Public Relations

HISTORY AND DEVELOPMENT OF
PUBLIC
RELATIONS
Ancient beginnings
of communication
as persuasion
1800 BCE Bulletins in Iraq informing
farmers of latest agricultural
techniques
400-500 BCE Greek sophists engaged in public
debate and lobbying
44 BCE Julius Caesar would rally public

support among Romans
1600s College of Propaganda of the
Catholic Church
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Persuasion for U.S.
independence and
reform
Samuel Adams organized Committees of
Correspondence to disseminate anti-British
information and stage events to build
revolutionary fervor
Thomas Paine wrote pamphlets such as
Common Sense to urge early Americans to
band together
Constitutional Amendments were lobbied to
the public through The Federalist Papers
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Emergence of
industrial capitalism
“Master publicist” huckster PT Barnum
devised communication tactics to entice the
public with his circus show
American industrialists dubbed as robber
barons took on an approach of confronting
public discontent over their businesses
Shock stories peddled by muckraker
journalists led to a wave of sentiment for
legislative reform and industrial discontent
Known as the Father of Public Relations, Ivy
Ivy Lee devised action-based strategies to
humanize John Rockefeller Jr. and build a
positive image for his business
Image from BusinessMole

“Publicity direction” and
formalization of the PR field
The first PR firm, the Publicity Bureau, was founded in Boston in 1900
Edward Bernays and Doris Fleischmann pioneered a public relations approach
underpinned by social science from the previous journalism-based method
Arthur Page became At&T’s first public relations vice president in 1927 and
pioneered corporate PR, conceptualizing 5 principles of corporate public relations
U.S. Presidents established formal committees during the first and second World
Wars to frame information dissemination as a means to mobilize public support, and
later on promote war bonds
PR as relationship-building in
the modern world
Companies adopted a strategy of conciliation and compromise amid the rising

significance of community relations and growing anti-business sentiment. Corporate
social responsibility was established as a practice in the 1970s through the 1990s.
Increasing attention towards reputation, perception, dialogue, engagement due to
the democratization of information and the rise of social media.
Less emphasis on mass media distribution of messages and focus towards
interpersonal channels and connection-building
Prominence of women and minorities in previously male-dominated Western
conception of public relations industry
Development of PR
in the Philippines
Public relations “evolved from government trying to
communicate with the public” (Bagaman, 2005 in
Lorenzo-Molo, 2007).
The formal conception of public relations in the

Philippines was “understood as media relations”
(Edralin, 2005 in Lorenzo-Molo, 2007) but was not
considered a good profession.
Spanish era American era Post-WW2
The Propaganda Movement Under American rule, the Public relations emerged as a field
campaigned for Filipino Philippines was allowed its own in 1949 in an effort to promote the
advancement through La government but operating under PH to foreign investors. This was
Solidaridad. Emilio Aguinaldo U.S. approval. These relations helmed by Joe Carpio, considered
campaigned for foreign recognition would extend even after gaining the Father of Philipine Public
of PH independence through the independence. Relations, alongside Carlos Romulo
Hong Kong Committee. and Andres Soriano.
Martial Law 1980s Post-Marcos

CSR emerged through the Corporate communications gained Amid this period of economic
Philippine Business for Social prominence and the demand for PR recovery, companies were more
Progress amid rising sentiments grew, though not as popular as cautious of their spending. Marcos
against big businesses. Marcos Sr. advertising. PR agences also grew in cronies relied on marketing and
heavily censored news and number. public relations to sustain their
cultivated unethical practices businesses.
among media and PR practitioners.
References
Lorenzo-Molo, M.C. (2004) Journalism As Public Relations, Media Asia, 31(1), 30-36,
DOI: 10.1080/01296612.2004.11726732
Lorenzo-Molo, M.C. (2007). Understanding the reputation and image of the Philippine
public relations industry. Public Relations Review, 33(1), 58-67.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pubrev.2006.11.007.
Paragas, F. (2009) Public Relations in the Philippines: Past Promises and Future
Prospects, Media Asia, 36(2), 87-94, DOI: 10.1080/23776277.2009.12224381
Seitel, F. (2017). The Practice of Public Relations (13th edition). Pearson.
Wilcox, D.L., Reber, B.H., & Cameron, G.T. (205). Public relations: Strategies and tactics
(11th edition). Pearson.

Public Relations

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HISTORY AND DEVELOPMENT OF

44 BCE Julius Caesar would rally public

Image from WikiMedia Commons

Image from WikiMedia Commons

Image from BusinessMole

Companies adopted a strategy of conciliation and compromise amid the rising

The formal conception of public relations in the

Martial Law 1980s Post-Marcos

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