Bernays Created American Breakfast

A story about how Edward Bernays created the American breakfast tradition of bacon and eggs through a clever marketing campaign.

"Early in the 20th century, breakfast was just coffee and maybe a roll or some oatmeal. Beech Nut Bacon comes to Bernays and says, 'Hey, we want to sell more bacon.' He realizes people are eating bacon usually for dinner, sometimes for lunch, so there's another meal they can take advantage of.

Bernays goes to Beech Nut's staff doctor and says, 'Would you agree that a hearty breakfast containing bacon would be the best way to start your day?' The doctor agrees. He has the doctor write 5,000 letters to doctors across the nation asking if they agree that bacon is the healthiest breakfast. 4,500 doctors wrote back saying yes.

They didn't turn this into an ad campaign. Instead, they shared that result with all the newspapers. Newspapers started publishing headlines: 'Doctors agree a hearty breakfast containing bacon is the best way to store energy to last throughout your workday.' That's how people started eating bacon for breakfast.

The campaign worked because it sold the dream of a breakfast that would give you more energy throughout your day. It had unquestionable proof with 4,500 doctors backing it up. There was even a superiority element - if your buddy is eating just a roll, you could tell him about how that's not as hearty as your bacon breakfast."