J. Walter Thompson Company. Information Center records, 1890s-1987

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Restrictions:
Access to some portions of the J. Walter Thompson Company Archives is restricted. For further information, consult a reference archivist. Researchers must register and agree to copyright and...
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Summary

Creator:
J. Walter Thompson Company and John W. Hartman Center for Sales, Advertising & Marketing History
Extent:
19.5 Linear Feet
ca. 9,500 Items
Language:
English.
Collection ID:
RL.00713

Background

Scope and content:

The Information Center Records span the years from the 1890s to 1987 with the bulk dating from the 1940s to 1987. Reports, memoranda, clippings, financial papers, and printed materials that relate to specific J. Walter Thompson Company accounts and offices and to advertising strategies comprise the majority of the collection and are found in the Vertical Files Series and Communications Committee Reports Series. The Information Center Records provide information about a wide variety of J. Walter Thompson accounts, specific details about its operation of domestic and international offices, and an in-depth view of how specific products were evaluated and promoted. The history of the J. Walter Thompson Company, the organization of multinational advertising agencies, and advertising research and marketing are also represented in this collection.

Particularly highlighted in the Vertical Files Series is information about the T-plan and T-square, which documents the foundation upon which the J. Walter Thompson Company sought to market its clients' products. Knowledge about how particular products were studied and marketed are represented by product histories and case studies in the Vertical files Series. Typical information about a product includes its history, government standards, advertising and sales history, advertising investment sales records, packaging and labeling, consumer research, and surveys relating to the product.

Marketing research studies and media research reports are common types of data found in the J. Walter Thompson domestic and international office records. For example, New York office files contain reports titled "Advertising to Women" and "Advertising and Spanish Speaking Americans." The United Kingdom Files contain a report about the interests of children from four to twelve. While records relating to employees are primarily located in the New York Office files, the Chicago Office files include an Employee Attitude Survey (1969) completed by Elrick and Lavidge, a marketing research company. The domestic and international office files referred to above are located in the Vertical Files Series.

Biographical / historical:

The Information Center was founded by the J. Walter Thompson Company New York Office in 1918. The records contain several folders detailing efforts to reorganize and expand the Center's services in the mid-1950s. Included are reports describing the purpose of the Center personnel recruitment efforts, and readings about ways to organize office files. In 1980, some of these records were transferred to the J. Walter Thompson Company Archives, which was established in New York in 1979. Some of the files remained active in the Archives until the records were transferred to Duke University in 1987.

Acquisition information:
The Information Center Records were transferred to the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book Manuscript Library from the J. Walter Thompson Company in 1987.
Processing information:

Processed by: Janie Morris

Completed December 4, 1992

Processing of this collection was supported in part by gifts from the J. Walter Thompson Company Fund and the John and Kelly Hartman Foundation.

Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Contents

Using These Materials

Using These Materials Links:

Using These Materials

Restrictions:

Access to some portions of the J. Walter Thompson Company Archives is restricted. For further information, consult a reference archivist.

Researchers must register and agree to copyright and privacy laws before using this collection.

All or portions of this collection may be housed off-site in Duke University's Library Service Center. There may be a 48-hour delay in obtaining these materials.

Please contact Research Services staff before visiting the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library to use this collection.

Terms of access:

The copyright interests in the Information Center Records have not been transferred to Duke University. For further information, see the section on copyright in the Regulations and Procedures of the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library.

Before you visit:
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Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], J. Walter Thompson Company. Information Center Records, 1890s-1987, David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Duke University.

Permalink:
https://idn.duke.edu/ark:/87924/m1c915