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J. Walter Thompson Company. Sidney Ralph Bernstein Company History Files, 1873-1964

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.

Descriptive Summary

Title
J. Walter Thompson Company. Sidney Ralph Bernstein Company History Files, 1873-1964
Creator
J. Walter Thompson Company.
Extent
4 Linear Feet, 3000 Items
Repository
Duke University. David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library
Location
For current information on the location of these materials, please consult the Library's online catalog.
Language
English.

Series Quick Links

Administrative Information

Collections are on the move for the renovation of the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library. Contact Rubenstein Library staff before visiting. Read More »

warning Access Restrictions

Collection 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 David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library to use this collection.

warning 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 David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library.

Contents of the Collection

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Includes correspondence, memoranda, and manuscript drafts. Arranged chronologically.

Authors under consideration, 1961, Apr. 20-1963, May 8 1963, May 6-1968, undated
(4 folders)
Box 1

Includes a list of interviewees, transcripts, and indexes. Arranged into two parts: Unrestricted Interviews and Additional Interviews; then alphabetically by the names of the interviewee. One group interview is at the end.

List of interviewees, 1963-1964
Box 1
Harris, David Campbell, 1964, Jan.
Box 1
Flower, Henry, 1963, Nov.
Box 1
Hawes, Robert, 1964, Nov.
Box 1
King, Margaret, 1963, Nov.
Box 1
Lanigan, Denis, 1964, June
Box 1
Meek, Sam, 1963, Nov.
Box 1
Monsarrat, John, 1964, Feb.
Box 1
Young, James W., 1963, Nov.
Box 1
Armstrong, Dan, 1964, Jan.
Box 2
Baldwin, Florence, 1964, Jan.
Box 2
Boyle, Joseph, 1963, Nov.
Box 2
Colwell, Robert and O'Meara, Walter, 1963, Nov.
Box 2
Devine, John, 1964, Sept.
Box 2
Henderson, Howard, 1963, Nov.
Box 2
Hinks, Kenneth W., 1963, Nov.
Box 2
Kohl, Howard, 1964, Mar.
Box 2
Lydecker, Garrett, 1963, Nov.
Box 2
Mygatt, Phil, 1964, Jan.
Box 2
O'Meara, Walter, and Colwell, Robert, 1963, Nov.
Box 2
Owett, Bernard, and Seibert, Wilson, 1964, Jan.
Box 2
Perry, William A., 1963, Nov.
Box 2
Rheinstrom, Carl, 1963, Nov.
Box 2
Robinson, Ed, 1964, Jan.
Box 2
Rubicam, Ray, 1964, Jan.
Box 2
Seibert, Wilson, 1963, Nov.
Box 2
Seymour, Dan, 1963, Nov. and 1964, Oct.
Box 2
Stephenson, Nancy, 1963, Oct.
Box 2
Strouse, Norman H., 1963, Nov. and 1964, Feb.
Box 2
Temphest, Margaret, 1963, Nov.
Box 3
Thorburn, Don, 1963, Oct.
Box 3
Vorce, Richard, 1964, Apr.
Box 3
Waldo, Ruth, 1964, May
Box 3
Copywriter's luncheon (Downing, Ruth; Foster, Ann; Littlefield, Mary Jo; Ostrum, Doris), 1963, Nov.
Box 3

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.

B: Baillie, Lloyd, undated; Bayley, Robert, undated; Benoit, Woodrow, undated; Blomquist, Arthur, 1964; Brady, Curtis, 1963; Buchanan, Robert, undated
Box 4
C: Castle, Robert, 1964; Cherington, Paul T., undated
Box 4
Colwell, Robert Talcott, 1945-1963, undated
Box 4
D: Danker, Jr., Daniel, undated; Day, William L., undated
Box 4
E: Eaton, Seymour, 1916; Esty, John, undated; Esty, William, 1925, undated
Box 4
F: Flower, Henry C. undated; Francisco, Don, undated
Box 4
Gretchell, J. Stirling, 1924-1963, undated
Box 4
G: Gordon, Eli, undated; Grimes, Arthur, undated
Box 4
H: Haynes, Storrs, undated; Herrmann, Harry, undated; Hewitt, Anderson, 1964
Box 4
Hinks, Kenneth W., 1925-1963
Box 4
H-J: Hocker, William, 1964; Huff, Clayton, undated; Ireland, Harry M., undated; Johnson, Arno H., undated; Jones, Ruth, undated
Box 4
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
Box 4
Meek, Sam, 1963, undated
Box 4
Mygatt, Phillip, undated
Box 4
O'Meara, Walter, 1963, undated
Box 4
Palmer, William G., undated
Box 4
Perry, William A., 1963
Box 4
Privett, John A., 1964, undated
Box 4
Raymond, Charles, E., undated
Box 4
Reber, John U., 1964, undated
Box 4
Resor, Helen, undated
Box 4
Resor, Stanley B., 1936-1964, undated
Box 4
Resor, William E., 1919, undated
Box 4
Richey, S. Hunter, undated
Box 4
Robinson, Edward N., 1961-1963, undated
Box 4
Seibert, Wilson, undated
Box 4
Stanton, Henry T., 1954-1964, undated
Box 4
Stephenson, Frank and Stephenson, Nancy F., undated
Box 4
Stevens, Henry, 1963, undated
Box 4
Strouse, Norman H., 1963
Box 4
Sutton, Thomas F., 1965-1966
Box 4
Tarlton, John V., ca. 1958, undated
Box 4
Thompson, W. Roosevelt, 1964
Box 4
Thorburn, B. Donaldson, 1959-1964, undated
Box 4
Tinker, Jack, undated
Box 4
Van Nest, Dean, undated
Box 5
Waldo, Ruth, 1948-1964, undated
Box 5
Young, James Webb, 1916-1964, undated
Box 5
Watson, Jon Broadcus, undated; Wilson, Edward G., 1960-1965; Woodward, W. E., 1964, undated
Box 5
Miscellaneous, 1925, Oct.-1964, June, undated
Box 5

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.

Information and budgets file, 1946, June-1964, Mar., undated
Box 5
Australia, 1963, undated
Box 5
Belgium, 1963, Dec., undated
Box 5
Canada, 1963, Feb.-1964, Aug., undated
Box 5
England, 1964, undated
Box 5
Chile, 1964, Feb., undated
Box 5
India, 1964, undated
Box 5
Italy, 1964, Feb.
Box 5
Mexico, 1964, Feb.
Box 5
Netherlands, 1964, Apr.-1964, July
Box 5
Pakistan, 1964, Feb.
Box 5
Philippines, 1964, Apr.
Box 5
South Africa, 1964, Jan.
Box 5
Sri Lanka, 1963, Feb.
Box 5

Includes clippings, notes, correspondence and memoranda, lists, printed material, negatives, speeches, house organs, and advertisements. See also oversize. Arranged alphabetically by the clients' names.

Arbuckle Brothers/Yuban Coffee, 1921, Apr-1964, June
Box 5
Chesebrough-Pond's, 1952-1967, Sept., undated
Box 5
Coca Cola, 1929
Box 5
Eastman Kodak Co., 1960-1965, undated
Box 5
Ford Motor Co., 1916, Aug.-1967, undated
Box 6
General Cigar Co., 1932-1946, July
Box 6
General Motors Co., 1929, June-1963, Aug.
Box 6
J. B. Williams, 1963, Dec.
Box 6
Jergens Co., 1963, Nov.-1964, Apr.
Box 6
Kraft Foods Co., 1926, Jan.-1967, May, undated
Box 6
Lamont, Corliss & Co., undated
Box 6
Lever Brothers Co., 1902, Jan.-1966, May, undated
Box 6
Libby, McNeill & Libby, 1930, Sept.-1965, June, undated
Box 6
Liggett & Myers Tobacco Co., 1964, June-1966, Apr., undated
Box 6
Lorillard, 1941, Apr.
Box 6
Maxwell House Coffee (Cheek-Neal), 1958-1959, undated
Box 6
Mehtholatum Company, 1966, Oct.
Box 6
Pan American World Airways, 1955, Nov.-1967, Jan., undated
Box 6
Phillips Petroleum Co., 1964, Mar.-1965, July
Box 6
Prudential Life Insurance, 1902-1965, undated
Box 6
Puralator Products, 1964, June-1965, Jan.
Box 6
Quaker Oats Co., 1961-1964, June
Box 6
Radio Corporation of America, 1953-1954, undated
Box 6
Religion in American Life campaigns, 1964, Sept.-1966, Jan., undated
Box 6
Scott Paper Co., 1953, Feb.-1965, May, undated
Box 6
Seagram's, 1967, Apr.
Box 6
Seven-Up, 1963, Dec.-1966, Jan., undated
Box 6
Shell, 1916, Sept., undated
Box 6
Singer Co., 1963, Sept.-1964
Box 6
Standard Brands, 1935, Apr.-1964, Feb., undated
Box 6
Union Central Life Insurance, 1932, Dec.
Box 6
United States Lines, 1964, Feb.
Box 6
United States Playing Card Co., 1916, Sept.-1964, Oct.
Box 6
United States Rubber, undated
Box 6
Warner-Lambert Pharmaceutical Co., 1965, Oct.
Box 6
World's Fair, 1963, Nov.-1964, Mar.
Box 6
Client Lists: Case History Excerpts, 1916-1964
Box 7
Coffee marketing and advertising by the J. Walter Thompson Company (short histories of Yuban; Maxwell House; Chase & Sanborn), 1960
Box 7

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.

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]
Box 7
No. 2, Policy Letters [Stanley B. Resor and Samuel Meek, 1920, Apr.-1952, July, undated
Box 7
No. 3, Agency Compensation, 1956, Sept.-1959, undated
Box 7
No. 4, Agency as Unique [comments about JWT solicited by Maurice F. Hanson from other company executives], 1947-1959, Jan.
Box 7
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
Box 7
No. 6, Notes on JWT Study [1950s study by Howard Henderson?], 1916, Feb.-1959, Jan., undated
Box 7

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.

Clipping file [includes excerpts], 1873-1964, Mar., undated
Box 7
Decor [office descriptions and floor plans], 1947-1964, undated
Box 7
Financial materials, 1917-1964, Mar.
Box 7
Hollywood office history, 1963, Dec.-1964, May
Box 7
J. Walter Thompson Company correspondence [facsimiles], 1893-1917
Box 7
J. Walter Thompson Company Seminars, 1960, Nov.-1964, undated
Box 7
N.W. Ayer & Son history, undated
Box 7
Previous histories [ JWT News; Howard Henderson], 1935, Jan.-1960, June
Box 7
Published Articles [clippings], 1964, undated
Box 7
Significant dates, 1953-1964, undated
Box 7
Tax case affidavit, 1918-1969
Box 7
Quotes on advertising and other articles, 1923, Oct.-1964, Feb., undated
Box 8
What We Say About Ourselves in Memoirs, Talks, etc., [Howard Henderson's files] 1956, Sept.-1959, Nov. undated
Box 8
Women [in the J. Walter Thompson Company], 1918, May-1964, undated
Box 8

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.

All departments: report by Stanley B. Resor, 1931-1932
Box 8
Radio department, 1935-1964, undated
Box 8
Research department, 1932-1964, undated
Box 8
Television department, 1957-1964, undated
Box 8
Type department, 1955-1963, undated
Box 8

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.

Book outline, ca. 1964
Box 8
1: J. Walter Thompson himself, 1928-1964, undated
Box 8
1: J. Walter Thompson himself/ W. Roosevelt Thompson, 1957-1965
Box 8
1: J. Walter Thompson himself/ Carlton & Smith [biographical information about William J. Carlton], 1873-1964, undated
Box 8
2: James Walter Thompson takes over ( 1878-1908), 1900-1966, undated
Box 8
3: Enter Stanley B. Resor ( 1908-1917), 1908-1963, undated
Box 8
4: The Salad Years, ( 1916-1930), 1925-1966, undated
Box 9
5: Radio Enters the Scene, 1964, undated
Box 9
6: Depression and Defense ( 1930-1941), 1930-1964
Box 9
7: War and Its Aftermath ( 1942-1949), 1942-1964, undated
Box 9
8: Television Busts the Business Wide Open (1937-?), 1964
Box 9
9: The Foreign Story ( 1899-1964)
Box 9
10: Giantism and the End of an Era ( 1950-1964), 1958-1964, undated
Box 9
11: World-Wide Agency--100 Years Later, 1946-1964, undated
Box 9
12: Agencies and Their Clients, 1964
Box 9
13: Agencies, Business, and Society, 1960s-1964, undated
Box 9
14: Problems of the Future
Box 9
1961-1964, undated
(2 folders)
Box 9
Sources, 1907-1914, undated
Box 9
Questions, 1957-1964, undated
Box 9
Appendices, credits, 1964, undated
Box 9

Contains the project manuscript. Arranged by chapter numbers.

Introduction, etc.
Box 10
Chapters, 1-End
(4 folders)
Box 10
Young, James Webb, 1957
Box 11
Chesebrough-Pond's, 1919
Box 11
Kraft Foods Co., 1967
Box 11
Lever Brothers Co., 1940-1964
Box 11
Northam Warren/Cutex, 1919
Box 11
Odorono Co., 1919
Box 11
Phillips Petroleum, 1965
Box 11
Prudential Insurance Co., 1901-1902
Box 11
Television department, 1963
Box 11

Historical Note

DateEvent(s)
1962, Feb.-1964, JulyExecutives 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, JulySidney 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
1963-1964Research materials collected, interviews conducted
1964, Sept.Manuscript reviewed by Norman H. Strouse

Subject Headings

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], J. Walter Thompson Company. Sidney Ralph Bernstein Company History Files, 1873-1964, David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Duke University.

Provenance

The Sidney Ralph Bernstein Company History Files were transferred to the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript 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.