Integrated Communication

17	Product Publicity: An Orphan of Marketing Research

Kirk HallahanUniversity of North Dakota

Merims (1972) described product publicity as “marketing’s stepchild.” From a marketing theory and research perspective, this fourth element in the promotion mix might better be described as an orphan.

Despite the millions of dollars spent by marketers and publicists to gain exposure for products and services in the editorial (nonadvertising) portions of the mass media, little theoretical literature exists about product publicity or how it works together with other marketing elements. This gap exists at a time when marketing professionals are calling for integrated marketing programs that combine all of the promotion mix elements.

The purpose of this ...