Who is Ivy Ledbetter Lee?
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Ivy Ledbetter Lee was an American pioneer in public relations. Some call him the father of public relations. A former newspaper reporter and Princeton University graduate, Lee is believed to have invented public relations walkthroughs, such as press releases and conferences. Lee’s innovative ideas changed mass media and public relations forever.
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The Fathers Methods
Ledbetter is credited with many different methods and ideas used today in public relations. According to Shelley Spector, co-founder of the Museum of Public Relations, the essential method Lee created was ethical crisis management. Meade (2020):
It was the creation of ethical crisis management practices is his most important contribution. This is all the more remarkable considering that in Lee’s era, the early 1900s, companies would most likely hide an incident from the press, or even lie about it entirely. (p.1)
However, practicing crisis management was a big deal because Lee showed companies how to avoid bad news press, keep unexpected problems within the organization hidden, and make it positive by creating a fake story to tell the media. This method would help improve the reputation of companies, and it is still used today.
Harris & Ewing Collection/Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. (Digital File Number: LC-DIG-hec-19043)
In S3, Ep 1 The Father of Public Relations of The Mad Men of Big Oil series, Amy Westervelt talks about how Ivy Ledbetter Lee used this method to help John Davison Rockefeller Sr solve some interior problems about him and his oil company that became public. Lee’s open door policy helped rebuild the Rockefellers public trust and maintained their image. Lee thought that ethical communication was the key to the groundwork for the principles that still guide public relations today.
Lee’s Influence in the 21st Century
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Lee’s methods have stood the test of time, influencing today’s public relations practices. His press release idea set a standard for clear, convenient, and factual information dissemination, helping to control misinformation. However, one method that seems to be a recurring theme is fake news. Lee used false information to help clear up John Davison Rockefeller Sr’s name and brand, which put up a phony mask for Rockefeller. In today’s society of mass media and politics, you see this more and more. Not to get too deep into politics and social media, but fake news is more accurate than ever before.
Open communication has become a cornerstone of reputation management. In any crisis, PR statements and press conferences address the media and public head-on. Something that Lee would be grateful that did withstand time is people in public relations advocating for truthfulness and directness. Lee wanted organizations to do that, engage the public, and foster relationships, which are essential in today’s public relations.
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Refrences
About Public Relations. (n.d.). PRSA. https://wwAbout Public Relations. (n.d.). PRSA. https://www.prsa.org/about/all-about-prw.prsa.org/about/all-about-pr
Westervelt, A. (n.d.). The Father of Public Relations (No. 1) [Audio recording]. https://drilled.media/podcasts/drilled/3/drilleds03-e01Westervelt, A. (n.d.). The Father of Public Relations (No. 1) [Audio recording]. https://drilled.media/podcasts/drilled/3/drilleds03-e01
Westervelt, A. (n.d.). The Oil-Nazi-Propaganda Triangle (No. 2) [Audio recording]. https://drilled.media/podcasts/drilled/3/drilleds02-e02http://Westervelt, A. (n.d.). The Oil-Nazi-Propaganda Triangle (No. 2) [Audio recording]. https://drilled.media/podcasts/drilled/3/drilleds02-e02
Meade, J. (2020). Father of PR, Ivy Lee, Pioneered Tactics We Use Today. PR NEWS, 1. https://www.prnewsonline.com/ivy-lee-crisis-history/http://Meade, J. (2020). Father of PR, Ivy Lee, Pioneered Tactics We Use Today. PR NEWS, 1. https://www.prnewsonline.com/ivy-lee-crisis-history/