By emphasizing the cultural approach, this book brings an essential perspective into the field of risk and crisis communication. In today’s globalized and multicultural societies, understanding cultural differences is critical to the design of effective risk and crisis messages. Littlefield, Sellnow & Sellnow present a general understanding of how culture is an important prerequisite for successful communication, but also deliver in-depth analyses of contemporary crises, which show why messages are more or less effective with different culturally diverse groups. This is an inspiring work and a must-read for both communication practitioners and scholars.

Bengt Johansson, University of Gothenburg

The Covid19 pandemic exposed some hard truths about systemic health, economic and social inequities that affect a permanent underclass of mostly ethnic and racial minority groups. These low-level workers, who lack adequate protection, are all the more vulnerable because of poor working conditions. Their fate is compounded by the politicization of health messages. In Integrated Marketing Communications in Risk and Crisis Contexts: A Culture-Centered Approach, Littlefield, Sellnow and Sellnow, deftly capture the important role of culture in developing and disseminating crucial crisis messaging, a sorely needed strategy and tacticin navigating today’s turbulent world. This should be required reading for policy makers, scholars and practitioners.

Amiso M. George, Texas Christian University

Littlefield, Sellnow, and Sellnow bridge a gap between integrated marketing communications, crisis and risk communication, and culture. This text is scholarly and accessible and appropriate for students, practitioners, and the communication discipline; and brings a new perspective that can change policy and save lives. The IDEA model fits well with the aims and framework of IMC and moves IMC into a richer theoretical frame. This volume makes a significant contribution to the Lexington Books Integrated Marketing Communications series.

Jeanne M. Persuit, University of North Carolina Wilmington