A look at the history of corporate communications

The origins of public relations date back to ancient times, when rulers and governments were already trying to communicate their messages and decisions effectively to the public. In ancient Rome, "notarii" were scribes who wrote public statements for the government and the people. This can be seen as an early form of PR.

The beginnings of modern PR

The real breakthrough for public relations came in the early 20th century. Edward Bernays, often referred to as the "father of PR", was one of the first to recognize PR as a discipline in its own right. Bernays used insights from psychology to influence people's opinions and attitudes. He ran PR campaigns that persuaded people to buy products and make decisions that served his clients' goals.

 War and post-war PR

During the First and Second World Wars, PR played an important role in mobilizing the public and building support for the wars. After the wars, the importance of PR continued to grow as companies and governments realized the importance of reaching the public and building trust.

The PR industry today

Today, the PR industry has evolved considerably. PR agencies have specialized in specific areas such as media relations, crisis communication and digital PR in order to meet the changing demands of modern corporate communication.

The origins of PR may lie in the past, but its importance is timeless and crucial to success in today's business world.