IPR and PRSA to Co-Sponsor Public Relations Measurement Summit
Ninth Annual Summit Will Be Held Sept. 18-20 in Philadelphia
GAINESVILLE, Fla., and NEW YORK (April 4, 2011) — The Institute for Public Relations (IPR) and the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) will co-sponsor the ninth annual North American Summit on Public Relations Measurement, Sept. 18-20, in Philadelphia. This year marks the first time that IPR and PRSA are collaborating to organize and present the popular annual event.
The Measurement Summit is geared toward professionals who want a better understanding of the theory and practical application of public relations and communications research, measurement and evaluation, as well as the chance to network and exchange insights with international experts in the field. Attendees annually include noted academics and agencies, research firms, corporate communicators and other end-users who are responsible for designing and implementing evaluative programs for their clients or within their own organizations.
Through lectures, case studies and interactive discussions led by public relations firms and their clients, researchers and other consultants, the Measurement Summit will expose conference delegates to innovations, methodologies and best practices taken from some of the world’s most successful public relations measurement programs.
The Measurement Summit opens Sept. 18 with a full-day of optional, “pre-conference” programming, including a day-long “Public Relations Measurement Boot-Camp” and condensed modules on “The Latest in Social Media Measurement,” “New Validated Metrics for Communications Measurement,” “How to Effectively Manage Communications Measurement Budgets” and “The Move to ‘Always On’ Data for PR Decision-Makers.”
The conference officially begins on Sept. 19, with learning opportunities dedicated to topics such as business outcomes, dashboards and key performance indicators (KPIs), market mix modeling, media analysis and metrics, reputation management, search analytics, social media return on investment (ROI), shareholder metrics and survey research.
The conference also will include keynote addresses by Raymond C. Jordan,Johnson & Johnson’s corporate vice president, corporate affairs and communications, and Anne Fenice, Yahoo’s director of critical metrics, analysis and systems.
“The Summit on Measurement challenges delegates to think about and position measurement as an integral component of their strategic public relations practices,” said Robert W. Grupp, APR, president and CEO of IPR. “It’s designed to provide actionable ideas and tangible benefits that can be taken away and put to immediate use.”
Evaluative skills are a critical competency for public relations professionals who want to validate the results of their efforts; tie results to strategic business outcomes; develop smarter objectives, strategies and tactics; and make midcourse program adjustments and corrections, notes Rosanna Fiske, APR, 2011 chair and CEO of PRSA.
“Measurement and evaluation techniques that are understood and accepted by CEOs, marketers and brand managers are critical to the credibility and growth of public relations,” says Fiske. “For that reason, PRSA continues to advance the cause of public relations measurement, whether it’s through our industry advocacy campaign, ‘The Business Case for Public Relations™,’ our partnership with AMEC and support for the Barcelona Principles, or through professional development opportunities, like the Measurement Summit.”
Previously held in Portsmouth, N.H., the Measurement Summit is the longest-running research and measurement conference of its kind. The program is directed by Donald K. Wright, Ph.D., APR, Fellow PRSA, who is the Harold Burson professor and chair in public relations at Boston University’s College of Communication. Wright also is an IPR Research Fellow and member of IPR’s Board of Trustees.
Other Measurement Summit “faculty” include:
- Don Bartholomew, vice president, digital research, Fleishman-Hillard.
- David M. Dozier, Ph.D., professor, School of Journalism & Media Studies,San Diego State University.
- David Geddes, chair, IPR Commission on Public Relations Measurement & Evaluation.
- Tim Marklein, executive vice president, measurement & strategy, Weber Shandwick.
- Frank Ovaitt, executive vice president, Makovsky + Company.
- Katie Paine, founder & CEO, KDPaine & Partners.
- Bradley Rawlins, Ph.D., chair, Department of Communications, Brigham Young University.
- Elliot S. Schreiber, Ph.D., professor and executive director, Center for Corporate Reputation Management, LeBow College of Business, Drexel University.
- Don W. Stacks, Ph.D., associate dean & professor of public relations,School of Communication, University of Miami.
- Louis Williams, chairman, L.C. Williams & Associates.
About the Institute for Public Relations (IPR)
IPR is an independent nonprofit foundation that answers the need for evidence and accountability in public relations. IPR plays a critical role in bridging the academic world with the profession to ensure that the best thinking and knowledge are applied for the benefit of today’s demanding business world.
About the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA)
With more than 31,000 members, PRSA is the largest organization of public relations professionals and students. PRSA is comprised of 112 local Chaptersorganized into 10 geographic Districts; 12 Professional Interest Sections that focus on issues, trends and research relevant to specialized practice areas, such as technology, health care, financial communications, entertainment and sports, and travel tourism; and the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA), which has 319 Chapters at colleges and universities in the United States and abroad. PRSA is headquartered in New York.
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