From Gentle Wit to Venomous Bites Benjamin Franklin’s “Industry” of Marketing Ideas /
This paper repositions Benjamin Franklin not merely as a satirist or statesman, but as a pioneering media strategist who shaped public discourse—for the common good—through calculated textual placement and carefully crafted authenticity proxies. It argues that Franklin’s gentle humor and biting poli...
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| Format: | Book part |
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VERBUM – vydavateľstvo Katolíckej univerzity v Ružomberku
Ruzomberok
2025
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| Series: | Crossing borders between countries, scholars, and genres: Commemorating the late Kathleen E. Dubs
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| mtmt: | 36307755 |
| Online Access: | https://publikacio.ppke.hu/2752 |
| Summary: | This paper repositions Benjamin Franklin not merely as a satirist or statesman, but as a pioneering media strategist who shaped public discourse—for the common good—through calculated textual placement and carefully crafted authenticity proxies. It argues that Franklin’s gentle humor and biting political commentary were not distinct phases but part of a continuous, adaptive rhetorical strategy. As printer and publisher, he curated news from content to layout, developing a keen sense of audience engagement. His hoaxes—strategically timed, fabricated news delivered through credible proxies—exemplify this mastery. By foregrounding Franklin’s manipulation of format, venue, and rhetorical disguise, the study reframes him as a master of ideological marketing. |
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| Physical Description: | 17 87-103 |
| ISBN: | 9788056111710 |