1
19th Century
• Land speculators distribute in the East
“gazettes” that extol the fertile land of the west.
• Railroad publicists create a romantic aura
for the west. According to railroad publicist
Charles Lowell in 1858, “he who buildeth a
railroad west must also find a population and
build up a business.
2
19th Century
•Magazines were published to influence public
opinion or to raise cultural standards.
• Most magazines expired in less than a
year.
• The first successful American magazine
was “Godey’s Lady Book, a women’s
fashion magazine founded in 1830.
3
19th Century
Temperance advocates used PR extensively.
• Societies were formed to publish pamphlets,
magazines, and books.
• Speeches, poems, and songs were written
attacking “Demon Rum.”
• When Susan B. Anthony wasn’t axing
saloons, she was business manager of the
Revolution, which advocated a variety of then
“radical” causes.
4
19th Century
Women’s rights advocates effectively used
publicity throughout the century.
•
Sarah Hale, editor of Godey’s Ladies Book,
was an ardent promoter of women’s rights.
• Amelia Bloomer, who protested the corset,
edited the Lily, a women’s rights publication.
• The American Woman Suffrage Association
was formed in 1869 with Lucy Stone editor of
its weekly, The Woman’s Journal.
5
19th Century
Business leaders of the late 19th century
employed PR to promote their businesses and
halt growing criticism.
• The Association of Railroads used the term
public relations in its listings of 1897.
• Mutual Life, in 1888, hired a journalist to
write press releases to improve its image.
• Westinghouse Corporation established the
first in-house publicity department in 1889 to
promote a.c. current against Edison’s d.c.
6
Early 20th Century
In 1900, the Publicity Bureau was founded.
According to Cutlip, Center & Broom (1994):
• “…to do a general press agent business for
as many clients as possible for as good pay as
the traffic will bear.”
• To head off adverse regulatory legislation
the Bureau “effectively used the tools of fact
finding, publicity and personal contact to
saturate the nation’s press, particularly
weeklies, with the railroad’s propaganda.”
7
Early 20th Century
The number of early public relations
firmsAlthough
continues
to grow.
the term
“public relations”
used
increasing
frequency
• Towas
deal
withwith
growing
anti-large
business
after 1897,
these early
firms
called
sentiments,
commercial
firms
turned
to
themselves
“publicity
firms.”
“specialists”
capable
of telling
business’s story
in public forums.
• As newspapers and magazines were then the
only mass mediums, most of the early PR
specialists were journalists.
8
Early 20th Century
Corporations began to promote positive
relationships with customers.
• Ford pioneered press product previews
as well as auto racing as a means to
promote its products.
• Chicago Edison used an external
magazine, films, and stuffers inserted in
customer bills.
9
Early 20th Century
In 1906, Ivy Leadbetter Lee issued his
declaration of principles, which is often
regarded as the birth of modern public
relation
practices
. frankly and openly, on
“In
brief, our
plan is,
behalf of business concerns and public
institutions, to supply to the press and public of
the United states prompt and accurate
information concerning subjects which it is of
value and interest to the public to know about.”
10
Early 20th Century
In 1916, The Committee on Public Information was
formed by President Wilson to promote public
involvement in World War I.
The CPI was chaired by George Creel. He created a
volunteer organization known as the “Four Minutemen.”
These volunteers received messages by telegrams, and
made four minute presentations to schools, churches,
service clubs, and other gatherings across the nation.
All forms of printed messages, including news releases,
news articles, and posters were created and distributed
by the committee.
Play
11
Early 20th Century
Edward Bernays taught the first public
relations course in 1923 at New York
University.
He wrote the book “Crystallizing
public opinion” and coined the term
“public relations counsel.”
Early 20th Century
In the early 20’s, publicity techniques
developed during the war were applied
to social causes.
• The Community Chest movement raised
monies for charities.
• Hoover’s Food Administration
transmitted appeals for food
conservation.
12
Early 20th Century
Evart and Mary Swain Rooutsahn helped
develop the National Publicity Council for
welfare agencies.
• They used the Council to spread new
ideas, techniques, and zeal to novices in
health and welfare publicity work.
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