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Bernays, often cited as the "father of public relations", was an expert at "creating circumstances"—staging events that appeared spontaneous to influence public opinion. The Story of the "Whale" Stunt
: Rather than simply buying a newspaper ad for the play (direct advertising), Bernays used a "third-party" method. He framed the whale as a scientific curiosity and a massive news event.
The association between and a "whale" typically refers to his early 20th-century publicity stunt involving a beached whale to promote a New York theater production.
Early in his career as a Broadway promoter, Bernays was tasked with generating buzz for a play. To capture the public’s imagination, he orchestrated a dramatic event centered around a whale:
: A small number of people (propaganda producers) could guide the habits and opinions of the masses by understanding their hidden motives.
This event was a precursor to the ideas he formalized in his 1928 book, . He believed:
Bernays, often cited as the "father of public relations", was an expert at "creating circumstances"—staging events that appeared spontaneous to influence public opinion. The Story of the "Whale" Stunt
: Rather than simply buying a newspaper ad for the play (direct advertising), Bernays used a "third-party" method. He framed the whale as a scientific curiosity and a massive news event.
The association between and a "whale" typically refers to his early 20th-century publicity stunt involving a beached whale to promote a New York theater production.
Early in his career as a Broadway promoter, Bernays was tasked with generating buzz for a play. To capture the public’s imagination, he orchestrated a dramatic event centered around a whale:
: A small number of people (propaganda producers) could guide the habits and opinions of the masses by understanding their hidden motives.
This event was a precursor to the ideas he formalized in his 1928 book, . He believed:
