Advertising’s
Ages
 The
Copy
Workshop
Workbook

Chapter 1
2 Key Concepts:
 The Power of Ideas

Creation & “Creative Destruction”
 Government Supports Business
Benjamin Franklin
Printer, “Idea Person”
“The First American”
Alexander Hamilton
U.S. as Business Partner
4
Foundations of Advertising
 Mass Produced Goods
 Mass Communication
 Mass Distribution
 Mass Education
Early Media Advertising
 Icons/Signage
 Newspapers/Posters
 Early Advertisers



Department Stores
Mail Order
Patent Medicines
3 Very Big Ideas!
 Big Product Idea King Gillette
 Big Media Idea J. Walter Thompson
 Big Business Idea Cyrus Curtis
King Gillette’s Big Idea!
 Make a product that must
be re-purchased
 Advertise it
aggressively
 Gillette
becomes one of first
“packaged goods”
J. Walter Thompson’s Big Idea!
 Sell ad space in magazines
 Pocket a commission
 JWT becomes key agency
 And...
 Magazines become a
national ad medium!
Cyrus Curtis’s Big Idea!
 Have agencies sell ad space
in your magazines for you
 Only agencies can pocket a
commission (clients can’t)
 Curtis Publishing Becomes Big!
 Ad Agency Business is Established!!
Early Brands
 Soaps
 Soft Drinks
 Cereals
 Cigarettes
Ad Evolution 1900-1920
 The “Age of Lasker”
 Lasker Hears a Big Idea...

John E. Kennedy
“Advertising
is salesmanship
in print.”
Early “Reason Why”
Made Canada better-dressed
Ad Evolution 1900-1920
 The “Age of Lasker”
 Lasker Hears a Big Idea...

John E. Kennedy
“Advertising
is salesmanship
in print.”

Claude Hopkins
“Scientific Advertising”
Created by
Claude Hopkins
Lasker’s Ads
 Hopkins’ “pre-emption”
 Baked Beans
Created by
Claude Hopkins
Lasker’s Ads
 Hopkins’ “pre-emption”
 Baked Beans
 Cereal
Created by
Claude Hopkins
Lasker’s Ads
 Hopkins’ “pre-emption”
 Baked Beans
 Cereal
 Shaving Cream
Created by
Claude Hopkins
Lasker’s Ads
 Hopkins’ “pre-emption”
 Baked Beans
 Cereal
 Shaving Cream
 Orange Juice
 Note: when products are
new, advertising about
those products can be
very interesting.
Lasker’s Contributions:
 Harding’s Landslide
 Other Key Concepts



Baseball’s organization
Air Power in WWII
The Lasker Foundation
(www.laskerfoundation.org)
 & More…



Grass on golf courses
Tulips in Central Park (Mary Lasker)
A World-Class Modern Art Collection
 But most of all…

The “Idea” of Advertising
Early “Pull Advertising”
 Elmo Calkins & “Phoebe Snow”

Dressed in white - “Road of Anthracite”
JWT’s Creative/Business Team
 Helen Resor
HS Valedictorian
 Suffrage Leader
 Strong writing “A skin you
love to touch"

 Stanley Resor
Professionalism
 Partnership

JWT’s Creative/Business Team
National Agencies Emerge
NW Ayer “& Son”
 J. Walter Thompson
 Lord & Thomas (Lasker’s agency)
 BBDO
 Still print advertising media:
newspapers, magazines, billboards

“Pull” vs. “Push”
 Example:
Jordan
Imagery and
“word magic”
 Works best
when times are
good

 Example:
Plymouth
Positioning and
competing
 Works best
when times are
tough

Ad Evolution 1930-1947:
 Golden Age of Radio
New Medium Emerges:
 First FREE Ad Medium
 Hard Sell for Hard Times

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Ray Rubicam (Young & Rubicam)
 Creative Control of
Advertising
 Used Research w.
George Gallup
 Writer/Art Director
Team - New Standard
 Ethical Behavior
 First Modern Agency
The Consumer Movement
 1906 Pure Food and Drug Act

Ends patent medicine abuse
 1927 Consumers’ Research
 1938 Copeland Bill
 1938 Federal Trade Commission Act
 1938 Wheeler Lea Amendment
Advertising Goes to War!!
 War Advertising
Council
 Part of Social
Change - women
in work force
 Image Advertising
(product shortages)
Dynamic Agency Growth
 Pent-up Consumer Demand Explodes!
 International Expansion
 Increased Services (Marketing)
 Two Visionaries
Alex Osborn
 “Brainstorming”
 Marion Harper
 Interpublic, the
1st Mega-Agency

A Media Revolution Television!!
 Increased Post-War Consumption
 Increased Ad Spending (up 300%!)
 Increased Agency Size
 The “Modern” age begins...
Rosser Reeves & The “USP”
 Unique Selling Proposition
 Repeat, repeat, repeat!!!
Melts in your mouth,
not in your hands.
 Build strong bodies 12 ways.
 Cleans your breath
while it cleans your teeth.
 Fast, Fast, Fast Relief!

Rosser Reeves & The “USP”
 Unique Selling Proposition
 Repeat, repeat, repeat!!!
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Coming Next…
The Creative
Revolution!