for renewal, be honest, and apologize when appropriate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]