The Advertorial as a Tool of Mediated Public Diplomacy

Guy J. Golan, Evhenia “Zhenia” Viatchaninova

Abstract


This study examines Russia’s use of the advertorial as a strategic tool of public diplomacy. Our analysis of 303 advertorial news items published in supplemental sections of The Washington Post and The Times of India finds that, overall, Russian advertorials focused primarily on economics, culture, and international relations. However, the results point to greater diversity in issue promotion for the U.S. advertorials than for the Indian advertorials. Furthermore, we identified dissimilar attribute promotion strategies between the two advertorials. The Indian advertorials focused predominantly on Russia’s power attribute, whereas U.S. advertorials highlight Russia’s attributes as an innovative, developed, and investor-friendly nation. Research findings are discussed in the wider scope of mediated public diplomacy and international agenda-building scholarship.


Keywords


public diplomacy;advertorial;Russia;soft power;public relations;diplomacy;India;Newspapers

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