Early development of PR evolution in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia between 1933 and 1980 – the role of Saudi Aramco

Purpose This paper documents the inception and early developments of public relations (PR) in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) between 1933 and 1980. The study focuses on the pivotal role of the American oil company, Aramco, and the influence of Western perspectives on the shaping of PR in the KSA. Design/methodology/approach The study adopts Bentele's Fact-and-Event-Oriented Type approach, analyzing historical documents pertaining to Aramco's practices and archives. A descriptive qualitative m