Corporate propaganda
Encyclopedia
Corporate propaganda are propagandist claims made by a corporation
(or corporations), nearly always for the purpose of manipulating market opinion to the benefit of their product or to divide public opinion with regard to controversial issues related to that corporation, and its associated business dealings. Corporate propaganda is distinct from advocacy. Advocacy presents product and service information fully, fairly, and without exploitation of consumer emotions. Just as the use of these products and services can provide pluses which outweigh the minuses to society and individuals, their advocacy may function more positively than negatively.
The most common forms of corporate propaganda are advertising
and public relations
.
Corporation
A corporation is created under the laws of a state as a separate legal entity that has privileges and liabilities that are distinct from those of its members. There are many different forms of corporations, most of which are used to conduct business. Early corporations were established by charter...
(or corporations), nearly always for the purpose of manipulating market opinion to the benefit of their product or to divide public opinion with regard to controversial issues related to that corporation, and its associated business dealings. Corporate propaganda is distinct from advocacy. Advocacy presents product and service information fully, fairly, and without exploitation of consumer emotions. Just as the use of these products and services can provide pluses which outweigh the minuses to society and individuals, their advocacy may function more positively than negatively.
The most common forms of corporate propaganda are advertising
Advertising
Advertising is a form of communication used to persuade an audience to take some action with respect to products, ideas, or services. Most commonly, the desired result is to drive consumer behavior with respect to a commercial offering, although political and ideological advertising is also common...
and public relations
Public relations
Public relations is the actions of a corporation, store, government, individual, etc., in promoting goodwill between itself and the public, the community, employees, customers, etc....
.
Examples
- Decision EarthDecision EarthDecision Earth, also referred to as Decision: Earth, was an environmental education teachers resource for Junior High School students issued by Procter & Gamble in 1997...
Procter & Gamble propaganda materials distributed to schools, to influence young children with pseudoscientificPseudosciencePseudoscience is a claim, belief, or practice which is presented as scientific, but which does not adhere to a valid scientific method, lacks supporting evidence or plausibility, cannot be reliably tested, or otherwise lacks scientific status...
notions. - Bechtel Corporation
- Tobacco industryTobacco industryThe tobacco industry comprises those persons and companies engaged in the growth, preparation for sale, shipment, advertisement, and distribution of tobacco and tobacco-related products. It is a global industry; tobacco can grow in any warm, moist environment, which means it can be farmed on all...
Long history of advertising and litigation wherein practices of manipulation and deception are common. - Climategate
See also
- Corporate communication
- GreenwashGreenwashGreenwashing , or "green sheen", is a form of spin in which green PR or green marketing is deceptively used to promote the perception that a company's policies or products are environmentally friendly.-Usage:...
- Marketing speak
- Spin (public relations)Spin (public relations)In public relations, spin is a form of propaganda, achieved through providing an interpretation of an event or campaign to persuade public opinion in favor or against a certain organization or public figure...