25 PR Gurus You Shouldn’t Ignore!

Here are some really well known Public Relations Gurus, Top Experts that have contributed a lot to Public Relations field, some of whom are still saving and serving not only fortune 500 but also smaller, private brands, start-ups.

It took me over two weeks to write this article, a lot of research has been put into it, so please share it if you like it.

25 Well-known Public Relations Gurus

Edward Louis James Bernays (1891 - 1995)

Notable Achievements:

• Known to be the Father of Public Relations
• Titled as one of the 100 most influential Americans of the 20th century by Life magazine.
• Refined & promoted the practice of Press Release
• Made cigarette manufacturing industry richer by converting the untapped niche of women with famous women cigarette smoking campaign in 1920’s.
• Made Bacon industry richer by manipulating American population into believing heavy breakfast (eating bacon at breakfast) was essential for health.
• Provided consultancy to some really big brands, industrial giants like General Electric, Procter & Gamble, the American Tobacco Company, Dodge Motors , Cartier Inc., CBS, the United Fruit Company,  Best Foods.

Check Edward Louis James Bernays for more

David Meerman Scott

Notable Achievements:

• Co-author of ten books, out of which three are international best sellers.
• His book The New Rules of Marketing & PR is being translated in over 25 languages, used as a text book in hundreds of universities, business schools world over!
• He turned HubSpot from a small start-up with lesser than a dozen employees (2007) into a big brand in its niche, with immense growth and over 15K employees in around hundred countries now!
• Also worked as consultant with SlapFive, GutCheck Set The Set,Mynd, RISEcx, Expertfile, VisibleGains etc
• Spoken to executives of all categories in over 40 countries, covering all continents
• Top firms and organizations have engaged Scott to present at conferences, expos and meetings, among them: Cisco, GenRe, SAP, Google, Microsoft, Ford Motor Company, Century 21  Amdocs, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Schlumberger, PwC, Jackson Healthcare, McCormick, Nestle Purina and countless more!

For further details check David Meerman Scott

Eric Yaverbaum

Notable Achievements:

• Is a bestselling author on the subject matter
• Is founder of Jericho Communications that has been ranked as the 11^th best PR agency in the US.
• His clients include TCBY, PROGRESSIVE, EMI, Master Built, Papa John’s Pizza, Transperfect, BrainHQ, Beach Body, Viggle, Roam Buddy, ALOETTE, IKEA, DOMINOS, H&M etc

          You can learn more about him here Eric Yaver baum

Bill McGowan

Notable Achievements:

• Two time Emmy Awards winner
• Reported over 700 nationally broadcasted stories
• Interviewed hundreds of celebrities, politicians, sportsmen
• Trained PR Executives from well renowned brands like The New York Times, Harley Davidson,Facebook, Google, Deutsche Bank, Spotify etc.
• Also trained some well known individuals like Jack Welch, Sheryl Sandberg, Holly Hunter, Eli Manning, Thomas Keller etc

You can check out more about Bill McGowan here Bill McGowan 

Ryan Holiday

Notable Achievements:

• College dropout ;p
• His company Brass Check given consultancy to companies like Google, TASER, Complex etc
• One of his book has been translated into over twenty languages
• Has devoted clients from among distinguished athletes, NFL mentors, TV celebrities etc

Wilcox, Dennis L

Notable Achievements:

• Professor emeritus of public relations School of Journalism and Mass Communications
• Currently on review board of two well known public relations journals
• Front rank author of Public Relations Strategies & Tactics, now in its 11^th edition
• Has been Chairperson of Public Relations Society of America
• Has been visiting faculty member in different academies, universities in Australia, South Africa, Thailand also provided consultancy across the globe in different countries like Chile, Latvia, Romania,  South Africa, Ukraine, Argentina, India, Serbia, Singapore etc

Ronn Torossian

Notable Achievements:

• Founder of 5W PR, “one of the U.S.'s busiest, most effective PR companies" Business Insider.
• 5W PR served some well-known celebrities like Lil' Kim, Ice Cube, Snoop Dogg, Sean Combs etc
• Interviewed by notable Tv channels like ABC, Bloomberg, Al Jazeera, Good Morning America etc
• Featured in various magazines like Entrepreneur, The New York Times, Business Week
• Columnist at The NY Observer, Wired Magazine, The Huffington Post etc
• J. R. O'Dwyer listed 5W PR as one of top 20 PR agencies in the US.

Glen T. Cameron

Notable Achievements:

• Developed contingency theory in the PR domain
• Cited as the most published researcher in domains journalism, mass communication; inside US.
• Co-Author of leading elementary text on public relations
• His book Public Relations: Strategies and Tactics now in 11^th edition is being translated in over nine languages.
• Has remained Core Director in health & science, communication projects, worth around 70 million dollars.
• Pathfinder Award for Career Research Contributions
• Achieved Jackson Jackson & Wagner Behavioral Science Prize
• Won Top 50 Communication Scholars Award
• And many more awards!

Brad Phillips

Notable Achievements:

• Mentored thousands of media persons
• Own the most visited website on PR, Media training in the world; called www.mrmediatraining.com
• Worked in CNN, ABC
• Featured in numerous well-known magazines, TV channels like  Fox News, USA Today, Washington Post, Huffington Post, the Associated Press, The Hill, The New York Observer and countless more!
• Contributes to world’s most famous PR Website Ragan PR Daily

Dale Carnegie (1888 - 1951)

Notable Achievements:

• Author of the most popular bestselling book on self improvement, public speaking, salesmanship called How to Win Friends & Influence People.
• How to Win Friends & Influence People sold over five million copies and has been translated in over 30 languages.
• Developed the famous Dale Carnegie Course, that has been completed by over 8 million people around the globe

Scott Cutlip (1915 - 2000)

Notable Achievements:

• Known as the pioneer in public relations
• Author of the famous textbook Effective Public Relations now in its 8^th edition
• Received Commanders Award for Public Service
• Received Golden Envil Award
• A scholarship is named after him, called Scott Cutlip Scholarship, awarded to students (UW-Madison) who take concern in public relations domain.

Karen Kang

Notable Achievements:

• Author of a best seller, BrandingPays: The Five Steps System to Reinvent Your Personal Brand.
• This book has been featured in Business Week, Fast Company and in other notable television & radio shows.
• Had been partner with the world famous firm Regis McKenna Inc that has created and launched the Apple brand.
• Frequent speaker at leading business academies inside and outside US
• Her clientele includes not only fortune 500 brands but also smaller brands, start-ups, ngo’s.

You can interact with here at twitter

Michael Levine

Notable Achievements:

• Author of the best selling PR book of all time, called Guerrilla P.R
• Owner of the Levine Breaking News, that has around half a million subscribers.
• The most demanded commentator, shared his exposition on various major news platforms like The New York Times, the USA Today, Forbes, Fox News, and Variety.
• Provided media advice to united states presidents, G.H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton & Ronald Regan
• His clientele includes some well-know celebrities like Michael J. Fox, Demi Moore David Bowie, Sandra Bullock.
• Author of around 20 books

Fraser P. Seitel

Notable Achievements:

• Author of the famous text book on PR, The Practise of Public Relations, now in its 12^th edition.
• Has been representative of Rockefeller family
• Appeared on famous TV shows like Glenn Beck, Larry King Live, MSNBC etc
• Chair of Emerald Partners, a public relations firm
• Ajunct Professor of Public Relations at New York University

Clarke L. Caywood

Notable Achievements:

• Named as one of the most famous 100 PR people of the 20th century (by PRWeek)
• Editor of the best selling handbook on Public Relations
• Received educator of the year award from Public Relations Society of America

Eric Dezenhall

Notable Achievements:

• Over three decades of experience in public relations
• One the most sought-after PR experts in the US
• Worked in President Ronald Regan White House Communication Office
• Appeared on numerous TV channels, media platforms like FOX, NPR, CNN, MSNBC etc and has been frequently quoted in heavy weight newspapers, magazines like USA Today, Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal, Huffington Post, Daily Beast etc.
• Author of around 10 books
• CEO of well known Public Relations firm, called Dezenhall Resources, its clients includes Procter & Gamble, Exxon Mobil, General Electric, Interest Watch etc and individuals like Jeffrey Skilling, Mark Geragos O'Melveny & Myers etc.

For more check Denzenhall

Daniel Diermeier

Notable Achievements:

• Can be considered an authority when it comes to PR, his clientele says it all; Abbott Laboratories, Accenture, AHIP, Allianz , BP, Cargill, the City of Chicago (Office of the Mayor), CIBC, ConAgra, The Dallas Morning News, Exelon, the FBI, HSBC, IFCO Systems, Intercontinental Exchange, Johnson & Johnson, Kraft, McDonald’s, Metro AG, Metro Cash & Carry International, Nicor, People’s Energy, REWE Group, Roche Diagnostics, Shell etc.
• Remained on the management board of the FBI
• Frequently appears on various notable media platforms like Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, the Wall Street Journal, Business Week, the Financial Times etc
• Received Faculty Pioneer Award
• Four times recipient of Sidney J. Levy Teaching Award

Steven Fink

Notable Achievements:

• Author of the most read book on Public Relations ever
• Steven Fink is nicknamed as the Dean Of Crisis Management in the PR industry.
• Owner & President of one of the most well known Public Relations Firm LexiconCommunication Corp.
• Lexicon Communication Corp clientele includes some of the giants of the industry like Adams, Duque & Hazeltine, Cozen O'Connor , Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, Nike, Northwest Natural Products/L'il Critters ™ Gummy Vites®, Pfizer, Inc., UCLA School of Medicine/Neuropsychiatric Institute, Unilab Corporation, Visible Genetics, Inc., International Communications Group (ICG), WATS Marketing of America (subsidiary of American Express), Disneyland , AIG (American International Group), Budget Finance Company, Charter Pacific Bank Chartis Insurance etc.
• Frequently appears on notable media platforms like NBC, The TODAY Show, CNN, ABC, CBS, BBC World News, MSNBC, FOX News etc.
• Had been featured in TIME, the Wall Street Journal, Business Week, The New York Times, The Guardian, the Associated Press etc.

Patti Wood

Notable Achievements:

• Labeled as The Gold Standard of Body Language Experts by Washington Post
• She frequents CNN, BBC, FOX news, PBS, The Discovery Channel, Bloomberg Business Week, NPR.com, Huffington Post etc.
• Has been advising fortune 500 companies like DuPont, HP, AT&T, GE etc
• Also have been providing her valuable insights, consultancy to government institutes like NASA, FBI, EPA etc

Kristen White

Notable Achievements:

• Pretty well known personality in public relations sector, here clientele includes Apple, ABC, Forbes, The Huffington Post, ABC, FOX, CBS, YouTube, NBC, KMOX.
• Received many awards like STEVIE WINNER, Female Entrepreneur of the Year, Innovator of the year etc
• Author of around half a dozen books including a best seller

Check Kristen White for more.

Jason H. Vines

Notable Achievements:

• Has been an advisor to GM
• Remained the top communication, PR professional for three notable auto brands, that are Nissan North America, Chrysler Group and Ford Motor Company.
• Named Top PR Professional in automotive niche
• Attributed with launch of some great wheels like Jeep Grand Cherokee, Dodge Viper, Nissan 350z, Chrysler 300 etc
• Launched the most effective PR Campaign in automotive history "The Back is Where It's At," for Chrysler.
• Played a vital role in Ford/Firestrone tire crisis

John Stauber

Notable Achievements:

• Founder of the famous PRwatch Platform
• Considered as the one that knows PR industry from inside out, thus provides the PR industry target audience the inside story, dirty secrets about mass manipulation, lies, deception, propaganda etc
• Author some really interesting books that exposes the PR Industry

For more check John Stauber

Al Ries

Notable Achievements:

• Has been selected as one of the most influential individual in PR industry in 20^th century
• AMA selected him as one of the inductees to the Marketing Hall of Fame
• Cofounder & Chair of Ries & Ries PR firm, his clientele includes Samsung, AT&T, IBM, Apple, Intel,  Burger King, P&G, Xerox, Smithkline etc
• Originator of the concept of positioning
• Author of five best selling books

For more check Ries

Shama Hyder

Notable Achievements:

• Award winning CEO of a digital PR company, “The Marketing Zen Group”.
• Provides services not only to fortune 500 but also to small businesses, startups
• Author of a best seller
• Founder of Shama TV web show, Shama TV received Hermes Gold Award
• Have been on stage with people like former president of the united state Barack Obam, Dalai Lama etc
• Received Technology Titan Emerging Company Award
• Business week named her among top 25 entrepreneurs under age 25
• Inc named here among top 30 entrepreneurs under 30
• Entrepreneur named her “Zen Master of Marketing”

Sir Thomas Basil Clarke (1879 - 1947)

Notable Achievements:

• Founder of public relations in the UK
• Founder of first public relation agency in the UK, called Editorial Services Ltd
• Pioneer of Propaganda by News methodology
• Played a key role in British propaganda against Ireland during Irish war of independence
• Developed world’s first Public Relations code of conduct

That’s it, over to you guys!