Big Brands Share Roadmaps to Successful Business and Stakeholder Communications

CHICAGO, March 27, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The recently released second edition of The Handbook of Strategic Public Relations and Integrated Marketing Communications is the "most authoritative, comprehensive resource of its kind," said Clarke Caywood, editor and professor of Integrated Marketing Communications at Northwestern University. The Handbook encourages communications, marketing and PR professionals to examine the full range of stakeholders they encounter on a daily basis and imparts the most effective ways to communicate to them. World-renowned marketing professor, Phillip Kotler said, "The second edition of The Handbook of Strategic Public Relations and Integrated Marketing Communications is very impressive in its coverage of trends, tools, industries, and challenges. Every marketer needs to have a copy."

The book gathers 70 highly influential figures in business and communications to share their insights on a wide range of business and NGO cases. The second edition of this collaborative work, published by McGraw-Hill, includes 27 new chapters and 44 new authors addressing major changes in the communication field, such as the explosion of social media in business, growing stakeholder relationships, and a new era of openness and transparency to protect reputations and product brands.

An innovative publishing feature of the book includes "QR" or scanner codes embedded throughout the book. These codes allow readers with smart phones to access supporting content that includes video interviews with the contributors as well as other information at http://www.CaywoodHandbook.com. The book is targeted for use in colleges, corporations, associations, agencies and distance learning programs.

Designed for students and professionals who are looking for communication guidance around specific industries, the Handbook also presents dozens of case studies, including how:

• AT&T is responding to global challenges and opportunities by integrating social and environmental issues into its daily business operations.
• Ford emphasized its human side with real faces and real stories — primarily through social media and blogging.
• Hyatt survived the economic downturn through their Big Welcome campaign that empowered employees to engage in random acts of kindness in a departure from traditional customer loyalty programs.

Other organizations profiled in the handbook include Yum! Brands, Dean Foods, Aidmatrix, Blue Cross/Blue Shield and Disney.

Additional chapters address issues related to crisis and environmental communications, stakeholder management, and public relations for U.S. and global non-governmental organizations (NGOs):

• How to get a company or organization to focus on actions rather than words during a crisis so it doesn't ruin its reputation.
• Why now, more than ever, it is important to manage relationships with stakeholders and develop stakeholder maps.
• How using a wide range of communication tools and tactics better positions NGOs to address market, government and societal issues.

"The Handbook is a fresh look at strategic public relations with great insights from top public relations professionals. It's packed with invaluable advice and is a must-read for all PR practitioners," according to Jane Ostrander, Vice President, Global Communications, Tenneco. Added Al Golin, Chairman, GolinHarris, the Handbook "covers essentially every facet of the communications business."

The book also contains a controversial chapter on content strategy which can be considered a new professional merger of public relations and journalism. The new field will provide the content so desperately needed by readers and listeners as the face of journalism radically changes.

ABOUT CLARKE L. CAYWOOD, PH.D.

Clarke L. Caywood, Ph.D. is a full professor and tenured member of the Integrated Marketing Communications Department in the Medill School of Journalism, Media, and Integrated Marketing Communications at Northwestern University. He was named by PRWeek as one of the 100 most influential PR people of the 20th century and as one of the top 10 outstanding educators (2000) by PRWeek, as Educator of the Year by the Public Relations Society of America, and again as Educator of the Year by the Sales and Marketing Executives of the Chicago area.

SOURCE Clarke L. Caywood, Ph.D.