Before the 1960's, advertising was not focused on the product itself. The advertisement was meant to capture attention and interest. This took a turn through the introduction of three main characters: Leo Burnett, David Ogilvy, and especially Bill Bernbach. The name of this turn is the "Creative Revolution," or the period in the late 1950's and 1960's where advertising began to show wit, youth, and energy in a way that previous advertisement could not. Burnett, Ogilvy, and Bernbach all brought very different characteristics to advertising, but the focus nevertheless stayed the same. The product would always be the centerpiece of the advertisement (Sivulka, 1998).
The first of these men was Leo Burnett. He was definitely not a stereotypical advertising man, who was normally attractive, tall and put together. He was short, pear-shaped, rumpled, and inarticulate except on paper (Fox, 1997). However, despite being more likely mistaken for a bank teller or librarian (Fox, 1997), Burnett takes credit for one of the most successful campaigns in history- the Marlboro man in the 1960s. Burnett gained credibility for his advertisements by using real cowboys, not models. By 1972, Marlboro was the top-selling international cigarette brand, and within three years took the spot as number one in the US (Sivulka, 1998).
The next of important advertisers transitioning into the Creative Movement was Englishman David Ogilvy. He was a self-proclaimed snob, and carried with him a thorough knowledge of Oxford culture, especially Oxford spelling and grammar (Fox, 1997). Three events in particular pushed Ogilvy to prominence: Shell Oil, a book, and the Ogivly & Mather merger. Ogilvy advertised Shell Oil with dignity in his "Shell recommends 21 ways to make your car last longer" campaign, using his simple and classic taste and language to give a gimmick-free advertisement (Sivulka, 1998). He wrote two different books, one of which in particular called Confessions of an Advertising Man came out in 1962, right before the merger with Mather and Crowder in 1965. This merger would make Ogilvy & Mather an intensely successful international business (Sivulka, 1998).
The first of these men was Leo Burnett. He was definitely not a stereotypical advertising man, who was normally attractive, tall and put together. He was short, pear-shaped, rumpled, and inarticulate except on paper (Fox, 1997). However, despite being more likely mistaken for a bank teller or librarian (Fox, 1997), Burnett takes credit for one of the most successful campaigns in history- the Marlboro man in the 1960s. Burnett gained credibility for his advertisements by using real cowboys, not models. By 1972, Marlboro was the top-selling international cigarette brand, and within three years took the spot as number one in the US (Sivulka, 1998).
The next of important advertisers transitioning into the Creative Movement was Englishman David Ogilvy. He was a self-proclaimed snob, and carried with him a thorough knowledge of Oxford culture, especially Oxford spelling and grammar (Fox, 1997). Three events in particular pushed Ogilvy to prominence: Shell Oil, a book, and the Ogivly & Mather merger. Ogilvy advertised Shell Oil with dignity in his "Shell recommends 21 ways to make your car last longer" campaign, using his simple and classic taste and language to give a gimmick-free advertisement (Sivulka, 1998). He wrote two different books, one of which in particular called Confessions of an Advertising Man came out in 1962, right before the merger with Mather and Crowder in 1965. This merger would make Ogilvy & Mather an intensely successful international business (Sivulka, 1998).
The final, and arguably most important ad man of the 1960s was Bill Bernbach. Bernbach's fresh, simple, and humorous approach was attempted by many of the creative types during the 1960s (Sivulka, 1998). Two of the most prominent companies that advertised with DDB, or Doyle Dane Bernbach were Volkswagon and Avis, a rental car company. One advertisement in particular for Avis, used humor and simplicity to attract a customer, and then smashes the taboo against comparative advertising (Sivulka, 1998). The advertisement uses Avis's "number two" position to company Hertz to add humor but also makes it relatable. Success with VW and Avis brought companies like United Airlines, Seagram, Heinz, Sony, UniRoyal, Lever Brothers, Gillette, Bristol-Meyers, and Mobil, making them one of the top agencies of the mid sixties (Sivulka, 1998).
Advertising took a major shift in the 1960's, and creativity again took a turn that would be evident in culture to this day, thanks to three very different men. They brought humor and light into advertisement, which been oftentimes busy or too heavy, and introduced the concept that perhaps less is more after all.
Works Cited
Bernbach, Bill. Avis Advertisement. 1962. Soap, Sex, and Cigarettes: A Cultural History of American Advertising. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, 1998. 307. Print.
Fox, Stephen R. The Mirror Makers: A History of American Advertising and Its Creators. New York: Morrow, 1997. Print.
Shell Oil. Sunday Independent [St. Petersburg] 12 Apr. 1961: 8A. Print.
Sivulka, Juliann. Soap, Sex, and Cigarettes: A Cultural History of American Advertising. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Pub., 1998. Print.
Works Cited
Bernbach, Bill. Avis Advertisement. 1962. Soap, Sex, and Cigarettes: A Cultural History of American Advertising. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, 1998. 307. Print.
Fox, Stephen R. The Mirror Makers: A History of American Advertising and Its Creators. New York: Morrow, 1997. Print.
Shell Oil. Sunday Independent [St. Petersburg] 12 Apr. 1961: 8A. Print.
Sivulka, Juliann. Soap, Sex, and Cigarettes: A Cultural History of American Advertising. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Pub., 1998. Print.