Purchase Without Need: Analysis and Criticism of Edward Bernays' Engineering of Consent Theory

Talebi, Mahdi; Maharati, Yaghoob

doi:10.30465/crtls.2025.50345.2884

Document Type : Research

Authors

Mahdi Talebi ¹
Yaghoob Maharati ²

¹ Management department, Faculty of Economic and Administrative Science, Ferdowsi University of Mahshhad, Iran

² Associate professor, Management department, Faculty of Administrative and Economic Sciences, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran

https://doi.org/10.30465/crtls.2025.50345.2884

Abstract

In an era where competition between businesses to achieve much narrower goals and establishing a two-way relationship with customers is much more difficult, understanding the position of public relations in organizations has a significant impact on their success and failure rates. The history of public relations is a vast repository of models and methods that attempt to help businesses achieve this. At the forefront of this field is Edward Bernays, who is often referred to as the father of public relations. His approaches in the 1920s not only changed the way companies interacted with their audiences, but also changed social norms. This article examines and evaluates Bernays's "Engineering of Consent" theory and tries to contribute to a better understanding of this theory with the help of integrated critique method including content, methodological and historical critiques. The results show that the urgent need of companies to sell their mass-produced products after the First World War forced Bernays to go for new methods in the field of audience persuasion. Using the principles of psychology, he was able to create a new approach in advertising and public relations; Although some find his methods deceptive.

Keywords

Main Subjects

Management and Policy Making

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Purchase Without Need: Analysis and Criticism of Edward Bernays' Engineering of Consent Theory

References

References

Volume 25, Issue 2 - Serial Number 120
August 2025
Pages 149-181

Purchase Without Need: Analysis and Criticism of Edward Bernays' Engineering of Consent Theory

References

References

Volume 25, Issue 2 - Serial Number 120August 2025Pages 149-181

Volume 25, Issue 2 - Serial Number 120
August 2025
Pages 149-181