Making Global Connections

The newly established Maxwell Center for International Communications and Media held its first international conference this month in cooperation with the Korea Advertising Society.

Among the 60 attendees for the weekend program was Duk-Soo Han, the former prime minister of South Korea who is serving as the South Korean ambassador to the U.S.

“It was very exciting to see the ambassador there,” said Dean Kazoleas, associate professor of communications and director of the Maxwell Center.  “I think the presence of the ambassador exemplifies the importance of the focus on international communications in a global economy and that the work we are doing has achieved a level of recognition within the Korean community.”

The event, the International Advertising and Integrated Communications Conference 2012, was held at the Disneyland Paradise Pier Hotel in Anaheim, and focused on identifying challenges and issues facing the global communications industry, social issues related to advertising and communications, and identifying effective and cutting-edge practices in global advertising and integrated communications.

“What was great about this conference was that it provided a forum for international advertising and communication scholars and professionals to exchange ideas about processes, effects, consequences and best practices,” said conference co-organizer, Kuen-Hee Ju-Pak, professor of advertising. “There were not only advertising professionals in the audience, but also professors and scholars from more than 30 major universities in South Korea. We also had attendees from numerous American university campuses, as well as Macau (China).”

The conference featured 13 different breakout sessions focusing on such topics as advertising, marketing, branding, social media and creativity, particularly as it relates to the Korean community. Several Cal State Fullerton faculty members chaired or served as discussants over specific sessions, including Kazoleas, Ju-Pak, Mark Wu, Jang Ho (Jay) Moon and Fred Zandpour.

“We received an amazing amount of support from the university, our college and our colleagues,” said Kazoleas. “We could not have achieved this success without them.”

Feb. 28, 2012