Public Relations Campaigns that Changed America

From Ivory Soap and bacon for breakfast to Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, Coca-Cola’s Santa, diamond engagement rings, prom, beef, and Dockers’ Casual Friday, this book reveals how public relations turned ordinary products, events, and behaviors into lasting American cultural traditions.

Written in an accessible, story-driven style, this book takes readers behind the scenes of some of the most recognizable campaigns in American history. It equips readers with a nuanced understanding of how effective public relations can both mirror and mold our world, revealing how public relations strategies have evolved yet remain rooted in timeless principles. At the heart of the book is the Bernays Blueprint, an original three-step framework developed for this book to explain how transformational campaigns work. The inclusion of ethical considerations, as well as insights into the future of the profession, makes it particularly timely.

This book provides actionable insights for undergraduate students, instructors, communication professionals, and curious readers who want to understand how ideas become habits, how brands become symbols, and how public relations helped weave campaigns into the fabric of America.