Book Review: Edelman and the Rise of Public Relations, by Franz Wisner

Abstract

Franz Wisner Edelman and the Rise of Public Relations. Chicago, IL: Daniel J. Edelman, Inc., 2012. 170 pp.The simplest way to describe a program of public relations is the following. Do good. Tell other People about it. That is what Daniel J. Edelman wrote in his first sixty-page public relations (PR) plan as the PR manager for the Toni Company in 1948. And as Wisner told the fascinating story of the industry pioneer and icon whose name is synonymous with modern PR, readers will realize that, for the next sixty years, Edelman would hold firmly to that philosophy. He transformed and elevated PR practice into the digital age and led his company to be the world's largest PR agency.Wisner, a former Edelman executive who headed the firm's Sacramento office in 1994, takes an in-depth look of the sixty-year history of Edelman and leads readers into the agency founder's family life, his early upbringing, his work ethic, his creativity, and his endearing but firm characteristics as a son, husband, father, businessman, and CEO.As described in the book's flap, it:follows the fascinating tale of Dan Edelman and his unprecedented impact on 21st-century public relations, from his creation of the media tour and marketing public relations to his celebrated creative campaigns featuring such legendary figures as Colonel Sanders and Morris the Cat; and from his pioneering efforts in environmental and litigation PR to his quest to spread modern public relations around the world.After hundreds of interviews with Dan Edelman, his family, and Edelman staff, the author presented the book in thirteen chapters with the introduction by his eldest son and current president and CEO, Richard Edelman. The book started with Edelman's childhood life in New York; his dear relationship with his little sister, Harriett; his academic excellence in high school; and his early career as a reporter at a small newspaper in Poughkeepsie, New York. The next few chapters chronicle his life as a U.S. Army public information specialist during the World War II, his brief stint at MusicraftRecords after the war, and the birth of Daniel J. Edelman and Associates in October 1952. In later chapters, PR students and PR professionals can learn how Edelman managed campaign strategies and tactics for dozens of high-profile clients such as Toni Twins, Real Lemon, Sara Lee, Orville Redenbacher, Morris the Cat of 9lives, World Wildlife Fund, Fuji Film, 1984 Summer Olympics, KFC, Advil, Nestle, Apple, Benetton, and Walmart.But, Wisner, a New York Times best-selling author, told more than just the behindthe- scenes stories of career achievements and setbacks of the agency's founder, who passed away on January 15, 2013, at the age of 92. The book recounts how PR has evolved from press agentry, gimmicks, and stunts to two-way communication, transparency, authenticity, and trust, and the roles Edelman and his firm have played in the industry's transformations.Wisner tells the story of Edelman as he began his business, using imaginative approaches to expand the boundaries of PR practice; he was one of the first to stage national media tours and tapped into the emerging practice of public affairs and international PR. …