Date of Award

2012

Document Type

Master Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts

Department

Media Communications

First Advisor

Emmett Coffey

Abstract

There has been increased interest from academics, public relations professionals and industry professionals regarding the impact of celebrity ambassadors on the PR strategies of non-profit organisations. This study aims to contribute to the understanding of the non-profit PR sector and the impact of celebrity ambassadors on this section of the PR industry. A qualitative research design was deemed most suitable by the researcher, and semi- structured interviews were used to collect the necessary primary research data. The researcher interviews two PR professionals and three non-profit organisation representatives regarding this particular study. Interviewees were chosen due to their knowledge, experience and exposure to the area of non-profit PR and celebrity culture. The research findings indicate that celebrity ambassadors play a key role in the PR strategies of non-profit organisations. The researcher discovered the immense power celebrities have and how this power can be beneficial to non-profit organisations that are currently operating with limited resources in terms of staff and funding. The researcher also learnt how the celebrity culture in general is affecting the PR industry as a whole. It can be concluded that there are both advantages and disadvantages regarding non-profit organisations engaging with celebrity ambassadors as part of their PR strategies. In this instance, the advantages outweigh the disadvantages.PR professionals in the non-profit sector are embracing the power of the ‘celebrity ambassador’ and as a result promoting non-profit organisations in a successful and effective manner.

Comments

A dissertation submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements of Cork Institute of Technology, for the degree of: Master’s Degree (M.A.) in Public Relations with New Media

Access Level

info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess

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