Though lobbyists target Capitol Hill, often those in public relations work on issues ahead of them, conditioning the legislative landscape. Brendan Smialowski/Getty Images hide caption
The Message Makers: Inside PR And Advertising From an examination of BP's public relations missteps in the Gulf oil disaster to a profile of Hollywood's go-to publicist for celebrities coming out of the closet, an NPR series looks behind the scenes in the world of PR.
Special Series
The Message Makers: Inside PR And Advertising
A branding firm came up with the name Swiffer by playing with words like "clean," "wipe" and "sweep." It's now one of Procter & Gamble's biggest sellers. Procter & Gamble hide caption
Wal-Mart's ad campaign in Mandarin emphasizes family as an important theme. In this moment from one of the ads, mother and daughter talk about the value Wal-Mart adds to their household. Wal-Mart hide caption
Howard Bragman has worked as a publicist for more than 30 years. He is the author of Where's My Fifteen Minutes? Robert Mora/Getty Images hide caption
PR's 'Gay Guru' Helps Celebrities Come Out
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In May 2010, then-BP CEO Tony Hayward gave a news conference at Fourchon Beach in Port Fourchon, La. Patrick Semansky/AP hide caption