J. Walter Thompson Company. Don Johnston papers, 1964-1996 and undated

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

Creator:
J. Walter Thompson Company
Johnston, Don, 1927-2014
Abstract:
Founded in 1864, the J. Walter Thompson Company (JWT) was one of the oldest and largest advertising agencies in the United States. It was headquartered in New York. In 2023 the agency was absorbed into marketing and communications firm VML. Don Johnston (1927-2014) was an executive who served as president, CEO and Chairman during a 26 year career at JWT. The Don Johnston Papers span the years 1964-1996 and document his career in various positions with JWT. The collection includes international and domestic inter-office correspondence, personal and administrative files, management manuals, presentations, speeches, budgets, billings and profit reports, and video-cassettes that relate to planning for JWT projects, committee meetings, marketing research, contracts with clients, management directives, and JWT's corporate mission and philosophy. The papers also touch on Joseph O'Donnell's attempted hostile takeover of the JWT Group, and the purchase of JWT by the WPP Group. Clients represented include: Ford Motor Company, Unilever, Chevron, General Foods, and Uniroyal Tire. Offices represented include: Buenos Aires, Toronto, Chicago, Santiago, Detroit, Paris, Frankfurt, Bombay (Mumbai), London, Tokyo, New York, and Johannesburg.
Extent:
17.5 Linear Feet
Language:
Material in English
Research Center:
John W. Hartman Center for Sales, Advertising & Marketing History
Collection ID:
RL.00717

Background

Scope and content:

The Don Johnston Papers span the years 1964-1996 and document his career in various positions with JWT. The collection includes international and domestic inter-office correspondence, personal and administrative files, management manuals, presentations, speeches, budgets, billings and profit reports, and video-cassettes materials that relate to planning for JWT projects, committee meetings, marketing research, contracts with clients, management directives, and JWT's corporate mission and philosophy. The papers also touch on Joseph O'Donnell's attempted hostile takeover of the JWT Group, and the purchase of JWT by the WPP Group. Clients represented include: Ford Motor Company, Unilever, Chevron, General Foods, and Uniroyal Tire. Offices represented include: Buenos Aires, Toronto, Chicago, Santiago (Chile), Detroit, Paris, Frankfurt, Bombay (Mumbai), London, Tokyo, New York, and Johannesburg (South Africa).

Biographical / historical:

Born George Donald Johnston, Elmira, N.Y., March 9, 1927; died January 3, 2014, Vero Beach, Fla.

Military: U.S. Army, European theatre, WWII.

Education: 1950 B.S., Summa Cum Laude, in Journalism and Economics, Michigan State University; 1952 M.A with Honors in International Economics, School of Advanced International Studies, Johns Hopkins University. Johnston attended on a JWT scholarship.

Career: 1951 Began career with JWT as a trainee in Detroit Office mail room; 1952 Assistant International Account Representative, JWT New York; 1953 Representative, JWT Colombia; 1956 Account Representative and Account Supervisor, JWT New York; 1961 Managing Director, JWT Amsterdam; 1964 Managing Director, JWT Tokyo; 1966 Vice President-Europe, JWT Frankfurt; 1967 Vice President-Europe, JWT London; 1971 Senior Vice President, JWT Latin America; 1972 Member of Board of Directors and Executive Committee, Executive Vice President-International JWT New York; 1974 President and CEO of JWT Company; 1978 Chairman of JWT; 1980 Chairman of newly formed JWT Group Inc.; 1987 retired from JWT.

Awards and other offices held: 1980 Chairman of American Association of Advertising Agencies, Won International Advertising Association Annual Award; 1986 Established Sarita and Don Johnston Professorship in Latin American Studies at Johns Hopkins University. 1987 Upon retirement, Johnston was named Chairman of the International Executive Service Corps. Johnston also served as Trustee Emeritus of Johns Hopkins University.

Acquisition information:
The Don Johnston Papers were received by the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book Manuscript Library as transfers and gifts between 1993 and 2003.
Processing information:

Processed by Greg Johnson and Andrea Franzius, May 15, 2006

Encoded by Greg Johnson

Completed June 15, 2006

Accessions 96-021, 96-092, 96-093, 96-112, and 03-0258 were merged into one collection, described in this finding aid.

Arrangement:

Organized into the following series: Memoranda; Administrative Files; Personal Files; Audiovisual Materials.

Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Contents

Using These Materials

Using These Materials Links:

Using These Materials

Restrictions:

Collection is restricted.

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 copyright section of the Regulations and Procedures of the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library.

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Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], J. Walter Thompson Company. Don Johnston Papers, David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Duke University.

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https://idn.duke.edu/ark:/87924/m1qk92