Today one can easily forget that in 1934 many radio programs were produced by the sponsor's advertising agency. A print ad illustrated by Rodney deSarro includes caricatures of the stars in all of ad agency Young & Rubicam's radio shows slated for the 1934-1935 season. Some of the names are still familiar—Jack Benny, for example, and perhaps opera star Lawrence Tibbett. Many more are unfamiliar. Then there are names that are still known yet appear in an unexpected context, such as "The Byrd Expedition, broadcasting from the South Pole—for General Foods' Grape-Nuts."
Who's Who in Young & Rubicam's 1934-35 Radio Shows Rodney deSarro Young & Rubicam advertisement 1934
Did a Madison Avenue advertising campaign successfully counteract Axis propaganda? Ad agency Young & Rubicam's 1943 ad illustrated by cartoonist Carl Rose attempted to alert wartime readers to the presence of supposed news stories that were in reality disinformation promulgated by "Goebbels and his propaganda machine." Rose dutifully illustrated a trio of menacing Nazi wolves disguised in sheep's clothing, which the ad copy described as "the cloak of loyal opposition." Readers were warned that any alleged news that hurt morale; fostered distrust in government, business, or labor; discredited our allies; or benefited our enemies automatically should be suspect. But, while these may have aroused one's suspicions, was that truly the way to verify that a news story was absolutely false? Sometimes the truth can be demoralizing. Sometimes our government or our allies deserved to be discredited. And sometimes a formula for spotting enemy propaganda could be woefully simplistic.
"Praise the Lord—we'll pass as opposition!" Carl Rose Young & Rubicam advertisement 1943
In advertising agency Young & Rubicam's long-running series of print ads, every picture tells a story and every story has a moral. That moral is generally a reinforcement of the importance of advertising and a vindication of Y & R's creative strategy. Cartoonist Richard Decker's 1939 ad tells the story of a lost horse and introduces some common horse sense.
"I went where I'd 'a' gone if I'd been him[.]" Richard Decker Young & Rubicam advertisement 1939
A 1955 print advertisement for advertising agency Young & Rubicam humorously illustrates the concept of a captive television audience. TV was a new medium but the advertising industry was working hard to assure clients of the crucial importance of having compelling commercials. The amusing ad is unsigned but on stylistic grounds it can reliably be attributed to cartoonist Claude Smith.
The only captive audience that counts is the one that's captured by the sheer excellence of your commercials. Claude Smith Young & Rubicam advertisement 1955
For the sake of comparison, here from the blog archives is a television-themed New Yorker cartoon by Claude Smith who, when he does sign his name, signs simply Claude.
"We had color, but it kept clashing with the room." Claude Smith The New Yorker, April 21, 1956, page 32
Note: By all means leave a comment if you disagree with my attribution of this drawing to Claude Smith. Also drop a line if you know the publication and date in which this ad appeared.
Cartoonist Richard Decker's 1941 advertisement for ad agency Young & Rubicam takes the series to a new location, a desert island. As an allegory for the client's reported sentiment that he gets such careful attention he feels as if he is Y & R's only client, it works. This sort of individualized attention should be the goal of everyone in customer service and it's been common knowledge for at least 80 years.
"I'm Young & Rubicam's only client[.]" Richard Decker Young & Rubicam advertisement 1941
At this point we can make a few generalizations about the cartoons used by advertising agency Young & Rubicam in its decades-long print campaign to promote its services to the industry. Although Y & R made use of many of the very best cartoonists in the business, that did not necessarily result in many of the very best cartoons. Instead the cartoons often slavishly served the advertising copy, which was often ponderous and strained.
"I wish that fellow were on our board[.]" Garrett Price Young & Rubicam advertisement 1933
A case in point is Garrett Price's 1933 cartoon featuring a corporate gentleman fitted out with derby, monocle, and walking stick. He stands in a museum or gallery admiring a bust of the Roman god Janus and wishing the two-faced god could serve on his board. For those not steeped in the beliefs of the ancient world, Price has helpfully labeled the base Janus: Roman god of all beginnings. That at least is clear, but the awkward copy struggles to explain why this god's services might be of value: "The planning of selling and advertising needs the Janus-like ability to see in two directions at once —backward for mistakes —forward for opportunities."
That's certainly not the most eloquent of arguments. The few cartoonists we've seen contribute to Y & R's campaign over the years—Price, Robert Day, William Steig, H. T. Webster—have not been used to their best advantage.
Advertising agency Young & Rubicam enlisted quite a few cartoonists in its long-running in-house print campaign promoting the company's own services. Potential clients were shown various means by which the agency brought its unique skills to marketing and branding. Along the way a variety of not-so-subtle analogies were made. Cartoonists, with their myriad creative approaches, were the ideal conveyors of this corporate message. For example, a 1951 cartoon by the superb H. T. Webster (1885-1952) is intended to imply that Y & R is the ad agency with a green thumb, one that will harvest a creative bounty. Why use anyone else?
What a whale of a difference a "green thumb" makes H. T. Webster Young & Rubicam advertisement 1951
Advertising agency Young & Rubicam published a print ad in 1935 using New Yorker cartoonist William Steig to illustrate the art of telling a story. We see that one speaker can be engaging while another is boring. Which of these two conversations would you rather listen to? Y & R's copy draws the obvious conclusion that a successful ad is one that tells a compelling story. Noted.
"Did you ever hear the one about—" "As I was saying—" William Steig Young & Rubicam advertisement 1935
For the advertising agency Young & Rubicam, cartoonist Robert Day provided an elaborate illustration of a Bronx Street scene in 1940. The one disparate element, reportedly true according to the text of the ad, is the presence of a local mink trapper. The copy goes on to concoct a mock quote by Confucius relating the Bronx mink to creativity in advertising.
Saga of the Bronx Mink Robert Day Young & Rubicam advertisement 1940
New Yorker cartoonist Richard Decker created two ink and wash drawings for Young & Rubicam's Rheingold beer account. The first is set in a grocery store and is titled Dealer & Girl while the second is called Fortune Teller. The verso contains the Y&R stamp with address but no postal zone (introduced in 1943) or zip code (introduced in 1963). On the basis of this, the owner conjectures these may date to the late 1930s or 1940s. Neither drawing bears a caption or advertising copy. Publication information is unknown.
The grocery store has some stacked cans that may or may not be beer cans, but nothing that is specifically Rheingold. The window advertises 15 cent beer. If the woman—I mean girl—is supposed to be carrying a transistor radio in her handbag, this could date the drawing to 1954 or later. To me, the drawing seems to have a breezy 1950s feel to it. In contrast, it's hard to place the Fortune Teller drawing at a specific time, but the man behind the chair wears the same grocer's apron over his suit and has the same pencil behind his ear. These ads likely appeared in the trade press to persuade grocers to stock more Rheingold beer.
Richard Decker Dealer and Girl Original advertising art for Rheingold Young & Rubicam
Courtesy the Jerome Wrinkle Collection
Richard Decker Fortune Teller Original advertising art for Rheingold Young & Rubicam
Courtesy the Jerome Wrinkle Collection
Emile Waldteufel Estudiantina Waltz, Op. 191, No. 4, 1883 After a melody by Paul Lacome, 1881
My Beer is Rheingold, the Dry Beer, 1956
Note: But where and when were they published, specifically? If you know, step to the front of the line and a 15-cent beer's on the house.
Let's see some more art by Richard Decker! Attempted Bloggery would love to publish your scans or photographs.
My thanks to Jerome Wrinkle for sharing this original advertising art from his collection.
