BDO
Early Barton ad for Alexander Hamilton that was included in Julian Watkins "100 Greatest Ads" in 1949 (BBDO 1891, p.16) -- Click image to enlarge
"I had never thought of advertising as a life work though I had -- on the side -- written some very successful copy" (Fox, 1984, p.104.) The three men spilt the responsibilities of running the agency with the understanding that Barton would still have time to write. However, the agency was so small that all the men shared all the responsibilities, "Everyone of us know what every one else was doing,' Barton recalled. 'Every one of us was a copywriter and an art director and an account executive and a researcher" (Fox, 1984, p.105).
As a young adman, someone once asked Barton what advertising needed most. "Give advertising time. That is the thing that it needs most. The advertising agency is the most precious infant among the professions. Is it fair to expect perfection in a profession that counts only a single generation to its credit? We are learning. I see no reason why advertising agencies, too, should not outlive their founders and the successors of their founders, growing wiser with each generation and gathering a priceless possession of recorded experience" (BBDO Newsletter, 1966, p.58). (Are we sure that he wasn't talking about the Internet today?!?)
Early Barton ads for General Electric and General Motors. This GE ad was honored with a Harvard Award in 1926 -- Note the sassy headline... (BBDO 1891, p.23, 20-21) -- Click image to enlarge
Over the next few years BDO gained quite a few prominent clients including General Motors, General Electric, Lever Brothers, and US Steel (Appleman/Thompson, 1994). In fact, Barton is credited with naming General Motors and General Electric. "Some say it was a good thing he stopped there before BBDO wound up with a roster of clients all bearing the same name" (BBDO 1891, p.2)
As he built his new agency, Barton looked for new recruits that weren't unlike himself -- "college graduates with salesmen's minds and some writing ability ~ the combination was not a very common one" (Fox, 1984, p.105).
Barton quote:
"If I had my choice between hiring a smart man and a lucky man.
I'd hire the lucky man every time."
(BBDO 1891, p.14)
After their business had grown for ten years , BDO decided to expand their company by merging with their neighbor, the George Batten Co (the final B in BBDO.)
INTRO EARLY LIFE NEW ADMAN BDO BBDO JESUS POLITICS BIBLIOGRAPHY