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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.

The J. Walter Thompson Company. John F. Devine Papers span the years from 1952 to 1974 but primarily contain files from 1956 to 1970 documenting Devine's activities first as administrator of the Radio/Television Department (1954 to 1960) and then as a corporate executive in the New York office (1960 to 1970). As a whole, the collection provides a glimpse into media advertising operations during the period of transition from radio to television as the dominant medium for product-sponsored advertising and programming. In particular, the papers reveal Devine as an adept financial manager on the corporate level. As Department administrator, Devine was responsible for the development of television programming for specific clients, including Eastman Kodak Company (The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet, Screen Directors Playhouse, and The Ed Sullivan Show), Ford Motor Company (Ford Theatre, Tennessee Ernie Ford, and Suspicion), Kraft Foods Company (Kraft Television Theatre), and Lever Brothers Company (The Lux Show Starring Rosemary Clooney and Lux Video Theatre), among others. Correspondence, memoranda, and reports indicate the rapid acceptance of television as the primary advertising medium and the concurrent development of specialized departments within JWT to serve the expanding needs of clients. The importance of market research to define product consumption patterns and to refine client advertising promotions is illustrated in research requests, correspondence, memoranda, and reports. The inception and growth of organized labor groups, including the American Federation of Musicians (AFM), American Federation of Radio and Television Artists (AFTRA), American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP), Screen Actors Guild (SAG), and Writers Guild of America (WGA), are also delineated in correspondence, memoranda, and reports. In addition to his employment at JWT, Devine was an advertising industry representative to negotiations between television networks and organized labor groups during the period from 1956 to 1960.