Prior to 1900, Advertising Agencies did not have copywriters. They were largely a brokerage business, bidding against other Agencies on a fixed amount of space. The Advertisers prepared their own ads, and sent electrotypes. The profitable part of the business was in developing schemes to get Advertisers to spend money through placing the ads in publications across targeted areas. Popularity (circulation) was a priority.
Very similar today to what Google does. Google’s search engine was created solely for the purpose to find the most popular websites and to sell those spaces to Advertisers. This resulted in “Google search returns” were the most popular, nothing to do with accuracy.
After the turn of the century, all that changed, and it started in Chicago.
Chicago Billboards
Thomas Cusack and Company
Lord & Thomas
Coburn, Cook and Co.
Leo Burnett
The other great modern Chicago ad agency was the Leo Burnett Company. Burnett started the agency in 1935, mortgaging his house in the midst of the Great Depression. In 1989 the agency claimed $3.2 billion annual billings and maintained offices in over 40 countries. Burnett’s television campaigns included the Jolly Green Giant, the Pillsbury Dough Boy, Charlie Tuna, Tony the Tiger, and the Marlboro Man. Advertising Age ranked Burnett the third most influential person in the history of American advertising.
The Chicago Tribune was third nationally among newspapers in total advertising linage from the 1920s into the 1950s, creating and placing ads for thousands of its retail customers. Advertising Age, the best advertising trade magazine in the world, was started in the Windy City in 1930. The magazine’s critical style set the standard for business Journalism across the country.
Greatest Ads
Chicago has a rich advertising history that contributed heavily to the development of the profession. The following is some of the “greatest ideas in Chicago Advertising History.” These classic ads were featured in the Chicago Advertising Club’s 75th anniversary booklet, published in 1980. Enjoy the trip back in time to some of the greatest ads ever produced.
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