He paid women to walk and smoke in an Easter Sunday parade, which to me just seems so vile. (the whole thing is vile, but that particular touch seems to me almost diabolical.)
Yes, it surprises me what some are saying positively in this comment thread about Bernays. In my mind he's always been the epitome of evil. And that mustache... Jeez...
More here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torches_of_Freedom
Sinister! Well, great for the tobacco companies. Humanity overall? Not so much.