Inventory of the J. Walter Thompson Company. Kennett Webb Hinks Papers, 1955-1963

Collection Overview

The papers of Kennett Webb Hinks, an executive of the J. Walter Thompson Company, an advertising agency, span the years 1955-1963, and some are undated. The materials consist of copies of Hinks's outgoing office correspondence and memoranda. Letters discuss the planning of advertising campaigns for print, film and radio; market research; product design; selling strategies and advertising techniques; and budgeting. Many include summaries of business meetings. Correspondents include staff members, business associates and clients. The majority of the documents concern Lever Brothers Limited, manufacturer of a variety of soap and bathroom products. Other clients include the Wool Bureau and the New Holland Machine Company. There are frequent communications with other JWT offices in the United States and abroad. A limited amount of material pertains to Hinks's personal, business, and social affairs.

Descriptive Summary

Title: J. Walter Thompson Company. Kennett Webb Hinks Papers, 1955-1963
Creator: J. Walter Thompson Company.
Extent: 1.5 Linear Feet, 900 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

J. Walter Thompson Company. Kennett Webb Hinks Papers, 1955-1963

Administrative Information

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Access Restrictions

Collection is open for 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.

Use Restrictions

The copyright interests in the J. Walter Thompson Company Archives 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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J. Walter Thompson Company. Kennett Webb Hinks Papers, 1955-1963

1955 Jan. - 1963 Feb. and undated

(25 folders)

Box 1

Historical Note

Date	Event(s)
1897 Sept. 3	Born in Mineapolis, Minnesota
1920	Earned Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Minnesota
1920-1921	Studied law and taught economics at the University of Minnesota
1921-1924	Joined J. Walter Thompson's Chicago Office and served as Director of Research
1925-1929	Appointed Pacific Coast Manager based at JWT's San Francisco Office
1929-1932	Manager of JWT's Berlin Office and supervised Vienna and Warsaw offices
1932-1936	Returned to JWT Chicago as Account Representative for Swift, Elgin and Northern Trust Co. accounts
1936-1942	Elected Vice President of JWT
1942-1945	Served as Lt. Commander, a Member of the Office of Strategic Services Planning Group
1946	Joined JWT's New York Office as an Account Representative
1949	Elected Director of JWT
1952	Elected Director of J. Walter Thompson Ltd. (Canada)
1955	Elected to JWT's Board of Directors Executive Committee
1961	Became a Senior Vice President of JWT
1964 Jan.	Retired from JWT
1982 July 22	Died in Baltimore, Maryland

Active in advertising trade association work at his retirement, Hinks was a Director of The Advertising Council. He was a director of the Youth Consultation Service and the Manhattan-Westchester Division of the National Council of Christians and Jews, and a Director and Council Member of the Association for the Aid of Crippled Children.