GLOBAL – AUGUST 12, 2011 – Few people can say that their work defined a decade, and fewer still can say that they did so staying true to their beliefs. William “Bill” Bernbach was one such person. His involvement in iconic advertisements that embodied his mantra of creativity in advertising defined the 1960s and inspires ad agencies and creative directors to this day.
He started his career in the mailroom at Schenley Distillers after graduating from New York University in the midst of the Great Depression. From this position he made his way through the advertising business, starting out as a copywriter with the William Weintraub agency all the way up to VP-Creative Director at Grey Advertising in 1945. From there, Bernbach co-founded Doyle Dane and Bernbach (DDB) with Ned Doyle and Maxwell Dane, personally inspiring creativity in advertising until his death from leukemia in 1982.
Throughout his time in the advertising industry, Bernbach discovered several promising young men, including Paul Rand, Bob Gage, Helmut Krone, Bill Taubin, and George Lois. He aided in the creation of many memorable ads, perhaps the most memorable being the Volkswagen “Think Small” advertisement.
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Other successful advertisements that Bernbach was involved with were the Volkswagen “Funeral” and “Snow Plow” stories, the “Visit to Grandpa” and Laurence Olivier Plaroid ads, the “Gorilla” ad for American Luggage, and the stop motion “Contrasts” ad for the Jamaica Tourist Board that caused Hollywood to look at television advertising in a different light.
Known to many as The Father of Modern Advertising, Bill Bernbach went from mailroom to majesty in the advertising industry, all the while following through with his concept of meshing creativity with inspiration to create imagery that held consumers captive and prompted their support and understanding. The company was founded “on the belief that creativity is the most powerful force in business”. Bill Bernbach embodied that belief throughout his career, and this force remains in the agency after his passing.
Men like Bernbach that inspired the creation of the hit television programme, Mad Men, and he is often noted as being “the original Don Draper”. In anticipation of the celebration of his natal centennial to be celebrated this Saturday, August 13, DDB put out an ad in Adweek’s most recent issue, featuring Jon Hamm as his Mad Men character, wishing Bernbach a happy 100th–a fitting tribute.
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Bernbach once said, “The difference between the forgettable and the enduring is artistry”. Since DDB’s founding in 1949, Bernbach and his successors have followed through with this idea, creating advertisements that have endured through the years, contributing to DDB’s success and iconic status. Bill Bernbach will always be remembered in the advertising industry as one of the most iconic and ever-lasting symbols of success, leaving behind him a legacy to last. (Miriam Malca)
