The Fact
Edward Bernays wrote in 1928 that creating or changing public opinion requires understanding human motives, identifying the interests and groups represented in a population, and understanding the channels used to reach the public, including radio, newspapers, movies, letters, and public speaking.
What This Means
Bernays described persuasion as audience engineering: know what motivates people, know which groups influence them, and use the communication systems through which ideas reach them.
Sources
- Edward L. Bernays, “Manipulating Public Opinion: The Why and The How,” American Journal of Sociology 33, no. 6 (May 1928): 958–971.