How Putin and Russia Use Powerful U.S. PR Firms to Shape American Opinion

The Russian attempt to influence the 2016 American presidential election, using what intelligence agencies call “active measures,” has dominated U.S. headlines.

There is, however, a second front in Russia’s effort to shape the hearts and minds of American citizens, and it’s received almost no attention in mainstream U.S. media outlets since the election.

As someone who studies the growth of global public relations, I’ve researched the roles PR firms play in shaping public perceptions of international affairs.

Saudi Arabia Continues Hiring Spree of American Lobbyists, Public Relations Experts

Saudi Arabia is in the market for a better reputation in Washington, D.C.

In September alone, foreign lobbying disclosure documents show the Saudi government signing deals with PR powerhouse Edelman and lobbying leviathan the Podesta Group, according to recent disclosures.

TransCanada hires controversial PR firm to derail opposition to Energy East pipeline

There are now multiple news articles that report Calgary-based TransCanada hired the controversial public relations firm Edelman in an attempt to derail growing public opposition to its proposed 1.1 million barrels per day Energy East tar sands pipeline. The PR firm began working for TransCanada in February and submitted detailed proposals to them in May and August.

Among the various tactics to be undertaken, Edelman proposed in their Promote, Respond, Pressure document to "prepare a research profile of key opposition groups by examining public records (including financial disclosures, legal databases and legislative records), traditional media sources (news databases such as Lexis-Nexis and Factiva) and social media (Facebook, Twitter and other relevant sites). ...We will begin with the Council of Canadians. Other possibilities include Equiterre, the David Suzuki Foundation, Avaaz and Ecology Ottawa." The overall plan was to "add layers of difficulty for our opponents, distracting them from their mission and causing them to redirect their resources."

Leaked Documents Reveal Shady Tactics Behind PR Push For Even Bigger Canadian Pipeline

With the debate still raging over Keystone XL, the company behind the pipeline is already hard at work promoting a PR strategy for its larger and entirely Canadian pipeline, Energy East. New documents made public this week show that Transcanada is working with the world’s largest independently owned PR firm, Edelman, to help garner support for the literally trans-Canada pipeline that would bring heavy crude from the western tar sands to the eastern ports for export. With clients like the American Petroleum Institute (API) and the Koch-funded American Legislative Executive Council (ALEC), Edelman recently made unwanted news for refusing to commit to turning away clients that support climate-denying agendas.

World's Biggest Coal Company, World's Biggest PR Firm Pair Up To Promote Coal For Poor People

WASHINGTON -– Peabody Energy Corp., the world's largest private-sector coal company, launched a public relations and advertising campaign last month extolling the virtues of coal energy for poor people.

A Peabody press release announcing the campaign, called Advanced Energy for Life, argues that lack of access to energy is "the world's number one human and environmental crisis."

To enter the campaign website, readers encounter a drop-in screen that asks them to agree or disagree with the statement, "Access to low-cost energy improves our lives." The site notes that there are 3.5 billion people in the world "without adequate energy" -- 1.2 billion of them children. A video titled "Energy Poverty" features babies and small children, with text that implores, "We can solve this crisis." It adds: "Affordable energy leads to better health."

Opinion Please Advise! All Harper Wants for Christmas Is Good PR

Dear Dr. Steve,

Christmas is supposed to be a season of peace. So why is it that every Christmas it seems the world is divided into heroes and villains? Those of us who champion personal responsibility are reviled by every pissant Cindy Lou Who as the greedy Bob Cratchits of organized labour whine for a half-day off. At least we've taken steps to ensure that Canada Post will no longer deliver the stacks of "Season's Greetings" cards sent out by holiday Christ-haters, but still I'm tired of being painted as Scroogey McGrinch every December. What can I do to get on Santa's good PR list?

Yours in Christmas fellowship,
The Right Honourable Stephen Harper