How Propaganda Became Known As "Public Relations" -A Piece on History of PR

This video explores how Edward Bernays an American pioneer in Public Relations invented a type of "propaganda" known to the publics as "Public Relations" because of Bernays.

When it came to choosing a piece to write about in history of Public Relations, I came across this video on Youtube, and after watching it you can see why. It is so interesting the way the mind works, Bernays knew that the word propaganda was given a negative connotation because of the Germans, so he termed it Public Relations instead.

When a cigarette manufacturer came to Bernays for advice on how to get women to smoke, so that their sales would go up, Bernays turned to his uncle, Sigmund Freud's latest discovery: Psychoanalysts, which promotes to people through subconscious thoughts/wants and used it to promote cigarettes to women. After finding out from Brille for answers as to why women don't like cigarettes. He was told that cigarettes were closely linked to male penises. If Bernays could however challenge that my these women smoking, they would in turn be challenging male power and "have their own penis" He strategically placed different women light up a cigarette during the Easter Day parade in New York with the phrase "torches of freedom" where he was successful in turning the sales up for women by giving them

Objects become something of meaning, "you feel better with the product, not that you just need the product". This has passed on to even the present consumers. We MUST have the newest items, we don't need them, but we feel better with them. He also put on events, like fashion shows, in which expressing character became the main theme. Expressing that need for individuality, and not being one in the same in order to appeal to the masses.

Edward Bernays was before his time, applying his uncles idea to the people and getting the masses to want, want, want by convincing them in was their inner desires. While working at a women's magazine he wrote articles linking his clients products to famous movie stars and was the first to put product placement in movies. Which creates credibility for the client, that a "third party" is writing about their products and not really 'soliciting' to them. Because we know if someone is in your face trying to sell you something you will more than likely decline. Where as if it is mentioned in a positive light, aka a "press release" you will be more inclined to be interested.

I find it so interesting that when you watch commercials, or read articles, you don't really notice that you are being sold to because of Bernays who created this subconscious desire to have the newest items and to really target our inner wants, and not necessarily our needs.

Dream Job: Fashion Publicist, but is it the best career choice during these economic hardships?

Before attending my Principles of Public Relations class at the beginning of the semester, I had determined that my dream was to be a Fashion Publicist in none other than New York City, the city that never sleeps. Working with fashion designers and planning events for them seemed like the perfect job for me. I jumped into the Public Relations courses headfirst this semester without really knowing much about PR and what it all entails. Watching shows like Kell on Earth give the impression that there is much work and little sleep to be done, however, I deemed it to be my future job.

Learning about public relations firms and agencies, I felt that I could combine my dream job with reality. Not that being a fashion publicist is unrealistic, it’s just that the economy is in hole right now and fashion is not where it used to be. So sticking with a “safer” job like working for an agency/ firm that handles more than one company at a time with a wide variety of clients works best. It is in the agencies/ firms that I will be able to work with that will broaden my spectrum and really take an opportunity to practice the skills that I will need in my future PR endeavors.

Fashion is my passion, and it is something that I would like to go to in the future, but as the saying goes, “practice makes perfect” and there is no room in the fashion industry for mistakes so my new route to success is a win, win.