J. Walter Thompson Company. Sidney Ralph Bernstein Company History Files, 1873-1964
[top]Descriptive Summary
TitleJ. Walter Thompson Company. Sidney Ralph
Bernstein Company History Files,
1873-1964
Creator
J. Walter Thompson Company.
Extent
4 Linear Feet
3000 Items
Repository
3000 Items
Duke University Rare Book, Manuscript, and Special
Collections Library
Language
English.
[top]
Administrative Information
Access RestrictionsCollection is open to research.
However, patrons must sign the Acknowledgment of Legal
Responsibility and Privacy Rights form before using this collection.
Also, all or portions of this collection may be housed off-site in
Duke University's Library Service Center. Consequently, there may be a 24-hour
delay in obtaining these materials.
Please contact Research Services staff before visiting the Rare
Book, Manuscript, and Special Collections Library to use this collection.
Use Restrictions
The copyright interests in the J. Walter Thompson Company. Sidney
Ralph Bernstein Company History Files have not been transferred to Duke
University. For further information, see the section on copyright in the
Regulations and Procedures of the Rare Book, Manuscript, and Special
Collections Library.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], J. Walter Thompson Company. Sidney Ralph
Bernstein Company History Files, 1873-1964, Rare Book, Manuscript, and Special
Collections Library, Duke University.
Provenance
The Sidney Ralph Bernstein Company History Files were transferred to
the Rare Book, Manuscript, and Special Collections Library by the J. Walter
Thompson Company in 1987.
Processing Information
Processed by: Donna Longo DiMichele
Completed June 3, 1994
Encoded by Stephen Douglas Miller
Processing of this collection was supported in part by gifts from
the J. Walter Thompson Company Fund and the John and Kelly Hartman
Foundation.
This finding aid is NCEAD compliant.
[top]
Historical Note
| 1962, Feb.-1964, July | Executives in the J. Walter Thompson Company begin to discuss the preparation of a publication for the company's centennial year; potential authors are reviewed |
| 1963, July | Sidney Ralph Bernstein agrees to write the history; granted leave from Advertising Age where he was Editorial Director |
| 1963, Aug. | Marianne Keating, a J. Walter Thompson Company staff member, assigned as Bernstein's research assistant |
| 1963-1964 | Research materials collected, interviews conducted |
| 1964, Sept. | Manuscript reviewed by Norman H. Strouse |
Collection Overview
The Sidney Ralph Bernstein Company History Files span the years 1873
to 1964, but the bulk of the material dates from 1963 to 1964. The collection
consists primarily of research files containing transcripts of interviews;
notes and excerpts copied from publications, facsimile copies, correspondence,
and printed material; correspondence and memoranda; manuscripts; speeches;
indexes; clippings; lists; and chronologies. The files were created by Sidney
Ralph Bernstein and Marianne Keating, his research assistant, for a
commemorative history of the J. Walter Thompson Company at the time of its
centennial anniversary. The history was not published. The collection documents
the history of J. Walter Thompson Company, especially through personal
reminiscences, recollections, and evaluations of the company by its executives
and other employees; advertising executives; women in the advertising industry;
and J. Walter Thompson, founder of the company.
The Correspondence Series documents the planning phases of the project
and the selection of Sidney Ralph Bernstein from a pool of prospective authors.
Company executive Milton Moskowitz was primarily responsible for arranging the
project but the Executive Committee approved all aspects of it. Bernstein's and
Keating's research activities are described throughout the series. The
correspondence includes biographical material about various company leaders,
including William James Carlton and Stanley B. Resor, and information about the
1918 tax law case against the J. Walter Thompson Company.
A substantial part of the project included interviewing company
employees about their personal experiences and about clients. The transcripts
of the interviews are in the Oral Interview Transcripts Series. Most of the
interviews were indexed and provide access to four areas of information:
Agencies and associations, accounts, personalities, and selected topics.
The Biographical Files Series has varying quantities of information
about officers and staff, some derived from printed sources and some from
personal narratives. Most of the files contain information about more than one
executive or staff member since, in many of the narratives, subjects discuss
other employees. The International Office Series also contains personal
narratives about office histories, chronologies, and client relations. Subjects
in the Client Files Series that have the most documentation include
Chesebrough-Pond's, Eastman Kodak Company, Kraft Foods Company, Pan American
World Airways, and Scott Paper Company.
The topical files in the J. Walter Thompson Company Study, Working
Files Series comprise a collection of information on various topics, most of
which was created by the J. Walter Thompson Company agency or its executives.
The Chapter Files Series includes genealogical information about Mr. J. Walter
Thompson and his family. Most of the files in the Chapter Files Series are
collections of research material to be used in the manuscript; there are no
chapter manuscripts in the series.
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Subject Headings
These are searchable subject entries for this collection. Performing a
search on these subjects in the Duke University Libraries online catalog will
bring up other related research materials.
- Thompson, J. Walter, 1847-1928.
- Advertising--History.
- Advertising agencies.
- J. Walter Thompson Company--History--Sources.
- Advertising executives.
- Women in the advertising industry.
- Bernstein, Sidney Ralph, 1907-
Detailed Description of Collection
Correspondence Series, 1961-1968, undated (bulk 1963-1964).
Includes correspondence, memoranda, and manuscript drafts.
Arranged chronologically.
Box 1
Authors under consideration,
1961, Apr. 20-1963, May 8
1963, May 6-1968,
undated
(4 folders)
Oral Interview Transcripts Series, 1963-1964, undated
List of interviewees,
1963-1964
Unrestricted Interviews
Harris, David Campbell,
1964, Jan.
Flower, Henry,
1963, Nov.
Hawes, Robert,
1964, Nov.
King, Margaret,
1963, Nov.
Lanigan, Denis,
1964, June
Meek, Sam,
1963, Nov.
Monsarrat, John,
1964, Feb.
Young, James W.,
1963, Nov.
Additional Interviews
Armstrong, Dan,
1964, Jan.
Baldwin, Florence,
1964, Jan.
Boyle, Joseph,
1963, Nov.
Colwell, Robert and O'Meara, Walter,
1963, Nov.
Devine, John,
1964, Sept.
Henderson, Howard,
1963, Nov.
Hinks, Kenneth W.,
1963, Nov.
Kohl, Howard,
1964, Mar.
Lydecker, Garrett,
1963, Nov.
Mygatt, Phil,
1964, Jan.
O'Meara, Walter, and Colwell, Robert,
1963, Nov.
Owett, Bernard, and
Seibert, Wilson,
1964, Jan.
Perry, William A.,
1963, Nov.
Rheinstrom, Carl,
1963, Nov.
Robinson, Ed,
1964, Jan.
Rubicam, Ray,
1964, Jan.
Seibert, Wilson,
1963, Nov.
Seymour, Dan,
1963, Nov. and
1964, Oct.
Stephenson, Nancy,
1963, Oct.
Strouse, Norman H.,
1963, Nov. and
1964, Feb.
Box 3
Temphest, Margaret,
1963, Nov.
Thorburn, Don,
1963, Oct.
Vorce, Richard,
1964, Apr.
Waldo, Ruth,
1964, May
Copywriter's luncheon
(Downing, Ruth;
Foster, Ann;
Littlefield, Mary Jo;
Ostrum, Doris),
1963, Nov.
Biographical Files Series, 1916-1964, undated
Contains correspondence, notes, resumes, clippings, transcripts of
interviews, excerpts, and essays. See also oversize. Arranged alphabetically by
the names of the subjects, with a miscellaneous folder at the end.
Box 4
B:
Baillie, Lloyd,
undated;
Bayley, Robert,
undated;
Benoit, Woodrow,
undated;
Blomquist, Arthur,
1964; Brady, Curtis,
1963;
Buchanan, Robert,
undated
C:
Castle, Robert,
1964;
Cherington, Paul T.,
undated
Colwell, Robert Talcott,
1945-1963,
undated
D:
Danker, Jr., Daniel,
undated; Day, William L.,
undated
E:
Eaton, Seymour,
1916;
Esty, John,
undated;
Esty, William,
1925,
undated
F:
Flower, Henry C.
undated; Francisco, Don,
undated
Gretchell, J. Stirling,
1924-1963,
undated
G:
Gordon, Eli,
undated; Grimes, Arthur,
undated
H:
Haynes, Storrs,
undated; Herrmann, Harry,
undated; Hewitt, Anderson,
1964
Hinks, Kenneth W.,
1925-1963
H-J:
Hocker, William,
1964;
Huff, Clayton,
undated;
Ireland, Harry M.,
undated;
Johnson, Arno H.,
undated;
Jones, Ruth,
undated
K-L:
Kinney, Gilbert,
undated;
Kohl, Howard,
1964,
undated;
Laurie, Jr., William D.,
1964;
Legler, Henry Mayson,
undated;
Lemon, Luther Orange,
undated;
Lochridge,Willard,
1963
Meek, Sam,
1963,
undated
Mygatt, Phillip,
undated
O'Meara, Walter,
1963,
undated
Palmer, William G.,
undated
Perry, William A.,
1963
Privett, John A.,
1964,
undated
Raymond, Charles, E.,
undated
Reber, John U.,
1964,
undated
Resor, Helen,
undated
Resor, Stanley B.,
1936-1964,
undated
Resor, William E.,
1919,
undated
Richey, S. Hunter,
undated
Robinson, Edward N.,
1961-1963,
undated
Seibert, Wilson,
undated
Stanton, Henry T.,
1954-1964,
undated
Stephenson, Frank and
Stephenson, Nancy F.,
undated
Stevens, Henry,
1963,
undated
Strouse, Norman H.,
1963
Sutton, Thomas F.,
1965-1966
Tarlton, John V.,
ca. 1958,
undated
Thompson, W. Roosevelt,
1964
Thorburn, B. Donaldson,
1959-1964,
undated
Tinker, Jack,
undated
Box 5
Van Nest, Dean,
undated
Waldo, Ruth,
1948-1964,
undated
Young, James Webb,
1916-1964,
undated
Watson, Jon Broadcus,
undated;
Wilson, Edward G.,
1960-1965;
Woodward, W. E.,
1964,
undated
Miscellaneous,
1925, Oct.-1964, June,
undated
International Office Histories Series, 1946-1964, undated (bulk 1963-1964).
Includes interview transcripts, historical essays and
chronologies, correspondence and memoranda, notes, and lists. Arranged with an
information file at the beginning; followed by files for various countries,
arranged alphabetically by the name of the country.
Box 5
Information and budgets file,
1946, June-1964, Mar.,
undated
Australia,
1963,
undated
Belgium,
1963, Dec.,
undated
Canada,
1963, Feb.-1964, Aug.,
undated
England,
1964,
undated
Chile,
1964, Feb.,
undated
India,
1964,
undated
Italy,
1964, Feb.
Mexico,
1964, Feb.
Netherlands,
1964, Apr.-1964, July
Pakistan,
1964, Feb.
Philippines,
1964, Apr.
South Africa,
1964, Jan.
Sri Lanka,
1963, Feb.
Client Files Series, 1916-1967, undated
Includes clippings, notes, correspondence and memoranda, lists,
printed material, negatives, speeches, house organs, and advertisements. See
also oversize. Arranged alphabetically by the clients' names.
Box 5
Arbuclde Brothers/Yuban Coffee,
1921, Apr-1964, June
Chesebrough-Pond's,
1952-1967, Sept., undated
Coca Cola,
1929
Eastman Kodak Co.,
1960-1965,
undated
Box 6
Ford Motor Co.,
1916, Aug.-1967,
undated
General Cigar Co.,
1932-1946, July
General Motors Co.,
1929, June-1963, Aug.
J. B. Williams,
1963, Dec.
Jergens Co.,
1963, Nov.-1964, Apr.
Kraft Foods Co.,
1926, Jan.-1967, May,
undated
Lamont, Corliss & Co.,
undated
Lever Brothers Co.,
1902, Jan.-1966, May,
undated
Libby, McNeill & Libby,
1930, Sept.-1965, June,
undated
Liggett & Myers Tobacco Co.,
1964, June-1966, Apr.,
undated
Lorillard,
1941, Apr.
Maxwell House Coffee (Cheek-Neal),
1958-1959,
undated
Mehtholatum Company,
1966, Oct.
Pan American World Airways,
1955, Nov.-1967, Jan.,
undated
Phillips Petroleum Co.,
1964, Mar.-1965, July
Prudential Life Insurance,
1902-1965,
undated
Puralator Products,
1964, June-1965, Jan.
Quaker Oats Co.,
1961-1964, June
Radio Corporation of America,
1953-1954,
undated
Religion in American Life campaigns,
1964, Sept.-1966, Jan.,
undated
Scott Paper Co.,
1953, Feb.-1965, May,
undated
Seagram's,
1967, Apr.
Seven-Up,
1963, Dec.-1966, Jan.,
undated
Shell,
1916, Sept.,
undated
Singer Co.,
1963, Sept.-1964
Standard Brands,
1935, Apr.-1964, Feb.,
undated
Union Central Life Insurance,
1932, Dec.
United States Lines,
1964, Feb.
United States Playing Card Co.,
1916, Sept.-1964, Oct.
United States Rubber,
undated
Warner-Lambert Pharmaceutical Co.,
1965, Oct.
World's Fair,
1963, Nov.-1964, Mar.
Box 7
Miscellaneous:
Client Lists: Case History Excerpts,
1916-1964
Coffee marketing and advertising by the
J. Walter Thompson Company (short
histories of
Yuban;
Maxwell House;
Chase & Sanborn),
1960
J. Walter Thompson Company Study, Working Files, 1916-1959, undated
Consists of speeches; commentaries; notes; and excerpts copied
from correspondence, speeches, business files, and publications. Files retain
Bernstein's original order and folder titles; information in brackets added for
clarification Arranged by file numbers assigned by Bernstein.
Box 7
No. 1,
Resor, Stanley B., speech in class
1916
[Resor, Standey B.: speeches,
1916-1919; manuscript for
publication,
1919; comments,
1957;
Lasker, A. D.:
Ad Age (excerpts),
1953;
Young, James Webb: comments,
1956]
No. 2,
"Policy Letters"
[Stanley B. Resor and
Samuel Meek,
1920, Apr.-1952, July,
undated
No. 3,
"Agency Compensation,"
1956, Sept.-1959,
undated
No. 4,
"Agency as Unique"
[comments
about JWT solicited by
Maurice F. Hanson from other company
executives],
1947-1959, Jan.
No. 5,
JWT and
Charles E. Raymond [Excerpts from
JWT Advertising Books,
JWT Blue Books,
Charles E. Raymond (
"Reminiscences,"
1932) and
Frank Presbrey (
History and Development of
Advertising,
1929],
1895-1929,
undated
No. 6,
"Notes on JWT Study"
[1950s
study by
Howard Henderson?],
1916, Feb.-1959, Jan.,
undated
J. Walter Thompson Company History Series, 1873-1964, undated (bulk 1960s).
Includes notes, excerpts, clippings, lists, correspondence,
memoranda, house organs, speeches, and writings. Files retain Bernstein's
original order and folder titles; information in brackets added for
clarification. Arranged alphabetically by folder titles.
Box 7
Clipping file [includes excerpts],
1873-1964, Mar.,
undated
Decor [office descriptions and floor plans],
1947-1964,
undated
Financial materials,
1917-1964, Mar.
Hollywood office history,
1963, Dec.-1964, May
J. Walter Thompson Company correspondence
[facsimiles],
1893-1917
J. Walter Thompson Company Seminars,
1960, Nov.-1964,
undated
N.W. Ayer & Son history,
undated
Previous histories [
JWT News;
Howard Henderson],
1935, Jan.-1960, June
Published Articles [clippings],
1964,
undated
Significant dates,
1953-1964,
undated
Tax case affidavit,
1918-1969
Box 8
Quotes on advertising and other articles,
1923, Oct.-1964, Feb.,
undated
What We Say About Ourselves in Memoirs, Talks, etc.,
[Howard Henderson's files]
1956, Sept.-1959, Nov.
undated
Women [in the
J. Walter Thompson Company],
1918, May-1964,
undated
Department Files, 1931-1964, undated
Includes clippings, excerpts, memoranda, lists, manuscripts, and
notes. Files retain Bernstein's original order and folder titles. See also
oversize. Arranged with a report on all departments first, then alphabetically
by department name.
Box 8
All departments: report by
Stanley B. Resor,
1931-1932
Radio department,
1935-1964, undated
Research department,
1932-1964, undated
Television department,
1957-1964, undated
Type department,
1955-1963,
undated
Chapter Files Series, 1873-1964, undated
Includes correspondence, memoranda, clippings, excerpts, reports,
legal papers, research papers, interviews, indexes to chapters, and notes.
Dates in parentheses are time spans covered in the chapters. Arranged by
numbers assigned to files by Bernstein.
Box 8
Book outline,
ca. 1964
1:
J. Walter Thompson himself,
1928-1964,
undated
1:
J. Walter Thompson himself/
W. Roosevelt Thompson,
1957-1965
1:
J. Walter Thompson himself/
Carlton & Smith [biographical
information about
William J. Carlton],
1873-1964,
undated
2:
James Walter Thompson takes over (
1878-1908),
1900-1966,
undated
3: Enter
Stanley B. Resor (
1908-1917),
1908-1963,
undated
Box 9
4: The Salad Years, (
1916-1930),
1925-1966,
undated
5: Radio Enters the Scene,
1964,
undated
6: Depression and Defense (
1930-1941),
1930-1964
7: War and Its Aftermath (
1942-1949),
1942-1964,
undated
8: Television Busts the Business Wide Open (1937-?),
1964
9: The Foreign Story (
1899-1964)
10: Giantism and the End of an Era (
1950-1964),
1958-1964,
undated
11: World-Wide Agency--100 Years Later,
1946-1964,
undated
12: Agencies and Their Clients,
1964
13: Agencies, Business, and Society,
1960s-1964,
undated
14: Problems of the Future
1961-1964,
undated
(2 folders)
Sources,
1907-1914,
undated
Questions,
1957-1964,
undated
Appendices, credits,
1964,
undated
Manuscript Series, 1964.
Contains the project manuscript. Arranged by chapter numbers.
Box 10
Introduction, etc.
Chapters, 1-End
(4 folders)
Oversize Material
Biographical Files
Young, James Webb,
1957
Client Files
Chesebrough-Pond's,
1919
Kraft Foods Co.,
1967
Lever Brothers Co.,
1940-1964
Northam Warren/Cutex,
1919
Odorono Co.,
1919
Phillips Petroleum,
1965
Prudential Insurance Co.,
1901-1902
Department Files
Television department,
1963
