Locating a narrative paradigm Nexus in the circuit of culture: articulating the anti-proposition 112 public relations campaign in Colorado

ABSTRACT In the fall of 2018, fracking interests in Colorado initiated a public relations campaign against Proposition 112 – a measure that these interests perceived as an emergent threat to their continued viability. This thematic analysis reviewed the messaging used by the industry and its supporters as it appeared across 1,515 text articles (e.g., news accounts, op-eds, etc.) and 38 Facebook posts. We found that pro-fracking messages, rather than concentrating on the quality of the ideas offered in support of fracking (e.g., facts and data) often chose to emphasize connections to the lived experiences of the audiences. As such, this work offers an exploratory model of this phenomena called the Circuit of Culture/Narrative Paradigm Nexus Model, which includes as components values, aesthetics, and resonance. This model offers both a theoretical and applied framework for how an organization may affirm alliance with key audiences, especially when detecting an emergent threat to its continued existence.