J. Walter Thompson Company. Lucile Turnbach Platt papers, 1926-1930

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Summary

Creator:
J. Walter Thompson Company
Extent:
1.2 Linear Feet
900 Items
Language:
English.
Collection ID:
RL.00739

Background

Scope and content:

The papers of Lucile Turnbach Platt, former employee of the J. Walter Thompson Company's Personality Department, span the years 1926 to 1930; some Items are undated. The materials primarily document the creation of a testimonial advertising campaign for Simmons beds and boxsprings, and Beautyrest mattresses. The papers illustrate the selection of spokespersons, photographing of them and their home interiors, travel arrangements, delivery and removal of beds, and payment for their services. The materials chiefly consist of office memoranda and other correspondence among Platt, other JWT staff and product spokespersons. The collection also includes photographs and negatives, a few samples of advertisements, lists of women approached to participate, unsigned copies of contracts, and drafts of testimonials. Most of the files relate to soliciting very prominent American and foreign women to endorse Simmons products, including Eleanor Roosevelt, Mrs. Charles Crocker, Mrs. John Sargent Pillsbury, Mrs. Perry Tiffany, Mrs. Robert T. Vanderbilt, and Mrs. John W. Wanamaker III, among many others. Endorsers were paid between $1,000 and $5,000 for permission to use their names, photographs, and testimonials. Photographs of bedrooms were shot on location in the women's homes. The materials are arranged with miscellaneous Simmon's account files first, alphabetically by title, then files are arranged alphabetically by the spokesperson's name.

Biographical / historical:
Chronology
Date Event
1891 Feb. 1
Born in Philipsburg, Pennsylvania
1910-1914
Earned A. B. from Mount Holyoke College
ca. 1916
Worked as a social worker in Rhode Island and New York
ca. 1917
Organized Hostesses, Inc., a service bureau that arranged parties, shopping, etc.
1928 May 2
Began working at JWT's New York Office in the Women's Editorial Department
1929 Jan. 1
Transferred to the JWT Personality Department
1959 Jan. 31
Retired from JWT
1963 Jan. 7
Died

For more biographical information on Lucille Turnbach Platt, see the JWT Archives Personnel Files and similar information in the Biographical Files.

Acquisition information:
The Lucile Turnbach Platt Papers were transferred to the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book Manuscript Library from the J. Walter Thompson Company (JWT) in 1987.
Processing information:

Processed by: Katherine Rose

Completed April 1997

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.

Physical location:
For current information on the location of these materials, please consult the Library's online catalog.
Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Contents

Using These Materials

Using These Materials Links:

Using These Materials

Restrictions:

Collection is open for research.

Researchers must register and agree to copyright and privacy laws before using this collection.

All or portions of this collection may be housed off-site in Duke University's Library Service Center. There may be a 48-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.

Terms of access:

The copyright interests in the J. Walter Thompson Company. Lucile Turnbach Platt Papers 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.

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Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], J. Walter Thompson Company. Lucile Turnbach Platt Papers, David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Duke University.