Edward L. Bernays: Father of Public Relations

Public Relations Practitioner Edward L. Bernays has been considered many things by many people: spinmeister, role model, propagandist, genius. Some would regard him as no more that a braggart, a man who shamelessly promoted cigarettes and politics to an unsuspecting public. Others, however, consider him to be the father of the modern public relations, the first to legitimize the field and to approach his work with regards to the theory behind it.

Regardless of personal opinion, it is hard to deny the part Bernays has played not only in the molding of a profession, but in the shaping of a nation. He popularized Freudian theory, made it acceptable for women to smoke in public and introduced bacon as a breakfast food. Through his life and works he has brought to light the social, cultural and political effects of well timed and placed public relations. In the following pages, we will explore some of his more notable contributions to both the field of public relations and to the ways in which Americans (some might argue, Westerners) view their world.

_{*above image from prmuseum.com}