J. Walter Thompson Company. Press clippings, 1890-2009

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Summary

Creator:
J. Walter Thompson Company and John W. Hartman Center for Sales, Advertising & Marketing History
Abstract:
Founded in 1864 in New York, the J. Walter Thompson Company (JWT) was one of the oldest and largest advertising agencies in the United States. It was absorbed into marketing and communications firm VML in 2023. Collection includes newspaper and magazine clippings, memos, press releases, scrapbooks, and other printed materials that document appearances in mass print media of JWT and its offices, staff, and client accounts. Over the years clippings were variously pasted into scrapbooks; maintained in loose clipping files; photocopied and published as bound compilations. A portion of the collection focuses on JWT's takeover by British firm WPP and the careers of executives Burt Manning and Joe O'Donnel around the time of the takeover. Acquired as part of the John W. Hartman Center for Sales, Advertising & Marketing History.
Extent:
21.0 Linear Feet
Language:
Materials in English, Spanish, Portuguese
Collection ID:
RL.11924

Background

Scope and content:

Collection includes newspaper and magazine clippings, memos, press releases, scrapbooks, and other printed materials that document appearances in mass print media of JWT and its offices, staff, and client accounts. Over the years clippings were variously pasted into scrapbooks; maintained in loose clipping files; photocopied and published as bound compilations. A portion of the collection focuses on JWT's takeover by British firm WPP and the careers of executives Burt Manning and Joe O'Donnel around the time of the takeover.

Biographical / historical:

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. The agency was acquired by British holding company WPP in 1987. JWT merged with direct marketing firm Wunderman in 2018 to form Wunderman Thompson, and in 2023 the agency was absorbed into marketing and communications firm VML.

Press clippings were originally pasted into scrapbooks or maintained in loose clipping files by JWT's public relations staff. Beginning around 1989, clippings were photocopied and bound into compilations that were distributed as a function of the Corporate Communications department.

Acquisition information:
The J. Walter Thompson Company. Press clippings were received by the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book Manuscript Library as gifts from the J. Walter Thompson Company in 1993 and subequent years.
Processing information:

Processed by Richard Collier, Dec. 2023; Accessions described in this collection guide: 93-042, 97-090.

Arrangement:

Organized into the following series: Clipping File; Weekly Press Clippings; In The News; Topical Files; Scrapbooks.

Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Subjects

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Subjects:
Advertising agencies -- United States -- History
Public relations
Publicity
Advertising agencies -- United States -- Management
Format:
Clippings (information artifacts)
Names:
John W. Hartman Center for Sales, Advertising & Marketing History
WPP Group plc
Manning, Burt, 1931-
O'Donnell, Joseph William, 1942-

Contents

Using These Materials

Using These Materials Links:

Using These Materials

Restrictions:

Collection is open for research.

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], J. Walter Thompson Company. Press clippings, David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Duke University.

Permalink:
https://idn.duke.edu/ark:/87924/m1kj02