Edward Bernays, Sigmund Freud, Copywriting Psychology & Internet Marketing

That's really interesting. I don't suppose you have some examples of the copy and marketing techniques he used?

Bernays was more of a propagandist.

Let me explain:

Rather than write copy and just sell,, he would stage events...And make propaganda for his clients...

The idea was to introduce, educate and propagandize first long before the sale.

It think it comes down to laying the groundwork for the sale...For massive sales...Long before introducing the actual product (perhaps a yr or more before introduction of product)

This is the type of stuff used for big corporations and overthrowing small countries.

The books, pamphlets, ads or other sales pieces to warm up a big market years before introducing the actual product or new idea.

Also, the major psychological factor I think he used was 'proof from experts' - The equivalent of today's testimonials...

But he did it in a more intentional way - Finding the issue and then getting the cred.

An example would be cigarettes.

He is controversial for helping tobacco companies (granted this was back in the 30's without all the test studies and he became and advocate against it later)

But the issue was not to smoke or not to smoke for women at the time...

It was how not to get fat from eating desserts.

So they positioned it as an alternative 'post meal activity' (rather than chocolates).

So women would smoke not to get fat from dessert chocolate.

Then the cred would come from a respected authority that this is a good weight loss alternative and stops or replaces chocolate craving.

Also, they positioned cigs as women's liberation because it was not really acceptable for women to smoke in public at the time. So they staged events like 'Torches of Freedom' which was a public march of women smoking to flaunt the status quo.

Today this would seem a bit absurd knowing what we know about tobacco, but back then it was a bit like alcohol and the prohibition issue.

This was the early days of what shaped modern corporate sponsorships.

Sigmund Freud got basically ALL of his popularity in the states from Bernays. Despite all his high society popularity in Europe, Freud was hurtin for cash (or considered marketing to 'unscholarly' and 'uncouth').

Much like he couldn't figure out women after a lifetime in psychology, apparently he couldn't figure out marketing his books either via psychology.

It was Bernays the propagandist who brought Freud to the states in a big way...Combining psychology with propaganda for massive effect...Selling volumes of Freuds work to upscale east coasters and making Freud the most well known name in psychology.

On that note: My book is called Masters of Mass Manipulation: Secrets of The #1 U.S. Publicist.

I explore some of the examples of using masterful psychology that worked brilliantly in the past.

Some of the techniques are controversial and possibly unethical.

What they were doing back then was in a way 'concealing' the corporate interest sponsoring what looked like an impartial review.

I suppose this wasn't too new of an idea, but with something like smoking, it was a lethal tactic.

I'm not sure there is any black and white here - most of it is grey zone...

It comes down to shaping the herd mind - the study of group psychology.

Love him or hate him, even his rivals acknowledged he was the king of PR.

Let me know if any more questions about Bernays...I did a fairly in depth study on the topic for internet marketing because in my view psychology is essentially the backbone of marketing and sales and this guy was closely related to the most renowned psychologist in the world.

Also if it is allowed here I may offer a few review copies.