Another Prominent Figure

Although Rosser Reeves is one of the most influential figures in the advertising business, in my opinion Leo Burnett comes in as a close second. He started one of the greatest advertising agencies that still holds his name today.

Leo Burnett's advertisements emphasized visuals as opposed to long drawn out body copy or explanations. The pictures got the message across and the copy just simply backed the original message up. Burnett is also known for creating some famous brand icons such as the Pillsbury Dough Boy, Tony the Tiger, the Jolly Green Giant and the Marlboro Man. These, along with many others, are images that almost anyone would recognize, even today.

Burnett started his career at an advertising agency called the Homer McGee Company. It was here where he worked on several accounts for automobile ads. He later was hired at Erwin, Wassey as the head of their creative department. It wasn't until 1935 that he founded the Leo Burnett Company, Inc., in Chicago. This was a risky move because most of the big players could be found in New York City, and there was not much in the midwest as far as advertising went.

One of Burnett's most famous quotes is, "When you reach for the stars, you may not get one, but you won't come up with a handful of mud either." I think that clearly shows his ambition and thought process. He truly believed that anything was possible and he strived for the best in each and every campaign he worked on. Without the work of Leo Burnett the advertising business certainly would not be where it is today.