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Preliminary Inventory of the J. Walter Thompson Company. Chicago Office. Records, 1908-2000 and undated

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Descriptive Summary

Title
J. Walter Thompson Company. Chicago Office. Records, 1908-2000 and undated
Creator
J. Walter Thompson Company. Chicago Office.
Extent
50,000 Items, 161 Linear Feet
Repository
Rare Book, Manuscript, and Special Collections Library, Duke University
Language
English.
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Administrative Information

Access Restrictions
Collection is restricted.
In addition, 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 this collection have not been transferred to Duke University. For more information, consult the copyright section of the Regulations and Procedures of the Rare Book, Manuscript, and Special Collections Library.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], J. Walter Thompson Company. Chicago Office. Records, Rare Book, Manuscript, and Special Collections Library, Duke University.
Provenance
The J. Walter Thompson Company. Chicago Office. Records was received by the Rare Book, Manuscript, and Special Collections Library as a gift in 1994-2002.
Processing Information
Processed by RBMSCL staff; Joshua Kaiser
Completed September 9, 2002
Additions minimally processed by Richard Collier
Last updated August 26, 2004
Encoded by Joshua Kaiser, Ruth E. Bryan, and Richard Collier
This finding aid is NCEAD compliant.
This collection is unprocessed: materials may not have been ordered and described beyond their original condition.
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Historical Note

Company founded in NY in 1864. The J. Walter Thompson company is one of the world's oldest and largest advertising firms.

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Collection Overview

This collection (94-110) (27,000 items, 50 linear feet, dated 1908-1989) consists mostly of vertical files, including office newsletters, speeches and writings, publications, training and planning documents from Chicago and other JWT offices. There are also 78 reels of microfilm of Chicago office ads prior to 1970, as well as significant collections of proof files especially pertaining to major clients like Kraft, Quaker Oats, and Schlitz. In addition, the collection holds several hundred "Aber Reports" dating between 1950-1971, which were market research summations of various product categories. A container list for this accession follows below.
Subsequent additions (96-169, 99-130, 99-239) (8514 items; dated 1970-1998) contain an item-level index to the massive library of research reports maintained by JWT's Chicago Office. Materials are arranged in alphabetical order; the largest alphabetical run is by company name. There are also cards for "X" and "AV" reports, general research reports, and an index to JWT People Profiles. Also included are printed proceedings from international symposia on magazine readership research for 1981, 1983, 1985, 1988, and 1991, including copies of some of the previously unpublished papers and related printed material (1998). These materials reveal the lengths to which advertisers go to gain insight into consumer thinking. Acquired as part of the John W. Hartman Center for Sales, Advertising and Marketing History. A container list for accession 99-130 follows below.
Addition (01-110) (70 items, .2 lin. ft.; dated [1980s]) consists of about 70 color slides depicting people, events, and locations within the company's Chicago offices.
Addition (02-0188) (397 items, 8.7 linear feet; dated 1980-2000 and undated) comprises primarily information on and examples of Thompson Total Branding (TTB), including in the US, England, Jamaica, and Asia. TTB began in 1996 and is JWT's method for addressing client marketing needs. Also includes copies of earlier methodologies, the T-Plan and Thompson Way; employee manuals; training material; J. Walter University intern/trainee manual (2000); information about the Lintas, McCann-Erickson, and Ogilvy and Mather agencies; material from JWT's World Partners Council meetings (Italy, 1995; Mexico, 1997) and marketing seminars held in the agency's Asia-Pacific region; six 3/4" U-matic SP and 11 VHS videocassettes, mainly of presentations and training material (1980s-1990s); 1 audiocassette; 47 color slides; and 208 electronic documents on 2 CD-ROMs. A container list for this accession follows below.
Several accessions of the JWT Chicago Office Records were completely or partially deaccessioned at the request of the JWT Chicago and returned to the JWT Record Center. These involved proprietary research in which the clients still retained an interest. The accessions involved were: 95-016 (10 boxes); 95-015 (7 boxes); 95-018 (2 boxes); 95-017 (1 box); and 99-0130 (28 boxes). For further information, contact Research Services.
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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.
List of Series in Collection
Accession 1994-0110
Accession 99-130
Accession 2002-0188
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Preliminary Description of Unprocessed Collection

Accession 1994-0110

Please contact Research Services staff before visiting the Rare Book, Manuscript, and Special Collections Library to use this collection.
Unpublished materials less than 15 years old are closed to non-JWT researchers.
Box 1
Market Research Department, NYO, "Aber Reports," 1950-1963
[Research reports on product categories, evidently named for a chief author, Caroline E. Aber]
Box 2
Market Research Department, New York Office, "Aber Reports," 1964-1969
Box 3
Market Research Department, NYO, "Aber Reports," 1970-1971
[Now produced by the JWT "Reference Unit" ]
Box 4
New York Office Newsletters (unbound), 1945-1965
Box 5
New York Office Newsletters (unbound), 1965-1983
Box 6
JWT Media Publications, Various, 1973-1981
Box 7
JWT News, 1984-1986
JWT London Information Center Book News, 1982-1987
[Compiled by Bryan Way]
Box 8
JWT Media Publications, Various, [1980s]
[Includes Cable Capsules, and Network Notes (Chicago)]
Box 9
Writings and Speeches of JWT Personnel, 1956-1962
[Mostly by N. Strouse and A. Johnson]
Box 10
Writings and Speeches of JWT Personnel, 1963-1975
[Includes clippings about JWT and JWT personnel]
Box 11
Writings and Speeches of JWT Personnel, 1976-1979
Box 12
Chicago Office Microfilm, Nos. AD31-AD78, undated
Box 13
Chicago Office Microfilm, Nos. AD1-AD21, AD24-AD30, undated
Box 14
Aunt Jemima Ads, ca. 1989
[Includes Packaging, mechanicals, layouts and oversize]
Box 15
Old Binders, [1984]
[Includes records and contents of Chicago proof books; detailed lists of items filmed in reels AD1-AD78. Also includes some promotional materials, such as coupons for Kraft products.]
Box 16
Color Slides, [1980s]
[Includes images of ads from Chicago proof books from the early 1900s on for multiple clients. Arranged by client/date per books. Also a binder relating to the records center storage of profs in the 1980s.]
Box 17
Booklet, "The Many Worlds of Sam Meek," undated
Box 18
Vertical Files on JWT Offices, [1930s-1980s]
[Includes, New York, San Francisco, Australia, Belgium, Germany, India, London, and others; miscellaneous newsletters]
Box 19
Vertical Files on Chicago Office, from 1924 on
[Includes data and plan forms for advertising; files on Chicago office seminars [1970s]; TGI materials]
Box 20
JWT Speeches and Articles, 1971-1978
Chicago Client Summaries, 1969
Communications Plan, 1975-1976
Axiom materials, [ca. 1980]
Box 21
Vertical Files, [ca. 1954-1975]
[Includes Chicago office files; Communispond; Consumer Panel; Deltakos and other subsidiaries; financial records; compensation]
Box 22
Writings and Speeches, 1958-1970
Box 23
Publications and Speeches, [1960s-1970s]
[JWT London, BMRB, South Africa]
JWT Junior Forum Talks, 1951-1952
Media Reports (Chicago office), 1970
Box 24
Chicago Office Account Files, undated
[Includes research materials, ca. 1950s-1960s]
Personnel Lists, undated
Training Manual, 1921
Kraft-Phenix Press Releases, [1930s]
Box 25
Writings and Speeches, 1908-1957
Box 26
Kraft Food Proofs, 1952-1956
[Includes trade, newsprint, outdoor, and consumer advertisements]
Box 27
Kraft Food Proofs, 1950-1952
Box 28
Salada Tea Proofs, 1978
Schlitz Proofs, 1956-1980
Box 29
Kraft, 1950, 1959
Chicago Economic Development Commission, 1977-1979
Chicago Health Club, 1977
Vic Tanny, undated
Quaker Oats, 1954-1959
Box 30
Kraft Proofs, 1944-1946
[3 proof boxes]
Box 31
Kraft Proofs, 1955-1958
[2 books in a proof box]
Box 32
Kraft Proofs, 1957-1958
[3 proof books]
Box 33
Kraft Proofs, 1947-1951
[3 proof boxes]

Accession 99-130

Please contact Research Services staff before visiting the Rare Book, Manuscript, and Special Collections Library to use this collection.
Unpublished materials less than 15 years old are closed to non-JWT researchers.
Box 1
X Reports RCB 8126
Box 2
X Reports RCB 8127
Box 3
X Reports RCB 8128
Box 4
X Reports RCB 8129
Box 5
X Reports RCB 8130
Box 6
X Reports RCB 8132
Box 7
X Reports RCB 8133
Box 8
X Reports RCB 8134
Box 9
X Reports RCB 8135
Box 10
X Reports RCB 8136
Box 11
X Reports RCB 8137
Box 12
X Reports RCB 8138
Box 13
X Reports RCB 9363
Box 14
X Reports RCB 9364
Box 15
X Reports RCB 9365
Box 16
X Reports RCB 9366
Box 17
X Reports RCB 9367
Box 18
X Reports RCB 9368
Box 19
X Reports RCB 9369
Box 20
X Reports RCB 9370
Box 21
X Reports RCB 9371
Box 22
X Reports RCB 9372
Box 23
X Reports RCB 9373
Box 24
X Reports RCB 9374
Box 25
X Reports RCB 9375
Box 26
Research Reports RCB 9327
Box 27
Research Reports: Oscar Meyer RCB 9023
Box 28
Research Reports: Oscar Meyer RCB 9024
Box 29
Research Reports: Schlitz RCB 3718
Box 30
Research Reports: Schlitz RCB 4327
Box 31
Research Reports: Schlitz RCB 7209
Box 32
New Business RCB 5996
Box 33
New Business RCB 8569
Box 34
New Business RCB 8608
Box 35
New Business RCB 8609
Box 36
New Business RCB 9454
Box 37
Personnel RCB 8883
Box 38
Personnel RCB 8901
Box 39
Ameritech RCB 7424
Box 40
Ameritech RCB 7425
Box 41
Accounts RCB 2854
Box 42
Research Reports: Kraft RCB 5509
Box 43
Research Reports: Kraft RCB 6967
Box 44
Research Reports: Kraft RCB 7322
Box 45
Research Reports: Kraft RCB 7828
Box 46
Research Reports: Kraft RCB 7836
Box 47
Research Reports: Kraft RCB 8014
Box 48
Research Reports: Kraft RCB 8015
Box 49
Research Reports: Sears Hispanic RCB 8570
Box 50
Research Reports: Sears Hispanic RCB 8575
Box 51
Employee Handbooks no RCB #
Box 52
RCB 8181

Accession 2002-0188

Processing note: Any original titles for folder and binders have been reproduced in quotes.
Some of the materials in this accession are not immediately accessible because they require further processing before use. Please contact Research Services staff before visiting the Rare Book, Manuscript, and Special Collections Library to use this collection.
Unpublished materials less than 15 years old are closed to non-JWT researchers.
Box 1
Contents of Box 1:
[Technical Services staff need to format for use copies of videocassette tapes before use.]
"Sesame Steet Promotional Items"
[Technical Services staff may need to process material in envelopes before use.]
"DSN-Ads, DeBeers Diamond [Solitare] case-see white box also"
[2 VHS videocassettes removed to Box 7.]
"Ford Truck-DM"
[2, 3/4" U-Matic sp videocassettes removed to Box 7.]
[Oversized material removed to Box 10 and 12.]
DeBeers
Client Mailer regarding drug campaign
[Contains 1 VHS videocassette and 1 compact disk (Disk 002). The contents of Disk 002 have been migrated to the Special Collections server. A disk directories log exists. Contact Research Services staff. The physical Disk 002 (kept in the collection) may not be used by patrons.]
Box 2
Contents of Box 2:
[Attention: Contains pictorial materials.]
[Presentations done by James Walker and others in London, 1996]
Case studies and presentations   (3 folders)
"Early TTB training Presentations developed by J. Furr, D. Baker and others"
"JWT Asia training Program Presentations by Grace Atkinson"
JWT License plate
New Buisiness mailers and promptional pieces from JWT Hong Kong, 1997
Ford Focus Lanch "press list"
[Contains 3 color slides.]
"TTB case study for JWT affiliate agency in Jamaica"
[1 VHS videocassette removed to Box 7.]
Thompson Total Branding: Kraft
"Work done by JWT Specialized," 1998
Box 3
Contents of Box 3:
Material from JWT world council, 1995   (3 folders, 3 binders)
Ogilvy and Mather manual
Box 4
Contents of Box 4:
Welcome box for 1995 world council meeting
"Expertise and Experience" binder
[Disk 001 removed and its contents migrated to the Special Collections Server. A disk directories log exists. Contact a Reference Archivist.]
Welcome box material for attendees at JWT Partners World Council in 1997   (2 folders)
[Welcome box removed to Box 13.]
JWT informational material   (2 folders, 1 binder)
Box 5
Contents of Box 5:
Presentation and printed material
Material from JWT seminar in Malaysia
"Japanese Version 2 TTB materials"
"O and M"
Printed material
JWT employee benefits booklet
Material used for Asia-Pacific region workshops   (4 spiral binders)
Box 6
Contents of Box 6:
[Technical Services staff need to format for use copies of videocassette tapes before use.]
[Attention: Contains pictorial materials.]
Board speech and slides
Kraft Media Seminar
Employee Handbook
Workshop material
Box 7
Contents of Box 7:
[Technical Services staff need to format for use copies of videocassette tapes before use.]
TTB Case Histories   (2, 3/4"U-matic SP videocassettes)
Tough Brand Cluster video   (1, 3/4" U-matic SP videocassette)
[Removed from Box 1.]
1997 F-Series Spots   (1, 3/4" U-matic SP videocassette)
[Removed from Box 1.]
Diamond Solitaire Product Trend   (1 VHS videocassette)
[Removed from Box 1.]
"The Real Thing" DSN Compilation Tape   (1 VHS videocassette)
[Removed from Box 1.]
Dunlop Corbin Communications   (1 VHS videocassette)
[Removed from Box 2.]
Ford Focus Press Conference   (1 VHS videocassette)
Thompson Total Branding   (2 VHS videocassettes)
Einson Freeman   (1 VHS videocassette)
Kelloggs Rome Presentation   (1 VHS videocassette)
Nestle   (1 VHS videocassette)
Box 8
Contents of Box 8:
[Technical Services staff need to format for use copies of videocassette tapes before use.]
Thompson Total Branding   (1 VHS videocassete, 1 audio cassette)
[Removed from Oversized Box 12.]
Total Branding cases   (1, 3/4" U-matic SP videocassette)
Kellogg   (1, 3/4" U-matic SP videocassette)
Nestle   (1, 3/4" U-matic SP videocassette)
Worldwide Happy Birthday   (1, 3/4" U-matic SP videocassette)
Account videos from 1995 World council meeting   (1, 3/4" U-matic SP videocassette)
Bill Thompson   (3, 3/4"U-matic SP videocassettes)
Box 9
Contents of Box 9:
[Technical Services staff need to format for use copies of videocassette tapes before use.]
JWTV Asia Pacific 10EA Round Up, "In Rome"   (1, 3/4" U-matic SP videocassette)
Bill Thompson, "Eyes On Thompson," "JWT, A Worldwide Powerhouse"   (1, 3/4" U-matic SP videocassette)
John Furr Presentations   (3, 3/4"U-matic SP videocassettes)
JWT World Partners Council, 1995   (1, 3/4" U-matic SP videocassette)
"Eyes On Thompson" Presentation   (1, 3/4" U-matic SP videocassette)
James Webb Young Workshop, Manila   (1, 3/4" U-matic SP videocassette)
Box 10
Contents of Oversized Box 10:
Ford packing tube
[Removed from Box 1.]
"Kraft Recruitment"
Kelloggs Training Program   (2 binders)
John Furr's basic training workshop presentation
1997 Ford Expedition Launch
Box 11
Contents of Oversized Box 11:
J. Walter University intern/trainee manual, 2000
Ford
Recruitment Advertising manual
Box 12
Contents of Oversized Box 12:
Thompson Total Branding
[1 videocassette and 1 audio cassette tape removed to Box 8.]
Ford Calendar
[Removed from Box 1.]
Box 13
Contents of Oversized Box 13:
Welcome box from 1997 Partners World Council
[Removed from box 4.]