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Steve Caplan

Strategic Communications, Advertising, Politics | Adjunct Instructor, USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism

Steve Caplan is an Adjunct Instructor at the University of Southern California's Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, where he specializes in courses related to advertising and political communication. He has developed and taught various classes, including Introduction to Advertising, Political Advertising in the 2024 Election, and Social Media Advertising. His teaching approach emphasizes equipping students with the skills necessary to navigate the rapidly changing media landscape and effective messaging strategies.123

In addition to his teaching role, Caplan is the founder and principal strategist of Message, a strategic communications agency based in Los Angeles that has been operational since 2012. The agency serves a diverse clientele, including Fortune 100 companies, non-profits, and public sector organizations. Caplan's extensive background spans nearly 25 years in strategic communications, focusing on advertising, public affairs, and cause marketing.134

Before establishing Message, Caplan was a partner at GMMB, a prominent cause marketing firm known for its work on significant campaigns, including those for Barack Obama's 2008 presidential campaign. His experience includes overseeing creative development for various high-profile clients and managing communications strategies on complex issues such as global health and environmental policy.134

Caplan holds a Bachelor's degree in Communication Studies from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and a Master's degree from the Fels School of Government at the University of Pennsylvania, focusing on public finance and management.34 His professional insights into political advertising have been featured in various media outlets, particularly regarding the implications of technology and media consumption trends in the context of upcoming elections.2

Highlights

Aug 26 · linkedin

Enjoyed spending time with Spectrum News and Amrit Singh talking #Election2024, political branding, music in politics, and the Democratic Convention on their midday show today. (all in 5 rapid fire minutes!!)

Aug 23 · linkedin

Historic week in Chicago, and one of the few conventions I've missed in my adult life, but super fun bringing observations on Election '24 to incoming University of Southern California students ✌️ and on the air with Spectrum News. This will be a wild 70+ days!

(And for those who think LinkedIn should be "politics free" a quote from an article from Bloomberg News about the importance of conventions for legal biz). 😉

Related Questions

What are some of the key takeaways from Steve Caplan's course on political advertising in the 2024 election?
How has Steve Caplan's experience at GMMB influenced his teaching at USC Annenberg?
What are the main challenges Steve Caplan sees in using AI for political advertising?
Can you provide examples of successful campaigns led by Steve Caplan at Message?
How does Steve Caplan incorporate real-world examples into his teaching at USC?
Steve Caplan
Steve Caplan, photo 1
Steve Caplan, photo 2
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United States