Public relations in Turkey during 1920-1955: The display of a Western ımage

This paper focuses on the early evidence of public relations in Turkey from 1920 to 1955, through analyzing national image cultivation and projection efforts in the international settings. It is argued that significant public relations activities were employed in order to cultivate a modern national image and promote a westernized image of Turkey to the West. Agencies were founded to manage media relations and produce materials targeting foreign audiences, and special attention was paid to international exhibitions and fairs overseas. However, due to the economic constraints and the lack of prevalent media during that period, alternative public relations tools were created to sustain national promotion.