Edward Bernays, 'Father of Public Relations' And Leader in Opinion Making, Dies at 103
March 10, 1995
Edward Bernays, 'Father of Public Relations' And Leader in Opinion Making, Dies at 103
dward L. Bernays, an early leader in the public relations
field who devised or developed many techniques for
influencing public opinion, died yesterday at his home in
Cambridge, Mass. He was 103.
Mr. Bernays was one of the first people to expand what had been a narrow concept of press agentry, or working to influence government policy, into a far more ambitious -- and controversial -- realm of seeking to influence and change public opinion and behavior.
Over the years, he was instrumental in the formation of opinion-shaping methods that were used on behalf of many business and industrial enterprises, welfare and civic groups, and governments at home and abroad.
He helped shape public relations by favoring the use of endorsements from opinion leaders, celebrities, doctors and other "experts" to strengthen the arguments his clients wanted to make. In addition, he favored surveys, releasing the results of experiments and polls to make a better case for his clients' positions and products.
Mr. Bernays, a nephew of Sigmund Freud, was born in Vienna, grew up in New York and made the city his longtime home and base for his public relations work. Doris E. Fleischman was his wife and partner for more than 50 years. They began working together in 1919, were married in 1922 and moved to Cambridge in 1962. She died in 1980.
Several of the societal changes that Mr. Bernays espoused for clients have had lon
March 10, 1995
Edward Bernays, 'Father of Public Relations' And Leader in Opinion Making, Dies at 103
dward L. Bernays, an early leader in the public relations
field who devised or developed many techniques for
influencing public opinion, died yesterday at his home in
Cambridge, Mass. He was 103.Mr. Bernays was one of the first people to expand what had been a narrow concept of press agentry, or working to influence government policy, into a far more ambitious -- and controversial -- realm of seeking to influence and change public opinion and behavior.
Over the years, he was instrumental in the formation of opinion-shaping methods that were used on behalf of many business and industrial enterprises, welfare and civic groups, and governments at home and abroad.
He helped shape public relations by favoring the use of endorsements from opinion leaders, celebrities, doctors and other "experts" to strengthen the arguments his clients wanted to make. In addition, he favored surveys, releasing the results of experiments and polls to make a better case for his clients' positions and products.
Mr. Bernays, a nephew of Sigmund Freud, was born in Vienna, grew up in New York and made the city his longtime home and base for his public relations work. Doris E. Fleischman was his wife and partner for more than 50 years. They began working together in 1919, were married in 1922 and moved to Cambridge in 1962. She died in 1980.
Several of the societal changes that Mr. Bernays espoused for clients have had lon
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