Richard Berman | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1942 (age 81–82) |
| Alma mater | Transylvania University, William and Mary School of Law |
| Occupation(s) | Lawyer, lobbyist |
| Children | David Berman |
Richard B. Berman (born 1942) is an American lawyer, public relations executive, and former lobbyist.[1] Through his public affairs firm, Berman and Company, he ran several industry-funded, non-profit organizations such as the Center for Consumer Freedom,[2] the Center for Union Facts, and the Employment Policies Institute.[3]
Berman's organizations have run numerous media campaigns concerning obesity, soda taxation, smoking, cruelty to animals, mad cow disease, taxes, the national debt, drinking and driving, as well as the minimum wage. Through the courts and media campaigns, Berman and Company challenges regulations sought by consumer, safety and environmental groups.[4][5][6][7]
Berman’s mantra is to “win ugly or lose pretty.”[8] He argues, “I believe in offense. Public relations firms mainly deal with crisis management. That is defensive in nature.”[9] According to The New Yorker, “Richard Berman is something of a legend, often credited with taking the art of negative campaigning on behalf of undisclosed corporate clients to the next level.”[10] He devised an acronym to summarize his approach to public relations messaging (“FLAGS,” or fear, love, anger, greed, and sympathy), claiming that anger and fear are the most effective emotions to convey.[11]
Berman has appeared on 60 Minutes, The Rachel Maddow Show,[12] The Colbert Report,[13] and CNN[14] in support of Berman and Company-affiliated organizations. He claims he is “never afraid of an interview, even from a hostile source.”[15] 60 Minutes has called Berman "the booze and food industries' weapon of mass destruction," labor union activist Richard Bensinger gave him the nickname "Dr. Evil," and Michael Kranish of the Boston Globe dubbed him a "pioneer" in the "realm of opinion molding."[16] The “Dr. Evil” nickname comes from a 2006 USA Today story, which claims “Berman is the best, and apparently most hated, example of a third party hired by companies to be their public face as they take on unpopular battles.”[17][18]
On Berman's criticism of the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN) in 2009, Rachel Maddow claimed, "The people who are paying Rick Berman for his work, those people who think that their profits are threatened by what ACORN does, they‘re getting way more than their money‘s worth."[19] In 2013, The Huffington Post included Berman on its list of "America's Ruling Class Hall of Shame," describing him as a "sleazy corporate front man."[20] In a 2015 article, Salon criticized Berman as a propagandist, calling him "a gifted translator of biz-think into the common sense of the millions."[21] He was criticized in a 2018 episode of Last Week Tonight with John Oliver on astroturfing.[22] Berman has responded to such criticism by stating that the groups he managed have acted as "watchdogs who question the motivation, tactics, and fundraising efforts of these powerful groups" and that targets "throw mud" instead of "debating the actual issues."[23]