What’s in a Name? The Difference Is Strategic Communication

Just as a brand name is a critical element to marketing a product, service, or idea, what we choose to call our academic programs matters. The purpose of this column is to provide a counterpoint to the question of what to name our programs: advertising and/or public relations, or strategic communication? I argue that while the terms “advertising” and/or “public relations” appear more frequently in the names of many U.S. university/college programs, the term “strategic communication” is the better option with a number of potential benefits.