Aloha from Portland.
There’s been quite a bit of Wunderman news of late. Sometimes lost in the shuffle are the innovations that the agency’s founder, Lester Wunderman, brought to the industry like consumer loyalty programs, the subscription club model, newspaper inserts and the long-time powerhouse of toll-free customer service numbers, which showed up “direct response” TV ads. These ideas transformed advertising from a passive bullhorn to a more active part of consumers’ lives.
On Wednesday, Wunderman passed away at the age of 98.
Though some may bristle at the idea of “direct marketing,” Wunderman’s pioneering attitude and philosophies built the foundation of much of today’s brand approach. Challenger brands go right to the source—their customers—and Wunderman paved the way.
“Lester possessed the curiosity of a scientist, an artist’s eye, the soul of an author and the heart of an entrepreneur,” said Wunderman Thompson CEO Mel Edwards.
Wunderman, who retired in 1998 after 50 years in the business, founded his eponymous agency, then known as Wunderman, Ricotta & Kline in 1958. In 1961, he first used the phrase “direct marketing” in place of direct mail or mail order. Later, he said, “I didn’t invent [direct marketing], but it had no definition, and it had no strategy.”
But the bottom line? Wunderman, like many of his contemporaries at the time, broke several molds and defined bravery and vision in the face of a sea of sameness.
“I’ve always had the audacity to try new things,” Wunderman told Adweek in 2010. “As a matter of fact, what I’m most afraid of is convention. If anything, I’m afraid of being stuck in the ruts of the old vehicles that have passed over the road.”
In other news this week ...
What are the 18 Super Bowl ads that inspired creatives most? We have ‘em here.
For the (agency) win: Nature’s Bounty and Sundown Naturals chooses VMLY&R as AOR.
Some M&A news: You & Mr Jones takes a majority stake in Unilever’s in-house content studio.
Worth a watch: Get the tissues ready, because this charming ad for Disneyland Paris is about as cute as it gets.
Worth a read: A former Doner creative director has sued the agency for age discrimination.
Another good read: Why an agency in Omaha decided to start an influencer network.
Worth keeping an eye on: Adweek’s Super Bowl tracker. More brands continue to tumble in for the Big Game.
Oh, and our pick of Seahawks/Chiefs Super Bowl didn’t quite pan out did it? So let’s go with Rams/Chiefs with Kansas City winning a high-scoring affair of 48-45.
On behalf of all of us on the Adweek agencies crew, have a wonderful weekend, and we’ll see you back here next week. And, as always, feel free to share your agency news with us—I can be reached at doug dot zanger at adweek dot com.
Warm Regards,
Doug Zanger
Senior Editor, Creativity + Agencies
