Encyclopedia, Difference between revisions of "Carl Byoir" - New World
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| − | '''Carl Robert Byoir''' (June 24, 1888 – February 3, 1957) was one of the "founding fathers" of [[public relations]]. He was one of the first public relation pioneers after World War I. He created and organized one of the world's largest public relation firms in 1930. Byoir's techniques and skills are used daily by public relation practitioners. The Museum of Public Relations states "Carl Byoir may not have moved mountains, but he definitely made a career of motivating people to do it for him." Public relation textbooks rarely give Byoir the credit he deserves | + | '''Carl Robert Byoir''' (June 24, 1888 – February 3, 1957) was one of the "founding fathers" of [[public relations]]. He was one of the first public relation pioneers after World War I. He created and organized one of the world's largest public relation firms in 1930. Byoir's techniques and skills are used daily by public relation practitioners. The Museum of Public Relations states "Carl Byoir may not have moved mountains, but he definitely made a career of motivating people to do it for him." Public relation textbooks rarely give Byoir the credit he deserves but his work should be noted because he helped make public relations an accepted profession, taking it from little more than the work of a press agency to a highly professional craft. |
== Life == | == Life == | ||
| − | '''Carl Robert Byoir''' was born to [[Jewish]] immigrant parents from [[Poland | + | '''Carl Robert Byoir''' was born on June 24, 1888 in [[Des Moines, Iowa]] to [[Jewish]] immigrant parents from [[Poland]]. Byoir started his career in [[public relations]] as a [[newspaper]] boy. Before he was 18 years old, Byoir became the editor of the ''Waterloo Times-Tribune''. He worked his way through the [[University of Iowa]] while he was the circulation manager for Hearst Magazine’s publications. |
| − | Destined for greatness, Byoir had already became apart of the Committee of Public Information (CPI), which publicly organized the [[United States]] objectives for [[World War I]] | + | As a college student at the [[University of Iowa]], he learned the dynamics of group motivation. He studied the preachings and teachings of [[Edward L. Bernays]], "the godfather of public relations" and nephew of [[psychoanalysis|psychoanalyst]] [[Sigmund Freud]]. Young Byoir began to emulate and imitate the Bernays' sense of [[subconscious]] manipulation of the status quo, and became quite the PR guru himself. His first effort involved a campaign to win the position of general manager of the school's 1909 Yearbook, ''The Hawkeye''. By clever planning he succeeded in having the alternative candidates elected to other leadership positions, leaving the way clear for his own election. Once in command, Byoir produced the most impressive edition ever published, and made a handsome profit for himself. |
| + | |||
| + | |||
| + | Destined for greatness, by 1917 Byoir had already became apart of the Committee of Public Information (CPI), which publicly organized the [[United States]] objectives for [[World War I]]. While a part of the CPI he practiced many techniques to influence [[public opinion]] including creating a to campaign to increase non-English speaking American participation in the war effort. | ||
| − | Byoir continued to lead several other public relations campaigns. The next notable campaign was with the [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]] administration planning | + | Byoir continued to lead several other public relations campaigns. The next notable campaign was with the [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]] administration planning charity balls for the President and helping establishing the March of Dimes foundation. Byoir continued his work with public relations working with many other companies including the German Tourist Information Office, Freeport Sulphur Company, The Great Atlantic and Pacific Tea Company, and Eastern Railroads. |
His work was not without controversy, and he was investigated on more than one occasion for violations of the [[Sherman Antitrust Act]]. | His work was not without controversy, and he was investigated on more than one occasion for violations of the [[Sherman Antitrust Act]]. | ||
| − | Carl Byoir died in 1957. | + | Carl Byoir died in 1957 in [[New York City]]. |
== Work == | == Work == | ||
| − | |||
While returning to pursue his higher education in 1911, Byoir picked up a copy of McClures magazine on a train. This was his first introduction to [[Maria Montessori]] and her training teaching methods for [[kindergarten]] students. Byoir recognized the significant appeal which these schools would have to both American mothers and teachers, because of the system's complete emphasis on physical and mental stimulation and activities. | While returning to pursue his higher education in 1911, Byoir picked up a copy of McClures magazine on a train. This was his first introduction to [[Maria Montessori]] and her training teaching methods for [[kindergarten]] students. Byoir recognized the significant appeal which these schools would have to both American mothers and teachers, because of the system's complete emphasis on physical and mental stimulation and activities. | ||
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After purchasing the American [[franchise]] for the Montessori system, Byoir created the "House of Childhood." In fact, Byoir was so intrigued by the Montessori system, that he traveled to [[Italy]] to study under and visit with Maria Montessori. Under her tutelage, he learned firsthand how the system works so that he would become the leading authority back in the United States. | After purchasing the American [[franchise]] for the Montessori system, Byoir created the "House of Childhood." In fact, Byoir was so intrigued by the Montessori system, that he traveled to [[Italy]] to study under and visit with Maria Montessori. Under her tutelage, he learned firsthand how the system works so that he would become the leading authority back in the United States. | ||
| − | + | Byoir began his promising career at only 17 years old, making his mark in the [[newspaper]] world as the city editor of the ''Waterloo Times-Tribune'' in [[Iowa]]. Rising through the corporate ranks quietly, he then became a circulation manager for all of the magazines published by [[William Randolph Hearst]] in 1914. | |
| + | |||
| + | As an accomplished strategist of holding sway over and wielding public opinion, he used information to change the world. By [[lobbying]] with small companies, [[multinational corporation]]s, and the US government, Byoir became a notably influential gatekeeper of the public consensus. | ||
| − | + | Byoir's first project was to solve CPI's printing problem. The Committee had the content for its pamphlets and newsletters, but no method to produce them due to the backlog of wartime print jobs. Carl Byoir drew on his experience at ''The Hawkeye'', remembering that printers whose primary business was mail order catalogs had little work in early spring and fall. Using these printers Byoir saved CPI forty percent of their normal printing costs. For this and other creative solutions young Byoir became known as "the miracle man." | |
| − | Byoir | + | By 1917, Byoir was asked and agreed to be apart of the U.S. Committee on Public Information (CPI), a year before [[Edward L. Bernays]] entered the organization. There he learned many strategies and techniques to influence [[public opinion]]. He used these skills to create a campaign that targeted draft-eligible non-English speaking Americans. |
| − | + | Byoir realized that foreign-language groups had no knowledge of American institutions and war aims, so therefore they were not particularly sympathetic to the war effort. He developed a campaign that included newspaper [[advertising]] campaigns throughout the United States to reach three million estimated non-English speaking draft eligibles, newsreel announcements to inform people of their obligation to the war effort, and notices sent to rural delivery boxes. With this campaign he was able to add an additional 75,000 personnel to the U.S. war effort. | |
| − | His proudest contribution to the Committee was creating the League of Oppressed | + | His proudest contribution to the Committee was creating the League of Oppressed Nations—a representation of the various ethnic groups in the U.S. who had relatives in [[Europe]] under [[Austria]]n or [[Germany|German]] rule. Following the war, President [[Woodrow Wilson|Wilson]] recognized Byoir's contributions to CPI. Byoir was officially released from active duty with The Committee in March 1919, and he relied on his relationships formed there to keep him busy for the next few years. |
The Lithuanian National Council in the U.S. hired Byoir to collect support so that the U.S. Senate would recognize [[Lithuania]] as a free and independent nation. Byoir used his techniques from CPI such as print media, prominent local speakers, editorials, and telegrams aimed at influential parties to create an awareness about the issue. This campaign succeeded in securing Lithuania's future as an ally with the U.S.. | The Lithuanian National Council in the U.S. hired Byoir to collect support so that the U.S. Senate would recognize [[Lithuania]] as a free and independent nation. Byoir used his techniques from CPI such as print media, prominent local speakers, editorials, and telegrams aimed at influential parties to create an awareness about the issue. This campaign succeeded in securing Lithuania's future as an ally with the U.S.. | ||
| − | In 1921 Byoir started working in advertising and sales, his inherent forte by nature and experience | + | In 1921 Byoir started working for Nuxated Iron in [[advertising]] and sales, his inherent forte by nature and experience. At first, Byoir worked on an internship basis, agreeing to work without pay in exchange for practical hands-on experience in the industry. Within weeks at the company Byoir was hired as the vice-president and the general manager of the company because sales increased so tremendously so quickly. |
| − | In 1930, Byoir leased two [[Cuba]]n newspapers, the ''Havana Post'' and the ''Havana Telegram''. Instead of trying to increase sales through [[marketing]] he bargained with the Cuban President [[Gerardo Machado]]. The agreement was to increase American [[tourism]] in exchange | + | In 1930, Byoir leased two [[Cuba]]n newspapers, the ''Havana Post'' and the ''Havana Telegram''. Instead of trying to increase sales through [[marketing]] he bargained with the Cuban President [[Gerardo Machado]]. The agreement was to increase American [[tourism]] in exchange for which President Machado would sign a five-year contract to hire Carl Byoir and Associates as the public relations office for the Cuban government. It was a $300,000 agreement that many U.S. citizens disapproved of, considering Byoir to be a servant to a dictator's whim. |
| − | + | Leaving Cuba in 1932, Byoir established his own public relations company in New York. Building on the clients he already had, the firm rapidly grew in size and professionalism. Byoir established three basic rules for its operation: | |
| + | #New accounts would not be solicited directly, that would happen through reputation. | ||
| + | #Each client paid an annual fee, plus expenses for the campaigns. | ||
| + | #There were executive staff and operating staff; each account was served with one executive and as many operating staff deemed necessary. | ||
| + | Byoir's structure became the model for PR firms. | ||
| + | |||
| + | His projects included working with Presidents [[Herbert Hoover|Hoover]] and [[Franklin Delano Roosevelt|Roosevelt]], the Freeport Sulfur Company, and Eastern Railroads. Throughout his various ventures, controversy stirred about [[Nazi]] collusion for representing the German Tourist Information Office in the 1930s, from which he was exonerated, as well as violating [[antitrust law]]s with the Great Atlantic and Pacific Tea Company, for which he was convicted, and the Eastern Railroad, for which he was exonerated. | ||
== Legacy == | == Legacy == | ||
| − | Byoir lived a full life, rich in knowledge and packed with memorable public service | + | Byoir lived a full life, rich in knowledge and packed with memorable public service. His company, Carl Byoir & Associates, continued to prosper as the nation's third-largest public relations firm, until in 1986 it was acquired by Hill & Knowlton, the merged companies becoming the largest in the United States. |
| − | |||
| − | As a wartime entrepreneur in the budding field of public relations in the early twentieth century, much was learned by the example and doctrines of Carl R. Byoir. | + | As a wartime entrepreneur in the budding field of public relations in the early twentieth century, much was learned by the example and doctrines of Carl R. Byoir. Byoir is still a common name brought up while discussing the history of public relations. The Museum of Public Relations states that Byoir "the two things required for a successful practitioner were to have an understanding of what motivates people, and to work for a good firm which stood behind him." Consequently, Byoir's obituary in ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' magazine noted his maxim: "If the truth doesn't sound believable, don't tell it." |
| − | |||
==References== | ==References== | ||
| Line 57: | Line 65: | ||
* Cutlip, Scott. 1994. ''The Unseen Power: Public Relations: A History''. ISBN 0805814647 | * Cutlip, Scott. 1994. ''The Unseen Power: Public Relations: A History''. ISBN 0805814647 | ||
* [http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,809085-2,00.html Died. Carl Byoir] Monday February 11, 1957. ''TIME'' Magazine. Retrieved June 1, 2007. | * [http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,809085-2,00.html Died. Carl Byoir] Monday February 11, 1957. ''TIME'' Magazine. Retrieved June 1, 2007. | ||
| − | |||
* [http://www.prmuseum.com/byoir/cbintro.html Carl R. Byoir - A Retrospective] The Museum of Public Relations. Retrieved June 1, 2007. | * [http://www.prmuseum.com/byoir/cbintro.html Carl R. Byoir - A Retrospective] The Museum of Public Relations. Retrieved June 1, 2007. | ||
{{Credit1|Carl_R._Byoir|106555612|}} | {{Credit1|Carl_R._Byoir|106555612|}} | ||
Revision as of 04:33, 24 June 2007
Carl Robert Byoir (June 24, 1888 – February 3, 1957) was one of the "founding fathers" of public relations. He was one of the first public relation pioneers after World War I. He created and organized one of the world's largest public relation firms in 1930. Byoir's techniques and skills are used daily by public relation practitioners. The Museum of Public Relations states "Carl Byoir may not have moved mountains, but he definitely made a career of motivating people to do it for him." Public relation textbooks rarely give Byoir the credit he deserves but his work should be noted because he helped make public relations an accepted profession, taking it from little more than the work of a press agency to a highly professional craft.
Life
Carl Robert Byoir was born on June 24, 1888 in Des Moines, Iowa to Jewish immigrant parents from Poland. Byoir started his career in public relations as a newspaper boy. Before he was 18 years old, Byoir became the editor of the Waterloo Times-Tribune. He worked his way through the University of Iowa while he was the circulation manager for Hearst Magazine’s publications.
As a college student at the University of Iowa, he learned the dynamics of group motivation. He studied the preachings and teachings of Edward L. Bernays, "the godfather of public relations" and nephew of psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud. Young Byoir began to emulate and imitate the Bernays' sense of subconscious manipulation of the status quo, and became quite the PR guru himself. His first effort involved a campaign to win the position of general manager of the school's 1909 Yearbook, The Hawkeye. By clever planning he succeeded in having the alternative candidates elected to other leadership positions, leaving the way clear for his own election. Once in command, Byoir produced the most impressive edition ever published, and made a handsome profit for himself.
Destined for greatness, by 1917 Byoir had already became apart of the Committee of Public Information (CPI), which publicly organized the United States objectives for World War I. While a part of the CPI he practiced many techniques to influence public opinion including creating a to campaign to increase non-English speaking American participation in the war effort.
Byoir continued to lead several other public relations campaigns. The next notable campaign was with the Franklin D. Roosevelt administration planning charity balls for the President and helping establishing the March of Dimes foundation. Byoir continued his work with public relations working with many other companies including the German Tourist Information Office, Freeport Sulphur Company, The Great Atlantic and Pacific Tea Company, and Eastern Railroads.
His work was not without controversy, and he was investigated on more than one occasion for violations of the Sherman Antitrust Act.
Carl Byoir died in 1957 in New York City.
Work
While returning to pursue his higher education in 1911, Byoir picked up a copy of McClures magazine on a train. This was his first introduction to Maria Montessori and her training teaching methods for kindergarten students. Byoir recognized the significant appeal which these schools would have to both American mothers and teachers, because of the system's complete emphasis on physical and mental stimulation and activities.
After purchasing the American franchise for the Montessori system, Byoir created the "House of Childhood." In fact, Byoir was so intrigued by the Montessori system, that he traveled to Italy to study under and visit with Maria Montessori. Under her tutelage, he learned firsthand how the system works so that he would become the leading authority back in the United States.
Byoir began his promising career at only 17 years old, making his mark in the newspaper world as the city editor of the Waterloo Times-Tribune in Iowa. Rising through the corporate ranks quietly, he then became a circulation manager for all of the magazines published by William Randolph Hearst in 1914.
As an accomplished strategist of holding sway over and wielding public opinion, he used information to change the world. By lobbying with small companies, multinational corporations, and the US government, Byoir became a notably influential gatekeeper of the public consensus.
Byoir's first project was to solve CPI's printing problem. The Committee had the content for its pamphlets and newsletters, but no method to produce them due to the backlog of wartime print jobs. Carl Byoir drew on his experience at The Hawkeye, remembering that printers whose primary business was mail order catalogs had little work in early spring and fall. Using these printers Byoir saved CPI forty percent of their normal printing costs. For this and other creative solutions young Byoir became known as "the miracle man."
By 1917, Byoir was asked and agreed to be apart of the U.S. Committee on Public Information (CPI), a year before Edward L. Bernays entered the organization. There he learned many strategies and techniques to influence public opinion. He used these skills to create a campaign that targeted draft-eligible non-English speaking Americans.
Byoir realized that foreign-language groups had no knowledge of American institutions and war aims, so therefore they were not particularly sympathetic to the war effort. He developed a campaign that included newspaper advertising campaigns throughout the United States to reach three million estimated non-English speaking draft eligibles, newsreel announcements to inform people of their obligation to the war effort, and notices sent to rural delivery boxes. With this campaign he was able to add an additional 75,000 personnel to the U.S. war effort.
His proudest contribution to the Committee was creating the League of Oppressed Nations—a representation of the various ethnic groups in the U.S. who had relatives in Europe under Austrian or German rule. Following the war, President Wilson recognized Byoir's contributions to CPI. Byoir was officially released from active duty with The Committee in March 1919, and he relied on his relationships formed there to keep him busy for the next few years.
The Lithuanian National Council in the U.S. hired Byoir to collect support so that the U.S. Senate would recognize Lithuania as a free and independent nation. Byoir used his techniques from CPI such as print media, prominent local speakers, editorials, and telegrams aimed at influential parties to create an awareness about the issue. This campaign succeeded in securing Lithuania's future as an ally with the U.S..
In 1921 Byoir started working for Nuxated Iron in advertising and sales, his inherent forte by nature and experience. At first, Byoir worked on an internship basis, agreeing to work without pay in exchange for practical hands-on experience in the industry. Within weeks at the company Byoir was hired as the vice-president and the general manager of the company because sales increased so tremendously so quickly.
In 1930, Byoir leased two Cuban newspapers, the Havana Post and the Havana Telegram. Instead of trying to increase sales through marketing he bargained with the Cuban President Gerardo Machado. The agreement was to increase American tourism in exchange for which President Machado would sign a five-year contract to hire Carl Byoir and Associates as the public relations office for the Cuban government. It was a $300,000 agreement that many U.S. citizens disapproved of, considering Byoir to be a servant to a dictator's whim.
Leaving Cuba in 1932, Byoir established his own public relations company in New York. Building on the clients he already had, the firm rapidly grew in size and professionalism. Byoir established three basic rules for its operation:
- New accounts would not be solicited directly, that would happen through reputation.
- Each client paid an annual fee, plus expenses for the campaigns.
- There were executive staff and operating staff; each account was served with one executive and as many operating staff deemed necessary.
Byoir's structure became the model for PR firms.
His projects included working with Presidents Hoover and Roosevelt, the Freeport Sulfur Company, and Eastern Railroads. Throughout his various ventures, controversy stirred about Nazi collusion for representing the German Tourist Information Office in the 1930s, from which he was exonerated, as well as violating antitrust laws with the Great Atlantic and Pacific Tea Company, for which he was convicted, and the Eastern Railroad, for which he was exonerated.
Legacy
Byoir lived a full life, rich in knowledge and packed with memorable public service. His company, Carl Byoir & Associates, continued to prosper as the nation's third-largest public relations firm, until in 1986 it was acquired by Hill & Knowlton, the merged companies becoming the largest in the United States.
As a wartime entrepreneur in the budding field of public relations in the early twentieth century, much was learned by the example and doctrines of Carl R. Byoir. Byoir is still a common name brought up while discussing the history of public relations. The Museum of Public Relations states that Byoir "the two things required for a successful practitioner were to have an understanding of what motivates people, and to work for a good firm which stood behind him." Consequently, Byoir's obituary in Time magazine noted his maxim: "If the truth doesn't sound believable, don't tell it."
ReferencesISBN links support NWE through referral fees
- Carl Byoir, "Public Relations Founding Fathers," Retrieved June 1, 2007.
- Cutlip, Scott. 1990. Fund Raising in the United States. Transaction Publishers. ISBN 0887383173
- Cutlip, Scott. 1994. The Unseen Power: Public Relations: A History. ISBN 0805814647
- Died. Carl Byoir Monday February 11, 1957. TIME Magazine. Retrieved June 1, 2007.
- Carl R. Byoir - A Retrospective The Museum of Public Relations. Retrieved June 1, 2007.
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