Looking into the history of public relations gives a better sense to the meaning behind public relations as a career and a stable part of the world today. The history of public relations was more like a new type of advertising through communication to the public. American public relations started with the beginning of our government. It was the need our founding fathers had to express new views into the minds of the developing American public. Certain ideas like the Federalist Papers, the First Amendment, and Thomas Paine's Common Sense pamphlet. These ideas were very critical to the American government because it told the public how important the constitutional amendments and ratifications were to them.
One of my favorite historical events of the beginning of public relations was the idea that Edward L. Bernays (father of public relations) carried out into the public. This certain event even shows the beginning of propaganda and trust issues dealing with public relations. In 1929, Bernays was working with the tabacco company trying new ways to sell cigarettes to the public even though he knew cigarettes had health issues surrounding the use of them. On Easter Sunday 10 ladies walked down Fifth Ave. in New York carrying and smoking cigarettes showing people, especially women, that smoking in public was acceptable behavior. This historical event is significant because no matter how normal smoking can be to the public it has never really been accepted in whole by society. His decision to place cigarettes in hands of those 10 ladies is a regretable one for Bernays and he never made a public statement about his discourse. The tabacco company has been fighting the selling of cigarettes for decades and has now admitted they are addictive and harmful. They have also began research, with funds, concerning the health effects surrounding the use of cigarettes in society.
When a company or person has made a mistake towards the public to help themselves suceed it is shown in history that the next best thing to do is apologize publicly acknowledging the mistake doing what they can to fix it. There is no reason to hide behind closed doors and move along as if nothing has happened. Take the Red Cross for example. In 2001, after the attack on America, they collected too many donations from the public and ignored warnings from officials, which ended in wasting a lot of donated blood. At first, they hid behind excuses trying to save the face of the company finally turning around and admitting to the mistake publicly. By admitting to mistakes the public has to regain a certain trust of policies but will still trust the views and expressions of the company.
Public relations has helped build the country of America from the beginning and is still doing so. As in every profession it has made mistakes, but it has always seemed to follow through and stretch its wings just a little further. History can help us better understand public relations by realizing the mistakes and rewards that make this profession important and functional in the world today and tomorrow.
posted by DHS Entertainment @ 12:52 PM
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