Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2000 A Brief History of Public Relations Chapter 3 Public Relations A Values-Driven Approach This multimedia product and its

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2000

A Brief History ofA Brief History ofPublic RelationsPublic Relations

Chapter 3Chapter 3

Public RelationsPublic Relations

A Values-Driven ApproachA Values-Driven Approach

This multimedia product and its contents are protected under copyright law. The following This multimedia product and its contents are protected under copyright law. The following are prohibited by law:are prohibited by law:

• • any public performance or display, including transmission of any image over a network;any public performance or display, including transmission of any image over a network;• • preparation of any derivative work, including the extraction, in whole or in part, of any preparation of any derivative work, including the extraction, in whole or in part, of any images;images;• • any rental, lease, or lending of the program.any rental, lease, or lending of the program.


Pre-ModernPre-ModernPublic RelationsPublic Relations

• Primitive agricultural Primitive agricultural extension activities (circa extension activities (circa 1,800 B.C.)1,800 B.C.)

• Athens (circa 450 B.C.)Athens (circa 450 B.C.)• Vox populiVox populi (circa 100 B.C.) (circa 100 B.C.)• Congregatio de Propaganda Congregatio de Propaganda

Fide Fide (circa 1600s)(circa 1600s)


Social Trends Leading to Social Trends Leading to Evolution of Public Evolution of Public

RelationsRelations• Growth of institutionsGrowth of institutions• The expansion of democracyThe expansion of democracy• Technological improvements in Technological improvements in

communicationcommunication• The growth of advocacyThe growth of advocacy• The search for consensusThe search for consensus


Pre-Twentieth-Century Pre-Twentieth-Century AmericaAmerica

• The Boston Tea PartyThe Boston Tea Party• Common SenseCommon Sense• The Federalist LettersThe Federalist Letters• The First Amendment of the The First Amendment of the

United States ConstitutionUnited States Constitution


The 1800sThe 1800s

• A greater focus on public A greater focus on public opinionopinion

• Amos Kendall, press secretaryAmos Kendall, press secretary• P.T. Barnum, father of press-P.T. Barnum, father of press-

agentryagentry• Jay Cooke, Civil War fund Jay Cooke, Civil War fund

raiserraiser


The Seedbed YearsThe Seedbed Years

• Mutual Life Insurance Company Mutual Life Insurance Company - 1888.- 1888.

• Westinghouse - 1889.Westinghouse - 1889.• The Publicity Bureau - 1900.The Publicity Bureau - 1900.• William Wolf Smith - 1902.William Wolf Smith - 1902.• Parker and Lee - 1904.Parker and Lee - 1904.


Why Early Agencies Why Early Agencies FailedFailed

• They were doing something They were doing something new.new.

• They lacked credibility.They lacked credibility.• They faced stiff resistance from They faced stiff resistance from

newspaper publishers.newspaper publishers.• They challenged Theodore They challenged Theodore

Roosevelt -- and lost.Roosevelt -- and lost.


Theodore Roosevelt Theodore Roosevelt (1858-1919)(1858-1919)

• Roosevelt transformed Roosevelt transformed relations among government , relations among government , big business, and voters.big business, and voters.

• He used the White House as a He used the White House as a “Bully Pulpit.”“Bully Pulpit.”

• He was the father of the He was the father of the presidential news conference.presidential news conference.


Ivy Ledbetter Lee Ivy Ledbetter Lee (1877-1934)(1877-1934)

• Lee’s Lee’s Declaration of Principles Declaration of Principles (1906) laid (1906) laid an ethical foundation for the practice of an ethical foundation for the practice of public relations.public relations.

• Earned the nickname “Poison Ivy” Earned the nickname “Poison Ivy” because his actions did not match his because his actions did not match his words.words.

• His work for the German Dye Trust His work for the German Dye Trust ruined his reputation.ruined his reputation.


War and PropagandaWar and Propaganda

• A growing interest in A growing interest in propagandapropaganda

• The Committee for Public The Committee for Public Information a/k/a The Creel Information a/k/a The Creel CommitteeCommittee

• The “Four-Minute Men”The “Four-Minute Men”• The Zimmerman TelegramThe Zimmerman Telegram


Edward L. Bernays (1891-Edward L. Bernays (1891-1995)1995)

• Bernays was a nephew of Sigmund Freud Bernays was a nephew of Sigmund Freud and a veteran of the Creel Committee.and a veteran of the Creel Committee.

• He coined the phrase “public relations He coined the phrase “public relations counsel” in 1923’s counsel” in 1923’s Crystallizing Public Crystallizing Public OpinionOpinion..

• He promoted himself as “the father of He promoted himself as “the father of public relations.”public relations.”


Why Bernays and Not Why Bernays and Not Lee?Lee?

• Both men deserve recognition.Both men deserve recognition.

• Neither man was a saint.Neither man was a saint.

• Lee worked for the Nazis. Bernays did Lee worked for the Nazis. Bernays did not.not.

• Lee died before he could answer his Lee died before he could answer his critics. Bernays outlived his.critics. Bernays outlived his.


The Post-War BoomThe Post-War Boom

• The Office of War Information becomes a The Office of War Information becomes a training ground for new practitioners.training ground for new practitioners.

• The growth in public relations education.The growth in public relations education.

• Public Relations Society of America, 1947.Public Relations Society of America, 1947.

• International Association of Business International Association of Business Communicators, 1970.Communicators, 1970.


Post-War Social Post-War Social ActivismActivism

• The New Industrial Age.The New Industrial Age.• The Age of Political Activism.The Age of Political Activism.• Advocates turn the tables on Advocates turn the tables on

business and adopt public business and adopt public relations practices.relations practices.


The Downsizing of The Downsizing of the United Statesthe United States

• An aging U.S. infrastructure leads An aging U.S. infrastructure leads to modernization and downsizing.to modernization and downsizing.

• Reagan downsizes the federal Reagan downsizes the federal government.government.

• In-house public relations In-house public relations departments downsized or departments downsized or eliminated.eliminated.

• New opportunities for agencies and New opportunities for agencies and consultants.consultants.


Baby Boomers Come of Baby Boomers Come of AgeAge

• The United States is The United States is transformed into an transformed into an information-based society.information-based society.

• New jobs, but lower salaries.New jobs, but lower salaries.• A changing workplace.A changing workplace.• Public relations takes a high Public relations takes a high

profile.profile.


““Future History”Future History”

• An increasingly interdependent An increasingly interdependent world.world.

• Democracy takes root.Democracy takes root.• More ways to communicate -- and More ways to communicate -- and

more clutter.more clutter.• Public relations will continue to Public relations will continue to

be linked to great social changes.be linked to great social changes.

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Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2000 A Brief History of Public Relations Chapter 3 Public Relations A Values-Driven Approach This multimedia product and its