Cal State Fullerton Taking PR to China

When Fred Zandpour’s flight was delayed in Hong Kong, the plane sat on the runway for two hours. Yet no one announced to the restless passengers what was going on or how long they would be stuck there.

Later, when some luggage was lost in Shanghai, “we didn’t get much in the way of customer service,” Zandpour said.

None of this surprised Zandpour, associate dean of Cal State Fullerton’s College of Communications, which in February will begin offering a master’s program in advertising and public relations to Chinese students at the University of Hong Kong’s School of Professional and Continuing Education.

“Public relations in China is not good,” Zandpour said. “As China moves toward a market economy, it needs a lot more people who understand promotion and selling.”

Public relations is an industry in its infancy in China. Large U.S. firms didn’t set up shop in China until the mid-1980s. Until recently, locally driven public relations efforts were orchestrated by the government -- and often lubricated with bribes.

“Advertising and public relations have become big issues in China now, with their acceptance into the World Trade Organization and with the 2008 Olympics in Beijing,” said Rick Pullen, dean of Cal State Fullerton’s communications college. “It’s a very hot topic in China.”

Indeed, surveys from the China International Public Relations Assn. show revenue generated by the nation’s public relations industry doubled from 1999 to 2001.

Pullen said the University of Hong Kong officials sought out Cal State Fullerton, which has one of only 11 public relations programs certified by the Public Relations Society of America.

“Here in the U.S., we understand what you must do so people understand your message,” Pullen said.

About 30 students have signed up for the program’s first session, which will be taught in English by a Cal State Fullerton faculty member. The university hopes to expand its program to Shanghai and to develop a student-exchange program.

“The people who have signed up for classes are modern Chinese students,” Pullen said.

“They know what’s going on in the world. They are young people who are well informed. I’m sure there will be some cultural shock from time to time, but they’re ready to learn.”

Cultural differences will mean course work will be tailored to a Chinese audience, however.

“We need to be very sensitive. Just because it works here, in our culture, may not mean it works there,” Pullen said.

He cited the use of blatant sexual imagery so common in American advertising.

“That’s not for China,” Pullen said.