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Intellect

Annual Beckham Lecture in Communications March 27 looks at Church media

“Truth Restored: The Development and Progress of the Church’s Ground-Breaking Paid Media Test and How It Could Change Missionary Work” will be the topic of this year’s annual Raymond E. and Ida Lee Beckham Lecture in Communications series presented at Brigham Young University on Thursday, March 27 at 11 a.m. in the Harold B. Lee Library auditorium.

The lecture will be presented by BYU communications professor Kevin Kelly. Admission is free, and the public is welcome.

In March 2005, a media task force of LDS advertising professionals was commissioned by the Missionary Executive Council to explore media options to improve the Church’s missionary efforts. The goal was to increase awareness and engage a potential target of young professionals with families.

The lecture will focus on the research and creative development of the media campaign, with examples of the TV and radio commercials, magazine print ads, billboards, banner ads and pass-a-long cards. The results of the eight-month media test in three missions of the Church will be presented.

The Raymond E. and Ida Lee Beckham Lecture in Communications series was established in 1995 to honor the lasting legacy of Raymond E. and Ida Lee Beckham. Each year, one outstanding faculty member is selected to present a lecture on a significant topic relevant to his or her area of academic research and expertise.

Kelly joined the Communications Department at BYU after 19 years of experience at Ogilvy & Mather advertising agency in New York, where he was a creative director, senior partner and an operating board member. Under the direction of Elder M. Russell Ballard, Kelly is chairing a media task force assigned to find new ways to use paid media to enhance the missionary efforts of the church.

For more information, contact Emily Bennion at (801) 422-4510.

Writer: Emily Bennion

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