He is the author of the Prentice-Hall text, The Practice of Public Relations . So public relations people have to be subtler in seeking to publicize their clients or employers. Two related, foolproof devices to attract positive publicity are the case history and byliner. The Case History Case histories are soft-sell testimonials that describe a client's favorable use of a company's product or service. Magazines, particularly trade journals, welcome case histories, especially those which talk about the experiences of one firm that might be shared by others in the industry.
Editors seek such articles because of their relevance to the broader readership.
Typical case histories follow a five-part formula. The public relations director of the University of Houston, who explained the following in a letter, approached the editor of Oil Exploration magazine on a story. Exxon-Mobil had a problem. While it was keen on offering adult education courses to its employees, those assigned to the firm's two oil rigs in the Gulf of Mexico found themselves shut out of such advanced learning while they were stationed offshore. Other oil companies, with similar offshore rigs, shared Exxon-Mobil's problem.