The Business of Persuasion

The Business of Persuasion – Harold Burson

Harold Burson was one of the founding figures of modern public relations. As co-founder of Burson-Marsteller, he helped build what became one of the largest PR firms in the world and advised corporations, governments and leaders for decades.

In The Business of Persuasion: Harold Burson on Public Relations, written in his nineties, Burson looks back on a career that spanned much of the twentieth century and into the twenty-first. He describes his early years as a young journalist, including his experience covering the Nuremberg trials after the Second World War, and his decision to start his own public relations business in New York.

Burson shares the stories behind some of the most significant moments in the history of corporate communications, including the firm’s work for major companies during times of crisis, and reflects on the evolution of the profession from simple publicity to strategic counsel. He offers his views on what effective public relations requires: honesty, an understanding of public opinion, sound judgment and the ability to align an organization’s behavior with what it communicates.

Throughout, he emphasizes the ethical responsibilities of PR professionals and the importance of doing the right thing as well as saying the right thing.

Thoughtful and engaging, The Business of Persuasion offers valuable insights for communications professionals, business leaders, students of public relations and anyone interested in how reputations are built and protected.