| The Museum of Public Relations The Museum of Public Relations Reference Library is now open. ... Cheney Brothers, a 100-year-old New York-based family silk manufacturing business, ... Video clips coming to this site soon. ©2002The Museum of Public Relations 26 Broadway / 22nd floorNew York, NY 10004voice: 212.943.5858fax: 212.943.3211 1924RECOGNITION THROUGH COLLABORATION: Art in Industry Bernays arranged for American silks to appear in the Louvre Cheney Brothers, a 100-year-old New York-based family silk manufacturing business, found itself losing market share. Cheney Brothers hired art director Henry Creange to establish a sense of style for the company + Creange hired Bernays. When they began their campaign, the French had the monopoly on style. Rather than compete, Bernays co-opted. Bernays created the Cheney Style Service, which included a free mat service for 300 small newspapers, fashion bulletins for department store salesmen + letters about French fashion to hundreds of newspaper editors. A firm believer in linking celebrities + products, Bernays arranged for Cheney Brothers's oldest worker to present First Lady Mrs. Warren G. Harding with a silk dress at USA White House. When this resulted in massive media coverage, Bernays presented three lengths of silk to the textile museum in Lyons, France, where great silk was manufactured. News of the French endorsement of an American product was cabled back to American newspapers, reinforcing Cheney Brothers's + Creange's credibility. Next, Bernays invented the "Art in Industry" medal convincing the Architectural League to give it to Henry Creange. The award publicized Cheney Brothers + initiated the concept of art in industry. Later, when Creange was inspired by French ironwork by Edgar Brandt, Bernays arranged for art shows of Brandt's ironworks draped with Cheney Brothers silks in New York + throughout the country. Art critics applauded + again fashion press + designers endorsed Cheney Brothers. Continuing to look for French endorsements, Bernays arranged for American silks to be exhibited in the Louvre for the first time ever. Media coverage of the Louvre exhibition furthered Cheney Brothers as spokespeople for art in industry. Bernays, Creange Cheney Brothers commissioned painter Georgia O'Keefe to create art based on the Cheney colors + her paintings were placed in store windows. Cheney Brothers sales increased + they now accepted the fact that public relations [PROPAGANDA] could generate sales. 00.000.1925 When Paris hosted the International Exposition of Modern Decorative + Industrial Arts, Bernays ensured American representation. 00.000.1925 -lasted 17 weeks-Paris International Exposition of Modern Decorative + Industrial Arts,; publicity lasted much longer. This was the first time the USA Government recognized "art in industry." USA participation in Paris International Exposition of Modern Decorative + Industrial Arts also strengthened U.S.-French relations. For many years textile, advertising, furniture, printing + other industries reflected the Cheney Brothers's adaptation of French style. Bernays used [PROPAGANDA] „public relations“ to "create acceptance of beauty as an important aspect of the manufactured product." |