Inventory of the J. Walter Thompson Company. Nan Findlow Papers, 1930-1995 and undated, bulk 1959-1967
[top]Descriptive Summary
Repository
Rare Book, Manuscript, and Special Collections Library, Duke
University
Creator
J. Walter Thompson
Company.
Title
J. Walter Thompson Company.
Nan Findlow Papers,
1930-1995 and
undated, bulk 1959-1967
Language of Material
Material
in English
Extent
4.6 Linear Feet
405 Items
Abstract
405 Items
Nan Findlow was an
advertising executive and entrepreneur. She was Creative Director for major
retail companies, including Bamberger's and Macy's department stores, and held
executive positions with the Ross Roy and J. Walter Thompson Company
advertising agencies before founding her own consulting agency, Nan Findlow
Creative Services.
The Nan Findlow Papers span the years
1930-1995, the bulk of which document the period 1959-1967, and include
clippings, photographs, advertising scripts for television commercials, print
advertisements, story boards, marketing reports, correspondence, corporate
memoranda, trade literature, speeches, and company newsletters. The bulk of the
materials represents Findlow's time as an executive at the J. Walter Thompson
Company (JWT), where her client assignments included American Home Products
(Boyle-Midway), Chesebrough-Pond's, Lever Brothers Company, McCall's, Prince
Matchabelli perfume, Revlon, and Scott Paper Company. In addition, there are
brochures from Macy's and Georg-Jensen Inc., proofs, tear sheets, and artwork
from L. Bamberger & Co. and Ross Roy of New York. The collection also
includes writings, press releases, and account-history reports prepared by Nan
Findlow Creative Services, the marketing consultant firm Findlow founded upon
leaving JWT.
[top]
Administrative Information
Access RestrictionsCollection is open for research.
However, collection may contain materials to which the
Acknowledgment of Legal Responsibilities and Privacy Rights form applies.
Patrons must sign this 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.
Copyright Notice
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 Co. Nan Findlow Papers,
Rare Book, Manuscript, and Special Collections Library, Duke University.
Provenance
The Nan Findlow Papers were received by the Rare Book, Manuscript,
and Special Collections Library as a gift in 2002 and 2004.
Processing Information
Processed by Stacy Lavin, September 2006
Encoded by Stacy Lavin
Completed September 2006
Accessions 2002-0192 and 2004-0009 were merged into one collection,
described in this finding aid.
Descriptive sources and standards used to create this inventory:
DACS, EAD, NCEAD guidelines, and our
local
Style Guide.
[top]
Biographical Note
| 1910 | Born Nancy Findlow, Paterson, N.J. |
| ca.1937-1939 | Apprentice and copywriter, J. Walter Thompson Company |
| 1939-1940 | Creative Group Head, The Texas Company (Texaco) |
| 1940-1941 | Manager of Publicity Department, L. Bamberger & Company (Newark, NJ) |
| 1941-1945 | Free publicity and special events, Feature Advertising Manager, L. Bamberger & Company. |
| 1943 | Initiated Bamberger's Womanpower Council (war industries recruiting program, used subsequently by the Office of War Information as a model in retail stores nationwide). |
| 1945 | Advertising Director, Bamberger's. First woman to occupy this role in the history of L. Bamberger & Co. |
| 1948 | Taught the inaugural Public Relations for Retailing evening course at New York University's School of Retailing |
| 1951-1955 | Copy Director and Creative Head of Advertising, Macy's |
| 1955 | Vice President-Copy Supervisor, Women's Copy Group, J. Walter Thompson Company |
| 1967 |
President, Nan Findlow Creative Services (retailing and
merchandising strategy). Associated with Bennett, Newbery & Cowan.
Vice President, Barnum Communications.
|
| 1976 | "Andy Award of Excellence" (given by the Advertising Club of New York). |
| 1995 Feb 3 | Died, Rutherford, N.J. |
During her career with Bamberger's and Macy's department stores, Findlow won numerous advertising industry awards, including ones from Seklemian, the National Retail and Dry Goods Association (NRDGA) and Harvard Business School.
[top]Collection Overview
The Nan Findlow Papers span the years 1930-1995, the bulk of which
document the period 1959-1967, and include clippings, photographs, advertising
scripts for television commercials, print advertisements, story boards,
marketing reports, correspondence, corporate memoranda, trade literature,
speeches, and company newsletters. The bulk of the materials represents
Findlow's time as an executive at the
J. Walter Thompson Company (JWT), where her client
assignments included
American Home Products (Boyle-Midway),
Chesebrough-Pond's,
Lever Brothers Company,
McCall's,
Prince Matchabelli perfume,
Revlon, and
Scott Paper Company. In addition, there are
brochures from
Macy's and
Georg-Jensen Inc., proofs, tear sheets, and
artwork from
L. Bamberger & Co. and
Ross Roy of New York. The collection also includes
writings, press releases, and account-history reports prepared by
Nan Findlow Creative Services, the marketing
consultant firm Findlow founded upon leaving JWT.
The collection is organized into two series: General Files, including correspondence, clippings, and
memoranda, which represents Findlow's career in market research and
advertising; and Proofs & Tear Sheets, which
represents some of the print advertising campaigns Findlow generated, primarily
while working at JWT.
[top]
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.
- Findlow, Nan [Not LC]
- Georg-Jensen Inc.
- J. Walter Thompson Company.
- Chesebrough-Pond's. Prince Matchabelli [Not LC]
- Scott Paper Company.
- American Home Products Corporation.
- Revlon, Inc.
- Chesebrough-Pond's.
- Lever Brothers Company.
- Macy's (Firm)
- L. Bamberger & Co.
- Advertising agencies.
- Advertising agencies United States.
- Marketing consultants United States.
- Perfume industry.
- Television advertising.
- Ross Roy of New York [Not LC]
- Advertising executives.
- Advertising executives. United States.
- Women in the advertising industry.
- Proofs. [AAT]
- Newsletters. [AAT]
- Clippings. [AAT]
- John W. Hartman Center for Sales, Advertising & Marketing History.
Related Material
Other materials relating to this collection may be found in the
J. Walter Thompson Company Archives, including the
Account Files Collection, the Corporation Vertical Files, the
Domestic Advertising Collection, the
Information Center Records, the Review Board Records, the Sidney Ralph
Bernstein Papers, the Colin Dawkins Papers,
the John F. Devine Papers, the Wallace Elton Papers, the Dan Seymour
Papers, and the Shirley F. Woodell Papers. In
addition, materials relating to Revlon advertising may be found in the
Gene Federico Papers and the Sheldon Sosna Papers. Materials relating to Lever Brothers
advertising may be found in the Bates Worldwide, Inc.
Records, and the David B. McCall Papers.
Materials relating to Macy's Department Store advertising may be found in the
Margaret Fishback Papers; other retail advertising
may be found in the Giant Food Stores Advertising
Circulars, and the Dayton Company Advertising
Scrapbooks. Additional related materials may be located by searching the
Finding Aids of the Rare Books, Manuscripts and Special Collections
Library.
 | List of Series in Collection | |||||||
 |  | General Files Series, 1938-1981 and undated | ||||||
 | | Proofs & Tear Sheets Series, 1930-1967 | ||||||
Detailed Description of Collection
General Files Series, 1938-1981 and undated
(1 box)
Contains materials relating to Findlow's career, including
résumés, biographical sketches, business reports, speeches and articles,
corporate newsletters and publications, and advertisement scripts. Arranged
alphabetically.
Box 1
Biographical information,
1945-1995 and
undated
Includes clippings related to Findlow's life, résumés,
testimonials, and obituaries.
Clippings
J. Walter Thompson Company News,
1955-1967
Selected issues that contain articles relating to campaigns
with which Findlow was associated.
Marketing research articles,
1962-1974
Memoranda on marketing research,
1967-1974 and
undated
Print advertising,
1938-1981
Television commercials--scripts and storyboards,
1959-1979
Clients include
Boyle-Midway (Sani-Flush), Lever Brothers, and Scott
Paper Company.
Writings,
1960-1966 and
undated
"10 Ways to Ease that Pain in Your
Neck,"
by Nan Findlow with Edward P. Whelan, M.D., F.A.C.S.
undated
Drafts of an untitled speech,
undated
"Ending Eventlessness in Our
Parents' Lives"
published in
Family Circle Magazine,
1973
"Notes for the CW and AD who clings
to the secret hope there is more excitement in the product than the client
knows,"
1966
Proofs & Tear Sheets Series, 1930-1967
(2 boxes)
Contains artwork and printed proofs and magazine and newspaper
tear sheets for advertising work that Findlow did for various clients,
predominantly included here are those for Prince Matchabelli and Scott Paper
Company. Arranged alphabetically by client and product
Box 2
Chesebrough-Pond's, 1959
Dry Skin Cream,
circa 1959
Georg Jenson, Inc., 1940
"An American Institution,"
1940
Brochure,
"From the Collections of...,"
circa 1940
L. Bamberger & Co., 1939-1940
"Danger Men at Play,"
circa 1939
"Merry Christmas to
All,"
undated
"His Heart's Desire,"
1939
"A Little Lady Encounters
Fashion,"
1940
"Neither Rain Nor Wind Nor
Dates Nor School,"
circa 1940
"My Spanking Name Was
'Josephine',"
circa 1940
"Father Isn't Merely
'Father',"
1940
"The Pinafore Goes Out to
Play,"
undated
McCall's Magazine, 1967
"Paper Wrap-up,"
1967
"McCall's Treasure of
Italian Cooking,"
undated
"Summer When it Sizzles:
From the Food Pages of McCall's,"
undated
Prince Matchabelli, 1959-1965
Abano Perfume Oil,
1959-1965
Aziza,
1964
Golden Autumn,
1964
"Prophecy,"
1962-1965
"Windsong,"
1960-1964 and
undated
Windsong was the first advertising campaign in the perfume
industry to feature images solely of men.
Other Materials
1964 and
undated
Charts of competitive perfume brands,
undated
"The House that Success
Built,"
1964
Box 3
Revlon , circa 1930-1940
Salon Nail Polish,
circa
1930-1940
Scott Paper Company , circa 1953-1967
"Color Explosion,"
1966
Family Placemats,
1966-1967
New Waldorf,
circa 1953
Scott Towels,
1962-1966
