Public Relations Resources


Contents


Basic Public Relations Tools

Lesly's Handbook of Public Relations and Communications
Ref. HM263.L46 1998
Includes chapters on all aspects of public relations.

O'Dwyer's Directory of Public Relations Firms
Ref. HD59.O36 2001

Dictionary of Marketing and Advertising
Ref. HF5415.R577 1995

Dictionary of Marketing Terms 
Ref. HF5415 .D4873 1995

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Company/Industry Analysis

The following sources are representative of the Birnbaum Library’s holdings. Please ask at the Reference Desk if you are unable to locate the information you need.

Situational/Competitive Intelligence

U.S. Industry and Trade Outlook
Reserve Ref. HC106.5 .A17 (1998- )

Describes economic and trade trends, world market share, and forecasts for various industries.  Arranged according to SIC code.

Standard and Poor's Industry Surveys
Reserve  Ref. HG4961.S682

Detailed industry profiles list key industry ratios and statistics, and provide comparative data on selected companies in the industry. Ask for the Index at the Circulation/Reserve Desk.  Industry surveys are also available online in the NetAdvantage database.

Special Issues of Trade Journals or Association Publications
The library places special issues of trade journals on reserve.  These special issues discuss current conditions in particular industries.  Some sample titles include:

  • Milk Facts
    Reserve Ref. HD9275.U8 M53 1998
  • Adams Wine Handbook
    Reserve Ref. HD9372.W5 1999
  • Brewers Almanac
    Reserve Ref. HD9397.U5 B7 1998
  • Air Transport Association Annual Report
    Reserve Ref. HE9788.5 .U5 A63 1999
  • Book Industry Trends
    Reserve Ref. Z477.D47 1998

Encyclopedia of Consumer Brands
Reserve  Ref. HF5415.3 .E527 1994 (vols. 1-3)

This three-volume set, while dated, provides excellent information regarding the marketing and development of different products.  A list of further reading accompanies each article.

Encyclopedia of Major Marketing Campaigns
Reserve Ref. HF5837.E53 2000

500 articles focusing on important campaigns of the twentieth century.  Each articles includes company contact information, an overview of the profiled campaign, its historical context, target market, competition, marketing strategy, and outcome.

Major Marketing Campaigns Annual
Reserve Ref. HF5823.M217 1998

Profiles campaigns of new companies, new products by “old” companies, or new takes on old products.

Market Share Reporter
Ref. HF5410 .M37 (1991- ;most recent on Reserve)

Compiles market share data from various sources. Indexes information by source, place name, product/service, company name, and brand name.

Business Rankings Annual
Ref. Desk Z7164.T87 B9 (1989- )

Compiles business rankings data from various sources.  Use the index to identify rankings for a particular company, industry, product or geographical area.

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Company Histories

International Directory of Company Histories
Ref Desk. HD2721.I58 (1988- )

This multi-volume set is much more than a directory.  Each entry describes company histories in detail, from their origin to their future goals.  Marketing strategies and expansions are often discussed.  Every essay ends with a list of further reading about the company.  Check the index in the last volume to identify where your company appears.

Business and Company Resource Center
Access: http://www.pace.edu/library; <Databases>; <Business and Company Resource Center>
Company profiles, company brand information, rankings, investment reports, company histories, chronologies, and periodicals. Search this database to find detailed company and industry news and information.

Hoover's Online
Access: http://www.pace.edu/library; <Databases>; <Hoover's>
Provides industry and company profiles for approximately 14,000 companies worldwide.  Company profiles include a brief history of the company, the names of the top executives in the company, a list of key competitors, industry snapshots, and some key financial data about each company.

Books about individual companies.  Use the Pace University Library Catalog to find books written by or about major companies.  Conduct subject and keyword searches using your company's name.  For more information about searching the library catalog, see the library's guide to Using the Pace Library Catalog.

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Company Mission Statements

Annual Reports and 10K's
Company annual reports often discuss the current goals and strategies of a company, while 10K forms give key financial information about public companies.  The library keeps five years' worth of these documents on file for many companies.  Check the card file in the hallway to identify the location (either in the hallway or on reserve).  Some annual reports are also available on microfiche in the Birnbaum Library.  To find these reports, check the Pace Library Catalog.  Also try the following:

Company Web Sites
Use the Internet to locate company homepages Many companies will provide excerpts of their annual reports on the web.  Also, if you check the job postings of a company, often a mission statement will accompany these listings.

Say it and Live It:  50 Corporate Mission Statements that Hit the Mark
Ref. HD30.285 .J66 1995

Reprints the mission statements for fifty companies and gives a guide to writing mission statements.

Mission Statements:  A  Guide to the Corporate and Nonprofit Sectors
Ref. HD30.28 .G697 1994

Reprint 622 mission statements from the United States and Canada, from the corporate and nonprofit sectors, and from dozens of industries.  Industry and geographic indexes are included.

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Company Internal Communications

Because many companies now maintain “intranets” (internal communication networks that are inaccessible to those outside of a company), internal communications may be difficult to find electronically.  You may wish to write to a company to see if in-house newsletters may be sent to you.  Also, try the following resources:

BNA Policy and Practice Series
Ref. (last row of stacks at the back)

Select Personnel Management from the list of titles.  Go to the Communications section.  The Table of Contents gives page numbers for Newsletters, Annual Reports, and Other Employee Publications.  There is a detailed section on Employee Newsletters.

Standard Periodical Directory
Ref. Desk Z6951.S78 2001

Look under "house organs" to see if your company publishes an internal newsletter or other publication.

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Market Analysis

American Generations
Ref. HC110.C6 M545 2003

Profiles demographic and attitudinal characteristics of Americans.  Areas covered are: attitudes and behavior, education, health, households, housing, income, labor force, population, spending, and wealth.  Other titles in the American Generations series profile particular groups.  They include:

  • The Millennials: Americans Under Age 25        Ref. HQ796.M4797 2001
  • Generation X:  The Young Adult Market        Ref. HC110.C6 M544 1999
  • The Baby Boom: Americans Aged 35 to 54        Ref. HN60.R868 2001
  • Americans 55 & Older: A Changing Market        Ref. HQ1064.U5 A6455 2001

Best Customers
Ref. HC79.C6 R87 2001
Based on unpublished data collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Expenditure Survey, Best Customers is divided into 19 chapters arranged by spending categories (e.g. food, entertainment, travel) This work may help identify the biggest customers in particular areas as well as predict trends.

Commercial Atlas and Marketing Guide
Ref. Atlas Case G1019.R22 2003

Describes transportation, the economy, and the population of the United States through detailed maps.

Consumer Expenditure Survey
http://www.bls.gov/cex/home.htm 
Provides detailed tables of consumer expenditures for various categories arranged in different ways such as: age, education, income, occupation, region and size of consumer unit.

Editor and Publisher Market Guide
Reserve Ref. HF5905.E38 2003

Provides general statistics on United States metropolitan areas, as well as facts and figures describing U.S. newspaper markets, and income and household figures by city/county.   Also visit the Editor and Publisher web site at http://www.editorandpublisher.com/editorandpublisher/index.jsp.

Household Spending
Ref. HC110.C6 H6 2003

Contains statistics on consumer spending patterns.  Keep in mind that the information given is two years old at the date of publication (e.g. 2003 publication covers 2001 information).

Lifestyle Market Analyst
Reserve Ref. HF5415.33.U6 L54 2003

A useful resource for preliminary market analysis that identifies customers, states how they spend their money, and indicates how to reach them.  It is organized into four categories: Market Profiles, Lifestyle Profiles, Consumer Segment Profiles, and Consumer Magazines and Direct Marketing Lists.

MRI- Mediamark Research
Reserve Ref. HF5415.2 .M212 - CD-ROM on Ref. Floor

Provides detailed demographic and marketing segmentations of media audiences.  Local market set provides detail on selected product categories within major geographic markets.  Other volumes cover individual product categories and magazine audiences.  Ask for the index at the Circulation/Reserve Desk.

Racial and Ethnic Diversity: Asians, Blacks, Hispanics, Native Americans, and Whites
Ref. E184.A1R78 2002

Describes  important characteristics of different ethnic groups in such areas as education, health, households, housing, income, labor force, population, spending, and wealth.

Sales and Marketing Management: Survey of Buying Power and Media Markets
Reserve Ref. HF5438.A34 2003

Population figures, retail sales by store group, and buying power statistics are given for both metropolitan areas and media markets.  Special tables give market rankings for various product categories and consumer groups.  This annual study is a special issue of Sales and Marketing Management magazine.

Simmons Study of Media and Markets       
Reserve Ref. HF5415.2 .S554 - CD-ROM on Ref. Floor

Provides detail on various multi-media audiences and major consumer goods categories.  Ask for the index at the Circulation/Reserve Desk.

Statistical Abstract of the United States
Ref. Desk HA202

Provides statistics on all aspects of the social, political and economic organization of the United States.  Find tables and charts on population, wages, crime, health, education, etc.  To access the Statistical Abstract online, go to http://www.census.gov/prod/www/statistical-abstract-us.html.

Statistical Fact Book
Reserve Ref. HF5861.F32 2001

Provides a quantitative view of all areas of direct marketing to assist marketers in making cost-effective expenditure decisions.

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Communications

Media Outlets

Ad $ Summary  
Reserve Ref. HF5801.A18 (1973- )
Ranks the top 100 companies  by money spent on different types of advertising (newspaper, magazine etc.).  Provides the total advertising revenue for particular magazines.

Bacon's International Media Directory : Directory of Magazines and Newspapers in Western Europe
Reserve Ref. HF5813.E79 B3 1996

A comprehensive resource covering magazines, daily newspapers, business, trade, professional and consumer publications in Western Europe.

Burrelle's Media Directory
Reserve Ref. P 88.8.B84 2001
Volume 1 covers magazines and newsletters.  It is organized by industry and provides contact information, circulation figures, frequency, formats, ownership, display advertising cost, advertising deadline, news release information and more.  Volume 2 is the index to volume 1.  Additional  volumes cover newspapers and related media, non-daily newspapers, radio, and television and cable.

Gale Directory of Publications and Broadcast Media
Ref Desk. Z6951.G3 2002

This resource covers more than 37,000 newspapers, magazines, journals, radio, television, and cable stations.  It includes advertising rates, circulation statistics, local programming, key personnel and other pertinent information.

Madison Avenue Handbook
Reserve Ref. HF5806.M3 1996

Provides directory listings of advertising agencies, model and talent agencies, film studios, fashion and wardrobe designers and boutiques, props and stylist agencies, and much more.

Marketers Guide to Media
Reserve Ref. HF5826.5 .M455

Contains current rate and audience estimates for major media.  Includes sections on online services and some audience demographics.

Sports Marketplace
Ref. HD9992.U5 S667 1999

Comprehensive resource on the sports market.

SRDS Publications
Provides descriptions and costs for advertising in various media.

  • Business Publications    Reserve Ref. HF5905.S792

  • Consumer Magazine Advertising Source        Reserve Ref. HF5905.S725

  • Direct Marketing List    Reserve Ref. HF5861.D54

  • Hispanic Media and Markets    Reserve Ref. HF5905.S7

  • Interactive Advertising Sources    Reserve Ref. HG5415.I264 S65

  • Newspaper Advertising    Reserve Ref. HF5905.S785

  • Out of Home Advertising Source    Reserve Ref. HF5905.S787

  • Radio Advertising    Reserve Ref. HF5905.S786

  • TV & Cable    Reserve Ref. HF5905.S787 

Standard Periodical Directory
Ref. Desk Z6951.S78 2001

Periodical entries include the price of advertising, the approximate size of circulation, and the frequency of publication.

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Press Releases

There are many electronic/Internet resources that currently offer press releases. Most are found in the "What's New" section of particular company web sites. You may wish to look at company home pages to find examples of press releases.  Other options include:

PR Newswire
http://www.prnewswire.com
Use the index in the left column.  The company news link gives the option to search by company name or to browse through the alphabetical listing.

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Finding Public Relations Articles        

ABI/Inform
Access: http://www.pace.edu/library; <Databases>; <ABI/Inform>

Try searching the subject headings "internal public relations" or simply "public relations."

Business and Company Resource Center
Access: http://www.pace.edu/library; <Databases>; <Business and Company Resource Center>

This database contains company profiles, company brand information, rankings, investment reports, company histories, chronologies, and periodicals. Search this database to find detailed company and industry news and information.

Business Source Premier
Access: http://www.pace.edu/library; <Databases>; <Business Source Premier>
Provides full text for over 2,710 scholarly business journals covering management, economics, finance, accounting, international business and much more.

Lexis/Nexis Universe
Access: http://www.pace.edu/library; <Databases>; < Lexis/Nexis>
Search "Business News" for company and industry information and for articles on public relations.

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Public Relations Web Sites

Pace librarians maintain lists of web sites that are useful for academic research.  To access these lists, select Reference Resources from the library's home page at http://www.pace.edu/library.  Select Advertising/Marketing from the Choose a Subject Area menu to access relevant web sites.  You may also find the following sites useful for public relations research:

Online Public Relations
http://www.online-pr.com

Media contacts, Public Relations Resources and References for online PR professionals.

The PR Network
http://www.theprnetwork.com/
Provides daily news and access to a worldwide directory of marketing and public relations.

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Citing Your Sources

Once you have found your information, you will need to cite the sources that you used. The library has prepared some information on citation styles for print and electronic resources. You can access it on the Pace Library web site at http://www.pace.edu/library/pages/instruct/citing.html.  Please check with your instructor if you are unsure of which citation style to use.

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Created by Pace University Library
Last Revised 1/23/04
Sarah Higgins
shiggins@pace.edu