Spike Bragg papers, 1952-2025

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Summary

Creator:
Bragg, W. James (William James) and John W. Hartman Center for Sales, Advertising & Marketing History
Abstract:
William "Spike" Bragg (1936-2021) was an advertising and marketing executive based in California. Collection includes audiovisual materials (primarily audio cassettes and videocassettes); black-and-white photographs; case studies; clippings; correspondence and memos; newsletters; print advertisements; school memorabilia; and other printed materials. Companies represented include California Angels; Fighting Chance; Great American Insurance (subsidiary of American financial Group); Great Western United; Kaepa shoes; Keye/Donna/Pearlstein; Lone Star beer; Merabank; Pepperidge Farms; Suzuki automobiles; and VLI (Today contraceptive sponge). Acquired as part of the John W. Hartman Center for Sales, Advertising & Marketing History.
Extent:
3.0 Linear Feet
Language:
Materials in English.
Collection ID:
RL.13146

Background

Scope and content:

Collection includes audiovisual materials (primarily audio cassettes and videocassettes); black-and-white photographs; case studies; clippings; correspondence and memos; newsletters; print advertisements; school memorabilia; and other printed materials. Companies represented include California Angels; Fighting Chance; Great American Insurance; Great Western United; Kaepa shoes; Keye/Donna/Pearlstein; Lone Star beer; Merabank; Pepperidge Farms; Suzuki; and VLI (Today contraceptive sponge).

Biographical / historical:

William "Spike" Bragg (1936-2021) was an advertising and marketing executive based in California.

William James Bragg was born in 1936. He attended Phillips Andover Academy (class of 1953); Yale (BA 1958); and Harvard Business School (MBA 1960). Bragg worked as Assistant Product Manager at Pepperidge Farms (1960-1962); brand manager for Procter & Gamble (1962-1969); Director of Marketing at Great Western United; Senior Vice President of Marketing for Great American Insurance (1971-1975); Director of new product development at Hunt-Wesson (1975-1977); and Executive Vice President and partner at Keye/Donna/Pearlstein agency (1977-). In the 1990s Bragg founded Fighting Chance, a firm that provided advice to prospective car buyers. Bragg died in 2021.

Acquisition information:
The Spike Bragg papers were received by the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book Manuscript Library as a gift from Ricky Bragg in 2025.
Processing information:

Processed by Richard Collier, July 2025; Accessions described in this collection guide: 2025-0070

Arrangement:

Organized into the following series: General and Personal Materials; Fighting Chance; Great American Insurance Company; Great Western United; Keye/Donna/Pearlstein; Pepperidge Farms.

Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Contents

Using These Materials

Using These Materials Links:

Using These Materials

Restrictions:

Access note. Collection contains electronic records that may need to be reformatted. Access copies of electronic records require special equipment. Contact Research Services for access.

Access note. Collection contains fragile audiovisual formats that may need to be reformatted before use. Contact Research Services for access.

Terms of access:

The copyright interests in this collection have not been transferred to Duke University. For more information, consult the Rubenstein Library's Citations, Permissions, and Copyright guide.

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Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], Spike Bragg papers, David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Duke University.

Permalink:
https://idn.duke.edu/ark:/87924/m14j2s