SJMC Covers Campaign Trail by KIM ERCHUL SJMC Faculty SJMC STUDENT His Year, a Group of by KIRSTEN L

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA School of Journalism and Mass Commuriication Summer 1992 Awards for aggressive reporting ... page 3 Smokey Bear and advertising ._ .. ·page 4 I II Brovald-Sim community journalists ... page 7 Alumni .notes ... page 10 Leading advertising researcher joins SJMC covers campaign trail BY KIM ERCHUL SJMC faculty SJMC STUDENT his year, a group of BY KIRSTEN L. JENSEN political reporting stu SJMC GRADUATE STUDENT dents went on a field ill wells is one of those rare trip to the presidential people who feels just as com caucuses in Iowa, where theyT slept little and wrote a lot. fortable in the business world as he does in academia. He's The II SJMC students dreamed up innovative adver- stayed in Des Moines for I 0 tisingB methods just as often as he's pub days in February to write about lished his research findings in academic the nation's first presidential journals. He thrives on advertising. caucuses. In past years, Iowa "The people has been a political stomping who work in ad ground for presidential candi vertising are very dates eager to gain recognition. sharp and interest But Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, ing people," said declared his candidacy in Wells, SJMC's September, forcing other can first Mithun Land didates to campaign on more Grant Chair in neutral playing ground in the Advertising. "The New Hampshire primaries. Bill Wells problems are com- The unusual calm and Sen. Tom Harkin, 0-lowa, campaigning in Ottumwa, an Iowa farming town, before the caucuses: (Photo by Diane Bush) plicated and diffi absence of candidates forced cult and you get immediate feedback." students to come up with cre- Wells w,ill conduct research on con ative story ideas, said Associate sumer behavior and teach several Professor Bill Babcock. Students were expected to be productive, timely and creative, courses in advertising and persuasion "I learned what it was like to said SJMC Associate Professor Bill Babcock, when he joins the School in the fall. tum out fresh insights when He's best known for his work devel there is only one game in town, a former political reporter and editor. oping a detailed consumer survey dur which is reality in journalism," ing 17 years as executive vice president said Pat Berg, an SJMC gradu "I wanted them to mature as journalists in one quantum leap." and director of marketing services for ate student. "You had to go DDB Needham Worldwide, Inc. Before look for [the stories], and you joining the company, he taught at the had to search your surroundings with a and international news professionals, classes before. While teaching at Syra University of Chicago Graduate School writer's eye." Babcock said This year, media from cuse University, he took two classes to_ of Business and at Rutgers University. Crammed into a hotel room suite with Iowa, Minnesota and a Japanese televi cover the Massachusetts primaries. "Bill Wells is arguably the leading five computers, a fax machine and a ·sion crew covered the caucuses. Babcock also published several arti advertising researcher in the country," patient professor, the II students pub "One of the potential benefits [of the cles about the caucuses in the Christian said AI Tims, SJMC associate profes lished a total of75 articles. Students course] is to see how the students develop Science Monitor, where he formerly sor. "He has phenomenal academic and free-lanced their work to newspapers in their stories and compare that with other worked as an editor. He wrote an article professional experience. He will Minnesota, several other Midwestern journalists' work on the campaigning and for a Scottish newspaper explaining the undoubtedly broaden the base of our states, New York and Massachusetts. the caucuses," said Dan Wackman, mechanics of U.S. presidential cam advertising curriculum." Students were expected to be pro SJMC director. paigns and elections. He and Diane Wells will teach a course on how to ductive, timely and creative, Babcock To prepare for the trip, each student Bush, an SJMC photojournalism gradu design and conduct research. Students said. "I wanted them to mature as jour scanned several newspapers and maga ate student, teamed up on an artiCle will work in teams and present their nalists in one quantum leap," he said, zines daily and collected clippings on comparing an Iowa town called Elkhart findings at professional conferences. He adding that a goal of the class was to three issues or political candidates of with a city of the same name in Indiana. will also teach a persuasion course test aspiring journalists' desire to work their own choosing. They were expected In her search to find unusual story focusing on different styles found in in the news business. to become experts, Babcock said. ideas, Pat Berg visited a Des Moines political rhetoric, literature, advertising Jennifer Corbett, an SJMC senior, Maureen Smith, an SJMC graduate hotel known for attracting Democrats, copy and historical writing. interviewed Ruth Harkin, the wife of student, said she wrote several stories who closely follow politics. She was "I'm looking forward with great the senator, for a story. The Harkins comparing cities in Iowa and New York hoping to find a source who had shaken enthusiasm to get started with teaching campaigned throughout the state for for a New York paper. "I got to write hands with many past presidential can and research," Wells said. "It will be a several days before the caucuses. "She about this tiny farming community in didates. In Iowa, personal campaign good chance to work with some excel was very media savvy and not totally Iowa and an economically depressed style is the rule. lent colleagues and graduate students candid," said Corbett. city with a riverboat casino on the Mis "Sure enough, he was standing right and contribute to the high reputation of Reporting on the presidential caucuses sissippi River," said Smith. "It was a there," Berg said. "He had shaken hands the school." can provide students with the unique really good learning experience." with every president and candidate ' CONTINUED ON PAGE 4 experience of working alongside national Babcock taught political reporting since 1950." -- .. r Director's note BY DANIEL B. WACKMAN SJMC DIRECTOR at\lifelighted that Bill Wells is ham, Bill continued to publish in aca joining the faculty as the first demic journals and to participate in aca holder of the Mithun Land Grant demic organizations, as well as serve in Chair in Advertising. (See cover such industry groups as the American story.) Bill taught for 21 years at Association of Advertising Agencies RutgersI and the University of Chicago Research Committee and the Advertis Graduate School of Business before ing Council Research Committee. entering the world of advertising at His ideas about lifestyle segmenta Needham Harper & Steers in 1976 as tion and transformational advertising director of research. In his 17 years at have had major impacts on both profes the agency, he created one of the most sional practice and academic research. respected research departments in the Bill Wells will strengthen the Professor Emeritus Tommy Thompson celebrated alongside Julie Sukowatey, this year's PRSSA editor. advertising business. He developed and School's advertising program immense implemented the agency's "lifestyle" ly. His initial focus will be on building the graduate part of the program. In my view, he has the best qualifi cations for this position of anyone Thompson honored for years in the country. We are very fortu nate to have him join the faculty. Funding Support of service to PR students Despite the second consecutive creation. He founded the first PRSSA round of major reductions in state BY KIRK LYKSETT chapter in the state and became its fac funding of the University, the Col SJMC STUDENT ulty advisor. lege of Liberal Arts (CLA) contin orne professors just don't know Thompson "has contributed more to ues to fulfill most provisions of its when to stop. Willard "Tommy" this [public relations] program than any funding agreement with the Thompson, professor emeritus, other faculty member in the history of School. is one of them. In his 23 years at the school," Wackman said. "There CLA has added· $40,000 to the Dan Wackman spoke with students in the pre-major mentor~ the University, he created the were very few people that had the dedi School's operating budget for ing program at a May reception. The new program matches SJMCS public relations curriculum, cation to students that Tommy Thomp students of color interested in mass communication careers 1992-93. Currently, 85 percent of founded a student public relations club son had." with media professionals who serve as role models. the $260,000 promised to the and still counsels students on public Gillmor recalled Thompson as (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat) School in 1989 as part of a five relations careers. "upbeat, always ready with a fast quip, year funding package has been That's why the University's Public always in a good mood and always con study, which is widely recognized)!S paid, anp the_College is staying on_ Relations Student Society of America, cerned with other people. Thompson is one of the most definitive measures of schedule in meeting its commitment. PRSSA, dedicated the Twin Cities the kind of colleague that just makes U.S. consumer trends and attitudes. In addition, the CLA and the Univer ' : chapter to Thompson, who founded the you feel good. I have valued him as a Besides building the research unit at sity delivered the promised $400,000 in chapter. Students, faculty members and colleague but more than that, as a friend. DDB Needham, Bill developed the funds for equipment and facilities a year alumni gathered at the celebration on If there was an award for a Great Guy, advertising strategy planning system ahead of schedule.

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