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The papers of George Black, former advertising executive of the J. Walter Thompson Company, span the years 1968 to 1989, with the bulk of the material dating from 1972 to 1988. The papers document Black's activities during his tenure as Creative Department Head in the 1970's and then as Chairman of JWT-Frankfurt from 1976 to 1988. During the 1980's, Black presided over an expansion of business in the German Speaking Area (GSA) which included the opening of new offices in Hamburg and Düsseldorf; the establishment of JWT divisions for pharmaceutical advertising (Deltakos) and direct marketing (JWT-Direkt); and the British WPP Group's leveraged buyout of JWT in 1987. General trends and events reflected in the papers include the increasing globalization of clients and markets, the world energy and financial crises of the 1970's, JWT's international expansion and business management worldwide. Specific topics documented include ethical and legal issues surrounding children and advertising in Germany; the production of film and print advertisements for current and prospective clients; Black's membership in professional organizations such as European Association of Advertising Agencies (EAAA) and the Art Directors Club of Germany; Black's participation in JWT international strategic planning groups, with emphasis on Europe and the GSA; promotions and management changes within JWT; and special events and seminars for JWT international staff and clients. The collection consists of correspondence, memoranda, manuscripts, reports, photographs, press releases, speeches, overhead transparencies, agendas, invoices and receipts, contracts, newsletters, articles, advertisements, and collateral literature. Correspondents in the collection include media and management consultants, artists and producers, current and prospective clients, persons affiliated with various agencies, publications, and organizations, and JWT executives such as David Campbell-Harris (JWT-Milan), Jack Cronin (JWT-New York), Peter Horak (JWT-Zürich), Don Johnston (JWT-New York), Denis Lanigan (JWT-London), Eilika Schmidt-Roessler (JWT-Brussels), Alfred Tiefenbrunner (JWT-Vienna), and Hakan Verner-Carlsson (JWT-Stockholm). Clients well-documented in the collection include Braun, Campari, DeBeers, Elida Gibbs, Ford, Jacobs, Kellogg, Kraft, Lever-Sunlicht (Unilever), Nestle, Singer, Pepsi, Warner-Lambert, and Wick.

The papers of Peter Gilow, former advertising executive of the J. Walter Thompson Company, span the years 1960 to 1978, with the bulk of the material dating from 1962 to 1977. The papers document the development of the J. Walter Thompson Company's Frankfurt Office (J. Walter Thompson GmbH). Specifically covered are the developments in and transformation of German advertising since the end of World War II in television, radio, and print, the emergence of a European Market, attempts to coordinate efforts among all JWT European offices, and the establishment of public service advertising and organizations that represent advertising agencies in Germany. The papers consist of correspondence, telexes, memoranda, notes, reports, charts, scripts, clippings, and printed materials. Clients of the company represented in the collection include Brinkmann, Burger King, DeBeers, Dunlop, Findus, Ford, Intercontinental Hotels Corp., Kraft, Kellogg, Lever-Sunlicht, Maggi, Nestle, Pan American Airways, Warner-Lambert, and others. Correspondents include clients and executives from other JWT offices such as David Campbell-Harris, Constance B. Ivie, Don Johnston, Denis Lanigan, Jens von Leutzendorff, René Müller, Dan Seymour, Alex Späth, Thomas Sutton, Neil Walker, and Edward G. Wilson. Other correspondents are affiliated with Benton and Bowles, Franz Burda, Deltakos Division, GWA, Harbridge House Europe, Hax-Arbeitskreis, Heumann Werbegesellschaft, Managers' Meeting, Marketing Club, and Young and Rubicam. Approximately half of the collection is in English and the remainder is in German. The German language predominates in the Correspondence Series, the Organizations Series, the Memoranda Series, and the Account Poll Series; however, the English language predominates in the Other JWT Offices Series, the Meetings Series, the Annual Management Series, and the Manager's Monthly Assessment Series.

The papers of Wilfried Henkel, former managing director (Geschäftsführer) at the J. Walter Thompson Company (JWT), Frankfurt office, span the years 1957 to 1987, with the bulk of the material dating from 1975 to 1984. The collection consists of articles and presentations (typed or offprints) accompanied by charts and graphs, typed and handwritten correspondence, external and internal memoranda, as well as press clippings and other printed material, and documents Henkel's activities during his tenure at the Frankfurt office, where he was considered the "chief ideologist." Throughout his time in Frankfurt, Henkel worked on individual accounts, but more importantly he was one of the early proponents of corporate advertising, especially in the form of corporate identity and corporate communications. In addition, he worked extensively on JWT's corporate strategy, the T-Plan (target plan).

The Paul-G. Siebel Papers contain correspondence, memoranda, speeches, and other documents spanning the years 1968 to 1975. The bulk of the material in the collection dates from Siebel's tenure as Geschäftsführer (General Manager) of J.Walter Thompson's Frankfurt Office from 1969 through 1975. The Siebel Papers mostly concern relations with the advertising industry. As media director of JWT Frankfurt (a position he held simultaneously with that of Geschäftsführer), Siebel corresponded with members of the industry as well as the media; as JWT Frankfurt's representative to organizations such as the GWA (Gesellschaft der Werbeagenturen [Association of Advertising Agencies]), he attended meetings within the industry and discussed a variety of advertising and political subjects. Other topics documented in the collection include media planning, account direction, production of advertisements, and business management JWT Frankfurt. The Organizations Series, relating to Siebel's participation in advertising groups, comprises one-half of the collection. Other series include the Non-Frankfurt JWT Offices; Correspondence; Memoranda/Haus-Mitteilungen; Clients; Media; Other JWT Frankfurt Departments; Euuropean Media Manager; and Organizations Series. The majority of items in the collection, approximately 80 percent, are in the German language, with the remainder in English.

Collection consists of subject files on a wide range of marketing topics used as reference by J. Walter Thompson Company staff. These topics range from financial information, legal perspectives, employment trends, awards, particular individuals in the industry, media, packaging, trademarks and research; all materials which further reflect the background work and research carried out by J. Walter Thompson Company in the usual course of business. Formats included are primarily newspaper clippings, articles, and pamphlets. Acquired as part of the John W. Hartman Center for Sales, Advertising & Marketing History.

The Samuel W. Meek Papers span the years from 1917-1980, although the bulk of the material dates from 1945-1962 and a few items are undated. Samuel Meek served as Vice President in Charge of International Operations of the J. Walter Thompson Company from 1930 to 1964. Working out of the New York office as the head of the International Department, Meek established offices around the world, provided continuing support and advice to the heads of these international offices, made policy decisions related to international operations, and served as a consultant to a number of U.S. government and private agencies concerned with international relations and commerce. The Series arrangement created by the J. Walter Thompson archivist reflects Meek's activities and has been retained. Several categories of material are included: correspondence, market surveys and research reports, letters, official documents (such as the records of Meek's military service), and the transcripts of talks.