The activities of Conservative Central Office (CCO) have historically been grouped into two main departments: the Organisation Department (see CCO 500) and the Publicity Department. The latter was responsible for the production and widespread dissemination of publicity materials and propaganda such as elections posters and leaflets, as well as facilitating relations with the media.

The first Press Adviser was appointed by CCO in 1910 and a Press Bureau established in 1911. The Party's first Director of Publicity, Joseph Ball, was appointed in 1927, during the chairmanship of JCC Davidson (1926-1930). Following a review of the Party organisation undertaken by Deputy Party Chairman Lord Stanley, this post was created to reduce the workload of the Principal Agent (from 1931, the General Director), the head of CCO, and was of equal status to him. Davidson was the first to employ advertising agencies to help present the Party's message, using first the Holford-Bottomley Advertising Service, JH Benson's, and also Press Secretaries Ltd, during the inter-war years.

The Publicity Department has undergone several name changes over time, becoming known as the Press and Communications Department in the early-mid 1980s, the Communications Department by at least 1989, and the Department of Political Operations in 1997. Since then, Conservative Campaign Headquarters (CCHQ), CCO's successor, has re-organised the publicity and communications team multiple times.

The title Director of Publicity was used interchangeably with Chief Publicity Officer until the mid-1960s. When the post of General Director was abolished in 1966, the positions of Chief Organisation Officer and Chief Publicity Officer were re-named Director of Organisation and Director of Publicity respectively.

The Director of Publicity was traditionally assisted by a Deputy, but the increasing importance of communications to the Party saw the creation of 3 Deputy Directors by the early 1970s covering Broadcasting, Press and Publicity, and Publications.