The evolution of public relations, often seen as a modern profession, actually dates back to the earliest forms of human communication. However, did you know that cave art was one of the first PR tools? These ancient drawings communicated stories, values, and teachings. They were effectively engaging communities long before the advent of written language. This practice of expressing messages has developed over the millennia into the PR strategies we see today. Now, let’s check out the fascinating evolution of PR.
Fast forward to the 20th century, when the first official PR agency, “The Public Bureau,” was established in 1900 by a group of Boston journalists. This agency marked a significant shift in how information was circulated and managed, laying the foundation for the professionalization of public relations. The role of PR became especially crucial during the Great Depression. Companies turned to building trust instead of traditional marketing as advertising spending decreased by over 60%. This era underscored the importance of fostering genuine connections with the public, a principle that remains central to effective PR practices today.
Although this fascinating evolution of PR illustrates just how far public relations has come. It has evolved from undeveloped communication to a vital strategic function that shapes perceptions and influences behavior.
Fun Facts About PR
- Public Relations can be dated back all the way to cave art in the earliest days of civilization. They used these cave drawings to communicate and teach.
- The first PR agency was created in 1900, and it was named “The Public Bureau” The agency was created by Boston Journalists and ran for 12 years.
- During the Great Depression everyone was affected. Since Americans were unable to purchase products, companies turned to gaining trust. The public was turning to PR instead of marketing. Advertising dropped over 60% between 1929-1933.
- One of the most famous modern PR campaigns was from Dove’s “Real Beauty” which aimed to appreciate women’s “real beauty” and make them feel more confident. Dove did a study that found only 2% of the sample group found themselves beautiful. They used real women as their spokespeople. SInce then many brands have followed suit with the “real beauty” trend.
- The “I Love NY” was a campaign by Milton Glaser in 1977 and is one of the most recognizable PR campaigns. They use this famous campaign to this day on a lot of the New York merchandise.
- “Got Milk” was a public relations campaign that was created by Goodby Silverstien & Partners in 1993 for the California Milk Processor Board
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Lauren Roby & Rylie Todd
Fun facts are from https://www.skc-pr.com/blog/12-fun-fascinating-pr-facts-you-probably-didnt-know