Later Life
Barton was a staunch supporter of advertising, but, at times, he felt that advertising was getting worse. "You have seen silly advertisements, honest advertisements, disgusting advertisements" (Marchand, 1985, p.317). He wrote in his diary,"I can, of course, continue to make people think that two gallons of gasoline just alike are not alike. But somehow it seems to me that the old day of competition is drawing to a close -- that I should be laboring in the twilight of a passing era" (Fox, 1984, p.112). A combination of factors including this attitude towards the future of advertising and a personal trauma pointed his life in a new direction. He decided to go into politics.
Barton entered the Congress in 1937 representing the "Silk Stocking" district of NYC until 1940. He promised "to repeal one useless law a week" (BBDO Newsletter, 1966, p.58). Barton was extremely conservative Republican that continued to participate in politics. He even was a ghost speechwriter for Calvin Coolidge (Lears, 1994) and Herbert Hoover (Ad Age, 1991).
Barton continued to serve as BBDO's chairman until 1961. He received Printer's Ink Gold Medal for advertising in 1960 (Applegate/Thompson, 1994), and he was inducted into the Advertising Hall of Fame in 1969 (Ad Age, 1991). He died on July 5, 1967 in New York.
"Though he could lay claim to 'educator,' 'author,' 'lawmaker,' 'editor,' and other glossy titles, when asked what his work is, he has always said with pride, 'I am in the advertising business" (BBDO Newsletter, 1966, p.58).
INTRO EARLY LIFE NEW ADMAN BDO BBDO JESUS POLITICS BIBLIOGRAPHY