Making an imperial reputation

Ancient Rome was a hotbed of public relations tricks and techniques

 
The function of history in public relations can be a profoundly practical one, as it draws attention to past cases and situations that may inform responses in a present-day context. Public relations educators rely on case studies that constitute a point of reference for students, academics and professionals alike. It is an irony that the quality of these cases is defined by how current they are, which narrows down the breadth of expertise that can be drawn on. In other words, historical precedence ignored is experience lost. There is evidence to suggest that a lack of historical awareness hinders and slows down the discipline’s evolvement.

Christian Schnee

Dr Christan Schnee began his career as a spoksperson for the Christian Democratic Union in Hamburg and later Hesse. Between 2001 and 2004 he served as director of government communications in the city state of Hamburg, and between 2005 and 2006 he was head of international media relations for the 2006 FIFA Football World Cup Office in Hamburg. He took up his current position in 2008.