Exploring Public Relation Campaigns Research from 2019 to 2024: A Systematic Review

The current systematic review study reviewed articles on public relations campaigns published between 2019 and 2024. It aimed to explore these articles regarding development, theories, models, methodologies, data analysis tools, media types and platforms, the geographic distribution of the issues discussed, first author affiliations, and key themes addressed through computerized quantitative content analysis. After applying inclusion and exclusion criteria, 24 articles were collected. The study revealed a significant qualitative shift in the number of articles published in 2021, a trend that continued in subsequent years. This finding is essential for understanding the current landscape of public relations campaigns. Most research did not utilize a specific theory to understand the campaign under study. Public relations campaign articles tended toward a qualitative approach, with case studies and questionnaires emerging as the most prominent data analysis tools. Our analysis of the regions discussed, as well as the geographic distribution of the first authors, reveals that North America was the most prevalent, with the United States leading the way. Digital platforms and social media have overtaken traditional media in PR campaign articles, marking a significant shift in the industry.