How is Public Relations used as a persuasive tool in communications?

Public Relations is used as a persuasive tool in communications in many ways. The use of PR for persuasion can be seen as far back as World War I, when president Woodrow Wilson created a new government agency whose job was to make war popular out of his concern about the widespread anti- war sentiment. This committee created news, releases, magazine pieces, posters, movies, and even sent speakers all over the country trying to persuade people to support the war. From there, the idea of using PR as a persuasive tool in communications took off. When World War II broke out, a new committee was put into place with Elmer Davis as the head, and they began using PR for persuasion on a giant scale. They employed hundreds of people, and their jobs were to persuade the public. Today, public relations continues to be a persuasive tool in communications in almost all areas. Politicians have PR reps and agencies who make them look good and send out positive messages about them. In this case, the politician is using PR to persuade people to vote for him or support him. Even celebrities use PR as a persuasive tool. Celebrities have PR people who work to persuade people to like them and watch their movies or but their albums. They also use PR when they get in trouble to persuade the public they are innocent. It is easy to see PR being used as a persuasive tool in communications anywhere.