In This Guide:

Why background?

Background sources (encyclopedias, dictionaries, handbooks, etc.) provide well established summary and factual information. Useful for:

Start with one of these online collections of reference books (Gale Virtual Reference Library is my first recommendation).

Below are some examples of individual encyclopedias and handbooks ...

Gale eBooks from Gale
Full-text access to 400+ resources covering a broad selection of topics.

Covers arts, business, communication, drama, history, medicine, religion, social science and more.

Marketing.
Volume 9 in Blackwell Encyclopedia of Management by Dale Littler (ed.)
Call Number: Ref HD 30.15 .B455 2005 v.9
Advertising Age Encyclopedia of Advertising
Call Number: Ref HF 5803 .A38 2003

A good, three-volume encyclopedia for the subject. Includes articles written by Marquette faculty ...
Encyclopedia of Consumer Brands by Janice Jorgensen, ed.
Call Number: Ref HF 5415.3 .E527 1994

A three-volume set. Getting older, but still has good stuff ...
Encyclopedia of Major Marketing Campaigns
Call Number: Ref HF 5837 .E53 2000

Note: online version only has volume 2.
This two-volume set has great profiles of major campaigns; each profile gives the historical context of the campaign, the target market, the competition, marketing strategy, and the outcome. Covers campaigns through 2006.
International Encyclopedia of the Social Sciences
Call Number: Electronic Resource - 2008 edition

Although this encyclopedia covers a broad range of subjects, it does include articles relevant to ADPR. And it's online ...

Dictionary of Marketing Communication by Norman A. Govoni
Call Number: Ref HF 5412 .G68 2004
Dictionary of Marketing Terms by Betsy-Ann Toffler, Jane Imber
Publication Date: 2000

Online 3rd edition of this book.
Advertising Media A to Z: the definitive resource for media planning, buying and research by Jim Suramanek
Call Number: Ref HF 5826.5 .S848 2004
Corporate Communication from A to Z: an encyclopedia for public relations and marketing professionals by Patricia T. Whalen
Call Number: Ref HD 30.3 .W493 2005