MenuInventory of the J. Walter Thompson Company. Corporate Documentation, 1896-1988
Abstract
The J. Walter Thompson Company (JWT), founded in 1864, is one of the oldest and largest enduring advertising agencies in the United States.
Corporate Documentation primarily consists of minute books to the regular meetings of JWT's stockholders and Directors; administrative and finance records; and reports from JWT's subsidiaries, committees and other institutional bodies. Topics covered include annual assessments of agency performance; planning; by-laws; stock incentive plans and retirement plans; and efforts to standardize operational practices across the many offices of JWT. The collection also includes background information relative to annual meetings, and the anniversaries of various offices. The collection derives from the RG1 Record Group, Corporate Documentation and General Reference, created by the JWT Archives prior to the transfer of the archives to Duke University.
Descriptive Summary
- Repository
- David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Duke University
- Creator
- J. Walter Thompson Company.
- Title
- J. Walter Thompson Company. Corporate Documentation, 1896-1988
- Language of Material
- English
- Extent
- 55 Linear Feet, 40000 Items
- Location
- For current information on the location of these materials, please consult the Library's online catalog.
Collection Overview
Corporate Documentation primarily consists of minute books to the regular meetings of JWT's stockholders and Directors; administrative and finance records; and reports from JWT's subsidiaries, committees and other institutional bodies. Topics covered include annual assessments of agency performance; planning; by-laws; stock incentive plans and retirement plans; and efforts to standardize operational practices across the many offices of JWT. The collection also includes background information relative to annual meetings, and the anniversaries of various offices.
The collection derives from the RG1 record group, Corporate Documentation and General Reference, created by the JWT Archives prior to the transfer of the archives to Duke University.
Records have been arranged into five topical series: General Administration; Committees; JWT Group; International Offices; and Subsidiaries.
The General Administration Series consists of records relating to the Board of Directors, corporate by-laws, office anniversaries, and several types of financial records, including those pertaining to stock issue, the Profit-Sharing Trust, and employees' retirement trust accounts. The Committees Series includes background materials and minutes to the regular meetings of corporate committees. The JWT Group Series contains records generated during the period, beginning around 1980, when JWT reorganized its assets into a holding company, the JWT Group. The International Offices Series primarily consists of minutes to annual meetings held by JWT offices outside the United States. The Subsidiaries Series primarily consists of minutes to annual meetings, along with some incorporation documentation, of wholly or partially owned JWT subsidiary companies.
Administrative Information
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Access Restrictions
Collection is open to research.
However, access to some records is limited to photocopies of the original documents.
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 David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript 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 David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library.
Contents of the Collection
Browse List of Series
Collapse All
Expand AllIncludes correspondence 1942-1964
[Unbound materials including: Thompson Briggs Company, 1911; J. Walter Thompson Advertising Company, 1931-1936; New Jersey and New York incorporations]
[Nancy Fitzpatrick was Vice President and Assistant Secretary of JWT]
[Luther Orange Lemon (1900-1957) was Treasurer and Director of JWT]
[John J. Cronin was President of the Toronto Office of JWT]
[Primary task of the Committee on Standardization was to establish uniform practices across all JWT offices and operations]
Includes minutes and annual reports
Includes Agency Art Associates; Channel 3 Workshop; Diogenes Marketing Research; Ficho & Corley, Inc.
Subject Headings
- J. Walter Thompson Company.
- J. Walter Thompson Company--Management.
- Advertising agencies--History.
- Advertising agencies--Management.
- Advertising agencies--United States--History.
- Advertising agencies--United States--Management.
- By-laws--United States.
- Corporations--United States--Accounting.
- Corporations--United States--Finance.
- Corporations--United States--History.
- Corporations--United States--Management.
- Employee stock options--United States.
- Management committees.
- Organizational effectiveness.
- Pensions--United States.
- Retirement--united States--Planning.
- Business records.
- Corporation records.
- Minute books.
- Minutes.
- John W. Hartman Center for Sales, Advertising & Marketing History.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], J. Walter Thompson Company. Corporate Documentation, David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Duke University.
Provenance
The J. Walter Thompson Company. Corporate Documentation collection was received by the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library as a transfer in 1987 with additions in subsequent years.
Processing Information
Processed by Richard Collier, September 2007
Encoded by Richard Collier, September 2007
This collection is minimally processed: materials may not have been ordered and described beyond their original condition.
Descriptive sources and standards used to create this inventory: DACS, EAD, NCEAD guidelines, and our local Style Guide.
This finding aid is NCEAD compliant.