Introduction
Propaganda is presumably fabricated information with no evidence, but it influences the way society behaves and responds to different issues. The perspective that the public has towards opinions or ideas is partly influenced by propaganda. Nowadays, propaganda influences the masses in politics, religion, business, social changes, and even gender perceptions and relations. The Propaganda is a masterpiece book written in 1928 by Edward Bernays.
The book combines social science and the power of mass psychological influence to control the public on different societal issues. The book is an exploration of psychological manipulation on the use of propaganda to influence the public in political campaigns, social, behavioral change, gender issues and responsibilities, business, and other general issues of interest. This paper will highlight the effects of propaganda on public relations, coupled with how it affects marketing.
Propaganda and public relations
If used effectively, public relations can influence societal perceptions. Edward Bernays is known as the father of public relations for initiating and constantly changing people’s minds in the competitive market for ideas and attitudes (Johnson 2011). In the following year after World War II, Americans associated propaganda with the Germans, and they viewed it negatively. However, Edward, who regarded himself as a professional opinion maker, could influence desired changes in attitudes and perceptions of the society to achieve a general positive motive. Ries and Ries (2004, p. 78) posit that Bernays ‘was once chosen by Venida, which was an industry leader at times, to conduct a public relations campaign for its hairnets.’ Moreover, he praised the “Greek Coiffure” appearance that was gained in using the hairnets (Ries & Ries 2004).
The masses trusted Bernays’ thoughts, ideas, and attitudes towards all aspects that he highlighted. The Venida hairnet campaign was meant to popularise the product and make the public believe that it was feminine. The campaign was specifically for hairnets, and the sponsoring company did not appear anywhere. This aspect was meant to prevent the wrong societal perceptions that Bernays was promoting Venida products in the market, but showing the public the importance of the hairnets (Johnson 2011).
Furthermore, Bernays campaigned for the Massachusetts legislators to license public relations; however, he did not succeed. Bernays was among the first people after World War II to influence and change government policies using the power of public relations (Bernays & Ewen 2011). He shaped and influenced public opinion and behavior to achieve his desired objective using celebrities, leaders, and other community experts that were close and had a mass voice. The aim of using the prominent societal people was to compel the public to be inclined to his ideas and opinions easily.
Through the opinions of the public ‘celebrities,’ Bernays would capture and change the public’s thinking and perceptions towards a certain product or belief that would limit the use of that specific product (Bernays 1928). For instance, Bernays came up with the idea that the Venida hairnets were more hygienic as compared to its competitors. Consequently, government officials were influenced, and several women bought the hairnets. In fact, Bernays further conducted the first NAACP convention in Georgia in 1992 (Kotler & Zaltman 1971).
The aim was to show the importance of the relationship between the Africans and the Americans in North America. The campaign was successful since the convention was calm, and violence was not witnessed. Moreover, in 1920, Bernays hosted an event to promote the Lights Golden Jubilee. By then, the event was meant to celebrate the 50th Thomas Edison’s light bulb invention anniversary (Bernays 1928). This aspect boosted Bernays’s public trust in his thirst and acknowledgments for his passion for great opinions. The lights bulb later hosted a 75th anniversary that was broadcasted on all American TV networks in 1954.
Evidently, the frequent Bernays campaign portrays how the big companies and organizations accepted the power of the public in ideas and products. It is observed that Bernays secured a contract that was aimed at defending Richard Bennett’s play on sex education from police perceptions (Solis & Breaknridge 2009). In addition, he was hired by Sergei Diaghilev to urge American magazines to inform the public of the interest and fun of ballet play. All these campaigns were meant to capture the public perspectives towards the benefits of the product.
Propaganda can change, twist, and control the attitudes and perceptions of the public in a certain direction. The tools used include social media, campaigns, promotions, and prominent public opinion leaders. Apparently, if propaganda can be used in a war, it implies that it can be used to make peace (Bernays 1928).
Moreover, if the public accepts the new commercial demands with intelligence, the enterprises would ultimately achieve new ideas and standards of operations. Intelligent people can use propaganda in modern society with the minority opinion maker’s power to calm societal chaos and make productive opinions accepted. With this knowledge, it suffices to conclude that creative people can use knowledge in propaganda to rule, empower, and shape thoughts and responses of the state’s citizens (Arendt 1972). In addition, opinion-makers are always in good positions to engineer the public’s consent for democratic purposes. Evidently, the general societal opinions count in all decisions for survival. For instance, Bernays gives a claim that a company must seek the public’s opinion regarding the production of certain products of interest (Bernays 1928).
How propaganda influences marketing in business
In business, the most important tool for survival is the marketing strategy used. The revenue in any organization determines its position in productivity. Similarly, the volume of sales that an organization realizes is directly connected to the public demand for the products. According to Johnson (2011), constant promotions and events hosting are key elements used to earn the public’s demand for new products. For instance, in the 1920s, the American Tobacco Company promoted its product using Bernays’ strong public attitudes change. The company organized decent young models to promote Lucky Strike cigarettes (Johnson 2011).
The models would use the “Torches of freedom” cigarettes, and then the press would capture the appealing pictures of women smoking cigarettes. The perception of women smoking, which was a taboo, was broken, and instead, it became a ‘style.’ In addition, on the same promotion, Ries and Ries (2004, p. 84) posit that Bernays ‘convinced women that the Lucky Strike cigarettes green pack was of class and fashionable in the 1930s’. Consequently, designers and prominent stores started to acknowledge green as the best fascinating and fashionable color of the time. Through Bernays’ campaigns, the green color became the norm, and the majority of fashion stores and exhibitions were full of green attires that customers highly purchased (Fan 2006).
This aspect shows that the public’s perception and attitude on a product determine its demand in the market. In addition, the purchasing power of a product can be influenced by campaigns, promotions, and exhibitions through media to change the perceptions towards a certain product (Leon & Maccoby 1964). Furthermore, public opinions, beliefs, and norms are greatly influenced by the dominant opinion makers in society. The Bernays’ product campaigns portray the power of marketing that propaganda as it changes perceptions, taboos, and attitudes of the masses on a certain product.
The masses are the backbone of the survival of any business product through public opinion. The aroused public awareness in modern business poses great competition for products in the market. Many organizations have mastered the art of social media marketing with different propaganda on diverse products and their perceptions. Therefore, businesses focus on the products’ beliefs that the public has with respect to the product. The continued relationship of business and the public relationship is mass production (Becker 2012).
For instance, for a product to be produced in large quantities, it must have a ready market for quick sales. Demand and supply are created, which is promoted through advertising and propaganda. For example, Bernays managed to convince the public that bacon and eggs were the classy and ideal breakfast for all Americans. This back up helped the egg industry to gain public fame, and sales escalated consequently.
The Venida hairnet campaigns convinced several governmental women to purchase the nets. Moreover, through advertising and propaganda, a campaign was carried to promote the Ivory brand bar soap (Johnson 2011). The campaign was aimed at compelling the public that the soap was superior to the other brands in all aspects. Floating soap contests were held to prove that the ivory soap would lather more as compared to the competitors’ soaps; hence, it was the best for us.
Evidently, the campaigns aimed at convincing the public that the different products promoted were better and recommended for use. This marketing strategy is applicable to different companies through opinion-makers and celebrities to make their products appear best for use. Consequently, the demand for the products escalates due to public preference. Therefore, propaganda is an important tool for marketing new products in the market, and it works best with frequent media campaigns and promotions.
In addition, Ries and Ries (2004, p. 112) posit that Bernays also ‘promoted the Aluminium Company of America to convince the public on the use of fluoride in water for human consumption.’ The campaign was carried by the American Dental Association through the media, whereby groups were focused on creating awareness on the importance of using fluoridated water, which was healthy for human consumption. The fluoride gained market demand due to the created public demand and awareness. The effects of propaganda seem to work via mass media, where the masses are reached in large numbers (Fan 2006). The marketing strategies used by organizations in the 1930s were campaigns hosted by opinion makers, policy makers, government officials, and all influential leaders in society.
Moreover, the power of marketing in propaganda prevails in the use of demonstrations and distinct comparisons of products. For instance, in the case of the ivory soap campaign, the masses were shown the distinct floating differences between the different soap brands from disparate companies. Evidently, the masses believed in the propaganda employed to highlight the products’ differences. In business, the marketing policy is influenced by the general policies of propaganda.
The competition in business makes organizations fight for the available market share, which is mostly diminishing due to the entry of new players. Every organization will try to show how its products are better as compared to counterpart products from the competitors. The main aim of the print media is to change the public’s way of thinking towards products. For instance, a company may try to convince the society that it is spending a lot of money on its expensive imported products. However, the company is trying to change public thinking and thoughts to believe that it offers standard and classy products as opposed to any other company in the industry. Therefore, propaganda is the general rule that is used in marketing to convince the public to consume products from a certain company.
Conclusion
Propaganda is beneficial, depending on the projected motive. The aims of the propaganda entail changing the attitudes, opinions, ideas, and beliefs of the public for a certain benefit or motive. Apparently, propaganda is the backbone of marketing as it plays a critical role in creating a product’s demand. Ultimately, the general motives of the initiated propaganda will determine the tactics and the techniques used in public relations. Therefore, propaganda influences people’s change of behavior, ideas, and opinions towards a certain product in the market. The decision on whether propaganda is good depends on the motive behind it. Businesses should constantly keep monitoring the public’s changing attitudes about different products and their tastes in a bid to remain competitive in the market.
Reference List
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