Biography
Tracy M. Rutledge is a Professor in the Department of Mass Media and Strategic Communication. Her teaching and scholarship focus on strategic communication, visual design, and audience engagement.
Her research explores the cognitive and affective influences of message design. She studies visual branding. She is particularly interested in examining how consumers and fans react to logo redesigns and the influence of design characteristics on emotional responses to brands. Her scholarly work has been published in the Handbook of Visual Communication and presented at national and international conferences, including the VisComm Conference, the National Communication Association annual conference, and the Association for the Education of Journalism and Mass Communication annual conference.
In the classroom, she emphasizes experiential and service-learning. Her students often work with regional non-profits and campus partners to develop strategic communication plans and design communication materials. These projects range from developing comprehensive visual branding strategies to planning social media campaigns.
Beyond her academic work, she maintains a connection to professional practice by consulting with local non-profit organizations, producing design work, and obtaining industry certifications.
Education
- Ph.D. in Communication (University of Memphis)
- Master of Science in Communications (The University of Tennessee at Martin)
- Bachelor of Science in Arts and Sciences—Major: Communications with an emphasis in Public Relations (The University of Tennessee at Martin)
Awards & Recognitions
- Coffey Outstanding Teaching Award from The University of Tennessee at Martin
- Hardy Graham Distinguished Professorship Award from The University of Tennessee at Martin
- Outstanding Graduate Student Mentor from Tennessee Communication Association
- AEJMC Best Practices Competition, 1st place in Best Practices of Teaching Visual Communication from Association for the Education of Journalism and Mass Communication
- Top Four Paper Award from National Communication Association, Applied Communication Division
Courses Taught
- MMSC 321 Principles of Media Design
- MMSC 322 Publication Design
- MMSC 344 Visual Branding and Identity Design
- MMSC 405/605 Social Media Strategy
- MMSC 710 Applied Research Methods for Professionals
Selected Publications, Articles & Presentations
- Book Chapter
- Rutledge, T. M. (2020). Examining the Influence of Visual-Verbal Redundancy on the Cognitive and Affective Factors Involved in the College Choice Process. In S. Josephson, J.D. Kelly, and K. Smith (Eds.) Handbook of Visual Communication, Second Edition (Chapter 4). Routledge.
- Peer-Reviewed Presentations
- Rutledge, T. M. (Author and Presenter), 39th Annual VisComm Conference, “Beyond Charts and Graphs: Putting the Story Back in Visual Data Storytelling,” VisComm, Estes Park, Colorado, United States. (June 2025)
- Rutledge, T. M. (Author and Presenter), 38th Annual VisComm Conference, “The Little Zine That Can Teach Big Things,” VisComm, Saratoga, Wyoming, United States. (June 2024)
- Rutledge, T. M. (Author and Presenter), 37th Annual VisComm Conference, “Summitt Blue, a Logo, and Commercial Semiotics: A Cautionary Tale for Visual Branding,” VisComm, Mammoth Lakes, California, United States. (June 2023)
- Rutledge, T. M., Scott, K., and Dillon, K. (Co-Authors and Presenters), Popular Culture Association 2022 National Conference, “I Love You Just the Way You Are: A Case Study of Brand-Consciousness and Fans’ Reactions to Redesigned Collegiate Sports Logos,” Pop Culture Association, Virtual Conference. (April 6, 2022)
- Rutledge, T. M. (Author and Presenter), 36th Annual VisComm Conference, “Using Universal Design of Learning (UDL) Strategies to Teach Visual Communication and Design Theory to Students with Visual Disabilities,” VisCom, Cannon Beach, Oregon, United States. (June 2021)
- Rutledge, T. M. (Co-Author and Presenter) & Brown, A. B. (Co-Author), Southern States Communication Association Annual Conference, "Learning the ROPEs by Managing a Social Media Campaign: Teaching the Campaign Process Through a Two-Course Experiential Learning Project," Southern States Communication Association, Frisco, TX, United States. (April 6, 2021).
- Rutledge, T. M. (Author), 33rd Annual VisCom Conference, "When Strong is Weak: Examining the Effect of Aesthetic Middle Designs on Consumers’ Attitudes Toward Logos and Brands," VisCom, Mammoth Lakes Resort, Mammoth, CA, United States. (June 22, 2019).
- Rutledge, T. M., 32nd Annual VisCom Conference (Author and Presenter), "Guarding the Front Door of a Brand: What Designers and Marketing Professionals Can Learn from J.C. Penney Company’s Failed Logo Redesign," VisCom, San Diego, CA, United States. (June 2018).
- Rutledge, T. M. (Author and Presenter), National Communication Association Annual Conference, "Identifying Message Strategies for Public Relations Programs: Using Structural Equation Modeling to Develop Student Recruitment Message Strategies," NCA Applied Communication Division, Chicago, IL. (November 2014).
- Rutledge, T. M., 27th Annual VisCom Conference (Author and Presenter), "Feeling Type: Can Design Characteristics of Typefaces Used in Wordmarks Influence Emotional Responses to the Brand?," VisCom, Steamboat Springs, CO, United States. (June 2013).
- Rutledge, T. M. (Co-Author and Presenter), Sopory, P. (Co-Author), National Communication Association Annual Conference, "The Influence of Visual-Verbal Redundancy in Student Recruitment Messages," Applied Communication Division of the National Communication Association, New Orleans, LA, United States. (November 2011).
- Rutledge, T. M. (Presenter), Association for the Education of Journalism and Mass Communication Annual Conference, "Designing the Introduction to Interactive Multimedia Course Website," Communication Technology and Visual Communication Division of the Association for the Education of Journalism and Mass Communication, Chicago, IL, United States. (August 2008).
Publication Design
Social Media Strategy
Strategic Communication Campaigns
Research Methods