You will complete a research paper in five stages, each of which will be graded. You will complete the first two stages, Parts 1A and 1B, in Week 3.
This project is unique in that it is staged to follow what you are learning in the class and to give you an opportunity to receive feedback as you are drafting the various sections.
Each part’s analysis will be due and graded separately, as a draft might be. These will be due at the ends of weeks 3, 4, 5, and 6. You will be mentored by your instructor on each section of your project along the way. Ask questions as you go along! At the end of week 7, you will turn in the revised, completed, cohesive 8- to 10-page paper PLUS a bibliography.
You will investigate a case study from the recommended list below and use it to explore each of the steps of the four-step public relations process. Each of the parts of the paper that you turn in at the ends of weeks 3, 4, 5, and 6 will be graded and together worth 20 percent of your final grade. The revised assignment will be worth 15 percent of your final course grade, making all stages of this project worth a total of 35 percent of your course grade.
You will use material from our course readings and relevant outside research materials to assemble your paper. It must be a minimum eight- to 10-page, carefully researched and written paper (double spaced) that is based on the scenario you chose from the list below. Follow the instructions for each step carefully; be sure to answer all questions; do not miss deadlines.
Two parts of this final project are due in Week 3: Parts 1A and 1B.
Part 1A.
Select a well-known, real-life public relations case on which to focus your research for the rest of the semester — preferably from the list below. If you’d like to handle something that is not on the list but is of more interest to you or more connected to your work life, send me a message describing your topic and I’ll let you know if it’s acceptable. No celebrity or political cases will be accepted. Avoid current situations for which there will not yet be enough expert analysis to research and quote. Be sure to choose a public relations situation and research how it was handled from a public relations standpoint, not just how the news media covered the situation as mainstream news. Some well-documented public relations crises you may choose include:
The Fireside Chats (1933) – President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s radio addresses to the American public provided a direct communications approach that both bypassed the media and became a media event. How did this communications approach evolve and what were its widespread implications relating to image and message?
Jack in the Box – Four children died in 1993 after eating Jack in the Box hamburgers. How did Jack in the Box communicate the tragedy and handle their image in the aftermath? Advertising may be an element of your paper, but public relations should be the predominant focus.
Ford Motor Co. and Firestone faced a maelstrom of criticism in 2000 for the faulty tires that apparently led to accidents and fatalities of people riding in Ford sport utility vehicles. How did Ford and Firestone communicate the tragedy and handle their image in the aftermath? Should they or did they collaborate effectively in disseminating their messages? Did one or both companies’ image(s) falter in the aftermath?
Chipotle – Since 2008, the Chipotle restaurant chain has had a number of cases involving food poisoning that made many of their customers ill. The most recent event was in July 2017 involving a norovirus outbreak in Sterling, Va. Trace Chipotle’s history of food poisoning cases and examine how the restaurant chain addressed the problem through corporate communication.
BP – In April 2010, BP’s Deepwater Horizon oil drilling rig exploded in the Gulf of Mexico, killing 11 workers and resulting in the largest marine oil spill in history and causing catastrophic environmental and economic impacts, including fish and wildlife deaths and reduced beach tourism. How did BP communicate the spill and what did the company do to repair its reputation?
Bud Light – In 2015, executives for Budweiser had to apologize for their Bud Lite #UpForWhatever advertising campaign, which had beer cans printed with the slogan: “The perfect beer for removing ‘no’ from your vocabulary for the night. Critics claimed that the slogan undermined anti-rape activists’ “no means no” campaign against sexual assault. How did the company handle the controversy through public relations?
Samsung – This cell phone manufacturer had to recall its new Galaxy Note 7 smartphone in 2016 after reports that the device could overheat and even explode. How did the company handle the problem from a PR standpoint?
Wells Fargo – In 2017, Wells Fargo announced that the scandal that had plagued it for nearly a year was continuing. The bank discovered 1.4 million additional fraudulent accounts, bring the total to 3.5 million. This came after the bank admitted that it erroneously charged more than 800,000 customers for car loan insurance that they no longer needed. How did the bank respond to the findings, and what should it do in the future?
Equifax – Credit reporting agency Equifax announced in September 2017 that the personal information of 143 million Americans had been accessed by an unauthorized third party, exposing names, dates of birth, Social Security numbers, addresses, and in 209,000 cases, credit card numbers. How did Equifax respond to the breach, and what have they tried to restore their reputation as a trusted repository of such vital personal information?
Boeing – In October 2018 and March 2019, two Boeing 737 Max jets crashed, killing a total of 346 people and resulting in the grounding of the entire fleet of 737 Max planes for two years. What has Boeing done to restore regulatory and passenger confidence in the plane and in air travel?
Johnson & Johnson – In October 2019, Johnson and Johnson recalled 33,000 bottles of baby powder after the Food and Drug Administration discovered traces of asbestos, a cancer-causing mineral, in the product. How is J&J managing the crisis and the more than 15,000 lawsuits it faces in the crisis?
Write your thesis or problem/opportunity statement. FOCUS on Step One of the four-step process you are learning in this class. Step One is “defining the problem.” This isn’t a lead, as in a well-written news story. This should be a succinct paragraph or two. Part 1A is worth half of your grade on this assignment or 2.5 credits toward your final grade.
If you choose a different scenario, be sure it is one that was well-publicized, so you can obtain all of the information you need for this paper. You will need to review old news stories, other research sources and background material. (Your instructor must approve any topic that is NOT on the list above before you proceed.)
Part 1B.
Using the UMGC library and its and other various databases for news and interviews with people who were involved at the time and other sources, compile a file of background information about your selected public relations crisis at the time of the crisis. Present it to me as an ANNOTATED bibliography. Include at least 5 sources. You research must reflect sources beyond the assigned readings for this class. Those readings are good sources and will likely earn you a passing grade if that’s all you use; for a better grade, you must do more research. Part 1B is worth half of your grade on this assignment or 2.5 credits toward your final grade.
