Title: Chapter Two: The Growth of Public Relations
1Chapter Two The Growth of Public Relations
2A snapshot of the field today
- Public relations is a 20th-century phenomenon,
barely 100 years old. - In the 21st century, the field is evolving and
improving every day. - Today, most new professionals possess superior
intellect and experience.
3How did we get here?
- Major 20th century trends
- Growth of big institutions
- Heightened public awareness and media
sophistication - Societal change, conflict, and confrontation
- Growth of global media, public opinion, and
democracy - Dominance of the Internet
4Yet, PR has ancient roots
- Farm bulletins from 1800 B.C in Iraq
- Greek sophists and oratory skills
- Roman persuasive techniques in war
- Pope Gregory XV and propaganda
5A young democracyEarly American experience
- PRs Role in the Revolutionary War
- Boston Tea Party
- Federalist Papers
- The Bill of Rights
6The First Amendment
- Congress shall make no law respecting the
establishment of religion, or prohibiting the
free exercise thereof or abridging the freedom
of speech, or of the press, or the rights of the
people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the
government for a redress of grievances. - Why was this constitutional amendment so central
to the development of PR in America?
7Later American Experience
- Press agentry takes hold in the 1830s with Amos
Kendall, the - first presidential press secretary, serving
under Andrew Jackson. - Kendall
- wrote speeches
- wrote news releases
- conducted public opinion polls
- produced an administration newsletter
8Later American Experience
- Circus master P.T. Barnum gains notoriety with
written and verbal PR techniques. - Barnum staged bizarre media events and generated
coverage of circus performers. - Love him or hate him, Barnum pioneered publicity
techniques that are still used today.
9Emergence of the robber barons
- As people flocked to cities, big business
dominated industry. - William Vanderbilt, J.P. Morgan, and John D.
Rockefeller controlled the fortunes of
thousands. - The public be damned! attitude ruled.
- Seeds of discontent were sown far and wide.
10Enter the Muckrakers
- Upton Sinclair attacks the meat packing industry
with The Jungle - Ida Tarbell writes History of the Standard Oil
Company - McClures magazine strikes out at industry
11Now its your turn
- What is the connection between the robber barons,
the muckrakers, and the rise of public relations
in the late 19th century?
12The father of modern public relations
- Ivy Ledbetter Lee entered PR work in 1903.
- Lee
- based his work on honesty and candor
- The public be informed
- emphasized news value over ads or publicity
stunts - believed companies must strive to earn public
confidence
13 The Growth of Modern Public Relations
14Public relations goes to work in government
- WWI President Wilson creates the Creel
Committee to mobilize public opinion in WWI - WWII The Office of War Information spreads the
U.S. cause around the world
15The counseling era
- Edward Bernays enters the field in 1913 and
becomes the first true public relations
scholar. - Bernays
- taught the first PR course at NYU
- wrote the first seminal works in public
relations, including Crystallzing Public
Opinion - Helped pave the way for women in PR with wife
Doris Fleischman
16Corporations
- As 20th century rolled on, big business came back
into style. - Smart companies such as General Electric, General
Motors and ATT learned that it takes both words
and actions to earn a good reputation. - PR legend Arthur W. Page became ATTs first
public relations vice president in 1927.
17A question for you
- What were Arthur Pages five principles for
successful corporate public relations? - How well do they apply to todays business world?
18Public relations comes of age
- Growth of large institutions
- Heightened public awareness, media
sophistication - Societal change, conflict, and confrontations
- Growing power of global media, public opinion and
democracy - Dominance of the Internet
19Public Relations Education
- 200 Communication and Journalism programs offer
concentrated studies in public relations - Up from 12 schools in l951.
- The Public Relations Society of America,
organized in l947, boasts 20,000 members in 117
chapters nationally. - The Public Relations Student Society of America,
formed in l968, has 6,500 student members at 220
colleges and universities.
20Now its your turn
- Revisit the PR greats of the 20th century online
in the Museum of Public Relations at - www.prmuseum.com