Edward Bernays

Edward Bernays was an American public relations expert. He is often called "the father of public relations." He used ideas from psychology to influence how people think and behave.

Bernays believed that public opinion could be shaped by experts. His work helped create modern advertising and political messaging, but it also raised serious ethical concerns.

 Early life 
Edward Bernays was born on November 22, 1891, in Vienna, Austria-Hungary. His birth name was Eduard Bernays. His family later moved to the United States.

He was the nephew of Sigmund Freud, the famous psychologist. Bernays was influenced by Freud’s ideas about the human mind.

Bernays studied agriculture at Cornell University, but later chose a career in publicity and media.

 Career 
Bernays began his career working in publicity during World War I for the U.S. government. After the war, he helped create the field now known as public relations.

He worked for large companies, governments, and organizations. He believed that people could be guided without them realizing it, by using emotions instead of facts.

 Famous campaigns 
 Torches of freedom 
In 1929, Bernays helped make smoking more acceptable for women. He hired women to smoke cigarettes during a public parade and called the cigarettes "Torches of Freedom."

This campaign linked smoking with women's rights, even though smoking was harmful to health.

 United Fruit 
Bernays worked for the United Fruit Company in the 1950s. He helped shape public opinion against the government of Guatemala.

His work supported a U.S.-backed coup in 1954 that removed Guatemala’s elected president.

 Books 
 1923: Crystallizing Public Opinion
 1928: Propaganda
 1945: Public Relations

 Ideas 
Bernays believed that society needed leaders to guide public opinion. He wrote that propaganda was a normal and necessary part of democracy.

Critics say his ideas encouraged manipulation and weakened democratic choice.

 Cristicism 
Many people criticize Bernays for using psychology to manipulate the public. His work is often connected to unethical advertising and political propaganda. Despite this, his influence on media, advertising, and politics is still strong.

 Death 
Edward Bernays died on March 9, 1995, in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He was 103 years old.

 References 

Category:1891 births
Category:1995 deaths
Category:American political writers
Category:Freud family
Category:Jewish centenarians