USC Center for Public Relations

Photo of a person leading a USC Annenberg discussion

The USC Center for Public Relations (CPR) mission is to connect corporations, agencies, academics and students to define the future of our industry and to develop those who will shape it. Our university faculty and USC CPR board members do this by examining current strategies, forecasting future trends, and providing meaningful insight and feedback to students and to help shape the department’s curriculum. We publish the annual Global Communications Report, a survey of the public relations industry, and the Relevance Report, a collection of essays and trend pieces from industry leaders and USC academics. The CPR also hosts USC Annenberg’s Kenneth Owler Smith Symposium each spring, the largest gathering of PR professionals in Southern California annually since its founding in 1991.

The Polarization Index

The USC Polarization Index measures the changing levels of polarization in the American discourse by assessing social media shares of relevant news stories, cross-referenced by categories of media outlets that range in reliability and political bias. 

Cover of the USC Annenberg Brand Purpose Communication study

Trends and best practices in brand purpose communication

The USC Center for Public Relations has conducted a study, in collaboration with PRWeek, focused on identifying trends and best practices for brand purpose. Reviewing the 2019PRWeek Purpose Award Entries, the study highlights how brands can effectively engage in purposeful campaigns and become authentic purpose-based brands. Read PRWeek’s overview here and explore the full report below.

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The USC Center for Public Relations — Shaping the Future of Communications

Based at the Annenberg School in the heart of Los Angeles, the USC Center for Public Relations (CPR) is truly at the center of one of the world’s most dynamic professions — connecting corporations, agencies, academics and students to define the future of our industry and to develop those who will shape it.

Fred Cook_USC Announcement from Golin on Vimeo.

Meet the CPR team

Photo of Fred Cook

Director, Center for Public Relations

Image of Burghardt Tenderich

Co-director, Public Relations Studies Program; Associate Director, Center for Public Relations

Chief Program Officer, Center for Public Relations

Senior Research Fellow, Center for Public Relations

Senior Advisor, Center for Public Relations

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