The Joseph O'Donnell Papers cover the years 1947-1987, with the bulk of materials from 1986, the year O'Donnell served as Chief Executive Officer of JWT. The collection primarily consists of correspondence, memoranda, reports of company performance, presentations and company policy information. The collection also includes personnel-related records, photographs, and videocassettes of television commercials of JWT and competing agencies. Companies represented in the collection include Beatrice Foods; Kodak; Ford; Hyatt Hotels; IBM; Kellogg's; Kraft; Pepsi-Cola; Sprint; Unilever; and U.S. Air.
Restrictions on Access: Files relating to personnel matters of JWT employees are closed to research for 40 years from the date of termination of employment, or 25 years from the date of the employee's death if termination date is unknown. In addition, original audiovisual materials are closed to research until use copies can be made.
Chronology
| Date |
Event |
| 1942 May 11 | Born Joseph William O'Donnell, Newton, Mass. |
| 1964 | B.A., Economics, Columbia University |
| 1965-1971 | U.S. Marine Corps; attained rank of Sergeant |
| 1967 | Columbia University Business School |
| 1976 | Account representative, JWT New York Office |
| 1978 | Office Manager, JWT Detroit Office |
| 1982 | Promoted to head of JWT Chicago Office |
| 1986 March | Chief Executive Officer of JWT |
| 1987 January | Fired from JWT following a failed buy-out attempt |
| 1987-1989 | Served as Chief Executive Officer of Campbell-Mithun-Esty |
| 1988-1989 | Served as Chairman of Campbell-Mithun-Esty |
Joseph O'Donnell began his career in advertising as a Traffic Department trainee at Doyle Dane Bernbach, later as an assistant account executive on DDB's Heinz account. O'Donnell advanced to become Account Executive, Account Supervisor and then Vice President of that account. He served as a partner at Cox & Company for two and a half years, where he headed the accounts of Burlington Sheets and Saab. In 1976, he began working for JWT New York, where his first assignment was with the Samsonite account. During his ten years at JWT, O'Donnell served in an executive capacity on several major accounts, including Ford; Kodak; McDonnell Douglas; Chrysler; Kraft Foods; Sears; Kellogg's; and Sprint.
Following his tenure at Campbell-Mithun-Esty, O'Donnell served as Chairman and Chief Executive of Consumer Research in Manchester, Vermont; and he also founded a cable television network called the Consumer Resource Network.
The collection is arranged into nine series: Administrative Files, Client Files, Correspondence, International Offices, Meetings, Personnel, Reports, Writings and Speeches, and Audiovisual Materials. The Administrative Files Series includes memoranda, correspondence, company policy information, leases, clippings, photographs and financial documents pertaining to the daily operations of JWT domestic offices. The Client Files Series includes campaign presentations, marketing plans, briefings, correspondence, agency reviews and annual reports pertaining to specific JWT clients, as well as general information on JWT client policies. The Correspondence Series contains correspondence and memoranda from JWT-sponsored charities, clients, newspapers and organizations, as well as memoranda between JWT employees. The International Offices Series contains primarily memoranda between JWT employees and clients in international offices, as well as some materials from international advertising conferences and meetings. The Meetings Series contains programs, correspondence, schedules, itineraries, and some presentation slides related to JWT meetings and events, as well as materials pertaining to general advertising events. The Personnel Series contains correspondence and resumes pertaining to company hires, terminations, salaries and bonuses, along with performance reviews and information on employee stock holdings. The Reports Series includes plans, company performance reviews, budgets and yearly reports relating to JWT and its subsidiaries. The Writings and Speeches Series contains scripts, notes and visual materials related to speeches and formal presentations given by JWT employees at company events, as well as at events of general advertising organizations. The Audiovisual Materials Series includes film compilations of advertising spots of JWT clients, as well as clients of competitive companies.
