Edward Bernays, PR Pioneer: How He Shaped Public Opinion

Summary

Sources

britannica.com

Edward Bernays, born on November twenty-second, eighteen ninety-one in Vienna, Austria, emerged as one of the most transformative figures in the nascent field of public relations. His journey to becoming the first professional public relations counselor began with a transatlantic move at the tender age of one when his family settled in New York City. It was here, in this bustling metropolis, that Bernays would eventually carve out a new profession, one that would draw on the burgeoning social sciences to mold and motivate public opinion. The nephew of the eminent psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud, Bernays was steeped in an environment that valued intellectual pursuit and understanding of the human psyche. His mother, Freud's sister Anna, and his father, a successful grain merchant, provided a stable foundation for young Edward. Despite his father's hopes for him to join the family trade, Bernays's educational path took a different turn. He graduated from high school at sixteen and went on to attend Cornell University. There, he placated his father by earning a degree in agriculture in nineteen twelve, though his heart was never in it. The world of agriculture did not hold Bernays for long. A brief stint in the grain market was enough to steer him toward more congenial work as an editor of a medical review. It was an assignment that would serendipitously introduce him to the play 'Damaged Goods', a production mired in controversy due to its focus on the taboo subject of venereal disease. Bernays's ingenuity came to the fore as he orchestrated a campaign that secured endorsements from prominent civic leaders, ensuring the play's successful production. This episode was more than a triumph in theater promotion; it was the revelation of Bernays's true vocation. Post World War One, alongside Doris Fleischman, who would become his wife, Bernays opened a public relations office. Their client roster was as diverse as it was challenging, featuring the U.S. War Department with its mission to integrate returning veterans into the workforce and the Lithuanian government's quest for recognition by the United States. But it was perhaps his work for Venida hairnets that showcased the tangible impact of strategic public relations. By highlighting the dangers posed by women workers' long, unrestrained hair in factories and restaurants, Bernays not only ensured a boost in sales for his client but also influenced legislation, as several states enacted laws mandating the use of hairnets in these workplaces. Bernays's influence extended beyond client work. His authorship of groundbreaking texts such as 'Crystallizing Public Opinion', 'Propaganda', and 'Public Relations' laid the theoretical foundations for the field. He also edited 'The Engineering of Consent', a volume that houses his renowned definition of public relations—a phrase that encapsulates the essence of his life's work. Through these contributions, Bernays not only shaped the practice of public relations but also its underlying philosophy, ensuring his enduring legacy in the art of persuasion and the science of opinion molding.