D'Arcy Masius Benton & Bowles Archives, 1901, 1929-1999

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Summary

Creator:
D'Arcy Masius Benton & Bowles and John W. Hartman Center for Sales, Advertising & Marketing History
Abstract:
New York-based advertising agency formed in 1985 by the merger of the Benton & Bowles and D'Arcy-MacManus and Masius advertising agencies. In 2002 the agency closed upon acquisition by French company Publicis. Collection includes memoranda; correspondence; reports; corporate publications; marketing research reports; manuals; employee reference material; press releases; a press book; speeches; clippings; photographs and negatives in color and black-and-white; films, video and sound recordings, and DVDs; book manuscripts; financial papers; and a scrapbook. The collection documents the history of Benton & Bowles advertising; the merger of the D'Arcy MacManus Masius and Benton & Bowles companies; the early careers of William Benton and Atherton W. Hobler; employee training, recruitment, and management; corporate publications; and marketing research. Clients represented include the Procter & Gamble Company, General Foods Corporation, Allied Chemical Corporation, Avco Corporation, Colgate Palmolive Co., Florida Citrus Commission, International Business Machines Corporation, and West Point Pepperell. Acquired as part of the John W. Hartman Center for Sales, Advertising & Marketing History.
Extent:
162 Linear Feet
Language:
Materials in English, German, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish
Collection ID:
RL.00314

Background

Scope and content:

Collection includes memoranda; correspondence; reports; corporate publications; marketing research reports; manuals; employee reference material; press releases; a press book; speeches; clippings; photographs and negatives in color and black-and-white; films, video and sound recordings, and DVDs; book manuscripts; financial papers; and a scrapbook. The collection documents the history of Benton & Bowles advertising; the merger of the D'Arcy MacManus Masius and Benton & Bowles companies; the early careers of William Benton and Atherton W. Hobler; employee training, recruitment, and management; corporate publications; and marketing research. Clients represented include the Procter & Gamble Company, General Foods Corporation, Allied Chemical Corporation, Avco Corporation, Colgate Palmolive Co., Florida Citrus Commission, International Business Machines Corporation, and West Point Pepperell.

Biographical / historical:

New York-based advertising agency formed in 1985 by the merger of the Benton & Bowles and D'Arcy-MacManus and Masius advertising agencies. In 2002 the agency closed upon acquisition by French company Publicis.

Benton & Bowles: In 1929 William B. Benton and Chester W. Bowles opened the first office in New York City. In 1932 Benton & Bowles incorporated and Atherton W. Hobler became a partner. William Benton resigned and sold his interest in the company in 1936; Chester W. Bowles followed in 1941 and Atherton W. Hobler became President of the agency, serving as Chairman of the Board until 1950 when he was named Chairman of the Executive Committee. Gordon Webber was hired in 1948 as the agency's first television copy writer; he became the first director of the newly formed Broadcast Commercial Production Department in 1959. The agency opened its first international office, in London, in 1958. Medicus Communications founded 1972 as subsidiary. Public relations firm Manning, Selvage and Lee acquired 1979. B&B Direct founded 1981. Main officers: L.T. Steele (Chairman of the Board 1967; Chairman of Executive Committee 1971); Victor Bloede (President and CEO 1968; Chairman of the Board 1971); John Bowen (President and CEO 1971).

D'Arcy Masius MacManus: D'Arcy Advertising Company established 1906 by William Cheever D'Arcy. D'Arcy merged with MacManus, John & Adams to form MacManus International in 1971. D'Arcy-MacManus International joined with Masius, Wynne-Williams in 1972 to form D'Arcy-MacManus & Masius (known as Masius & D'Arcy-MacManus in Europe)

Acquisition information:
The D'Arcy Masius Benton Bowles Archives were transferred to the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book Manuscript Library by D'Arcy Masius Benton Bowles during 1991-2001.
Processing information:

Processed by: Donna Longo DiMichele; Finding aid completed and edited by Ellen Gartrell and Katherine Hufstetler. Processing of this collection was supported in part by gifts from D'Arcy Masius Benton & Bowles and the John and Kelly Hartman Foundation.

Completed 1994; additional processing completed 2008

Additions processed by Ruth E. Bryan, Debborah Carson, Michael Shumate

Encoded by Katherine Hufstetler, Alvin Pollock, Stephen Douglas Miller, Richard Collier, Ruth E. Bryan

Further additions processed 2026 by Richard Collier.

Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Contents

Using These Materials

Using These Materials Links:

Using These Materials

Restrictions:

Access restricted. Access note. Collection contains fragile audiovisual formats that may need to be reformatted before use. Contact Research Services for access. Some use copies are available in the collection. Consult research services for further information.

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

Terms of access:

The copyright interests in the D'Arcy Masius Benton & Bowles Archives have not been transferred to Duke University in their entirety. For further information, see the section on copyright in the Regulations and Procedures of the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library.

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Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], D'Arcy Masius Benton & Bowles Archives, David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Duke University.

Permalink:
https://idn.duke.edu/ark:/87924/m14028