The Du Pont Company's Publicity Bureau was originally created on February 21, 1916 at the urging of R. R. M. Carpenter to deal with issues raised by the great increase of business spawned by World War I. Prior to this time, publicity had been handled by the Advertising Division, created in 1911. Charles K. Weston of the Philadelphia PUBLIC LEDGER was the first Director of Publicity. The Publicity Bureau became the Publicty Dept. in October 1935. It was renamed the Public Relations Dept. on April 1, 1938, and the Public Affairs Dept. in 1973. It was combined with the Marketing Communications Dept. to form the External Affairs Dept. on January 1, 1986. During the 1930s the Public Affairs Department attempted to counter the Nye Commission investigation which labeled the Du Pont Company as a "merchant of death". It developed the slogan "Better Things for Better Living Through Chemistry" and developed the Du Pont CAVALCADE OF AMERICA on radio. The Community Relations Division, established in 1946, published the magazine BETTER LIVING.
From the description of Records, 1912-1981. (Hagley Museum & Library). WorldCat record id: 86119149
