Michael Searle

Focus, Authority, Tribe, Emotion—and the one ingredient the 20th century forgot. Edward Bernays is widely considered the father of public relations. The nephew of Sigmund Freud, Bernays was the first to realize that you could use psychology to manipulate the masses, not just to sell products, but to shift culture. In the 1920s, he didn’t just sell cigarettes; he branded them "Torches of Freedom" and organized debutantes to smoke them in the Easter Parade, breaking a social taboo and doubling...

Strategy is not a to-do list. It is a calculated chain reaction. In the world of high-stakes public affairs, the most dangerous word is "busy." We see it constantly. A client walks in the door facing a crisis or a brand reputation threat. They are armed with a list of tactics: "We need a press release. We need to meet with the Senator. We need a social media campaign. We need an Op-Ed." They have the right ingredients. They have the energy. But they are about to lose. Why? Because they are...