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

Today, the ability to communicate is a vital skill for effective leaders and successful companies.  But in tomorrow’s real-time media environment engaging the average human will be more of a science than an art.
 
People will be bombarded 24/7 with mountains of data on hundreds of new channels. Most messages will be generated by machines, paid for by corporations and ignored by individuals. How can an organization remain relevant in this complex global conversation? How can an individual adapt to trends that change as fast as Facebook profiles? That’s where we come in.
 

At CPR, we identify emerging issues and analyze new technologies. We examine current strategies and forecast future trends. We conduct communications training for business leaders and leadership training for communications professionals.  We create meaningful partnerships between the corporate and academic worlds that engage Annenberg students in the real-world practice of Public Relations.
 
Fred Cook, the CEO of Golin, one of the world’s largest PR firms, leads the Center. He brings 30 years of experience working with clients like Nintendo, Toyota and McDonald’s and CEOs like Jeff Bezos, Herb Kelleher and Steve Jobs.  As chronicled in his book Improvise, Cook has a history of risk taking and innovation in his personal and professional life.  Four years ago, in response to changes in media and technology, he led a radical transformation of his 60-year-old agency by creating an entirely new business model called g4, which is based on delivering insights, ideas, engagement and integration. Since that time, Golin has been named agency of the year more than a dozen times.
 
To realize the Center’s vision, Cook has assembled a team of seasoned professionals and up-and-coming millennials who share their perspectives with executives who want to adapt to the future and students who want to lead it.
 
If you are interested in learning more about how CPR can help you or your organization remain relevant in the dynamic new world of public relations, contact Fred at fcook@usc.edu.