Governments use public relations to advance their interests in both domestic and foreign affairs. In international organizations like the United Nations, governments employ public relations campaigns to manage image, reputation, expectations, and issues in political environments filled with elite frame competition from both allies and foes alike. This study uses a qualitative approach to compare strategic narratives by three democratic, allied governments competing for election to the UN Security Council: Ireland, Norway, and Canada. Results show Ireland presented a holistic storytelling approach, blending system, identity, and issue narratives. Conversely, Norway emphasized issue-based narratives while Canada relied on identity-based narratives. The balanced value proposition approach in Ireland’s campaign likely contributed to the Irish government’s strong return on its investments, compared to its competitors. This contributes theoretical insights for public relations scholars and practitioners on the use of storytelling in global communications.
Authors: Nick Lipsitt, Anika Elias
Advisor: Phillip Arceneaux, Strategic Communication
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