PR NOTABLES OF AMERICAN

George Edward Creel

World War I and the Creation of the Public Relations Practitioner

By the time the United States entered World War I in 1917, the role of public relations, although not called that yet, was established. However, World War I would prove to be a watershed moment for the field because it highlighted the power of media and the importance of public opinion.

President Woodrow Wilson established the Committee on Public Information (CPI), commonly referred to as the Creel Committee because its head was George Creel. Controversial by today’s ethical standards, the CPI would serve as a major professional development experience for many notable PR figures of the 20th century, such as Carl Byoir and Edward Bernays.

The CPI led to a whole new generation of public relations professionals that dominated the 1920s. During this time public relations practitioners solidified themselves as the established profession we are familiar with today.

One of the best-known PR figures of this time was Edward Bernays, who advocated throughout his career for public relations to be a professionalized, stand-alone practice. He coined the term “public relations counsel.” He is credited with teaching a public relations course at New York University in 1923. Bernays’ numerous articles and books on public relations addressed contemporary issues that still resonate in the field, including licensing, professional standards, the importance of industry research and the innovative use of social science to address communication issues.

1876–1953

George Edward Creel was an American investigative journalist and writer, a politician and government official. He served as the head of the United States Committee on Public Information, a propaganda organization created by President Woodrow Wilson during World War I. For two years, he rallied the American public to the cause of war and sold the globe President Wilson’s vision of America and plans for a world order. (Everett Collection Historical / Alamy Stock Photo)

Doris Fleischman, who was married to Bernays, worked with him on a wide array of public relations campaigns for various clients ranging from corporations and social reform groups to politicians. An advocate for women’s rights and member of the Lucy Stone League, Fleischman gained media notoriety by using her maiden name. Throughout her career she was business partners with Bernays, writing much of the firm’s content and publishing articles on women’s issues (specifically women’s careers).

Political public relations also became more sophisticated by the 1920s. Political strategies frequently used staged events for

One of the best-known PR figures of all time was Edward Bernays (1891–1995), who coined the term “public relations counsel.” His wife, Doris Fleischman (1891–1980), collaborated with him on many campaigns. She was an accomplished writer who insisted on using her maiden name — rare at the time. (Bettmann Archive / Getty Images)

The March of Dimes, one of the most successful campaigns of all time, began in 1938. It was an early, innovative example of small-donation fundraising. (Everett