I first read this speech well over two decades ago. I never thought I'd see a film record of it.
This is an incredible contemplation of the creative process. His Lonely Man sitting at the drawing board or the typewriter working all night, alone, reaching for the stars--is such a terrific image of what it means to be up against a deadline and still strive for excellence.
Some of the references he makes are explained in the post below.
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Leo Burnett: When to take my name off the door.
Leo Burnett: The Logo & The Apples
When Leo Burnett started his advertising agency in Chicago, he set up shop under this distinctive shingle. It's an elegantly simple logo. Leo Burnett said that it represented his personal philosphy: "When you reach for the stars you may not quite get one, but you won't come up with a handful of mud either. "
There are a lot of stories about Leo Burnett's apples. This one is pretty much encapsulates the way I heard it from Hank Bergst.
"One of his most important uses of internal corporate symbols were the red apples placed on every receptionist's desk. Any visitor or employee was free to take one. This stemmed from a prediction from a Chicago newspaper columnist that Leo would fail miserably in his agency launch in 1935, made in the depths of the Great Depression, and would soon be on the street selling apples instead. Upon reading those words, Leo vowed to give away apples instead."
Knowing these things will help you appreciate the post above.
Monday, May 19, 2008
Rory Root RIP
Rory Root was a great human being. He was generous, funny, well informed, full of anecdotes.
And speaking of ads....
I found this one today. The Quark Xpress slug (!) at the top is dated February 26, 1995. The red writing on the side says "Bone Ad Negative Film." So I have to assume that this was an ad intended for an Image Comics issue of Jeff Smith's Bone. Don't recall if it made the issue or not. Don't really remember if this ad ever actually ran anywhere at all.
But looking at it TODAY, I like its intent.
It seems that everyone who reads Beanworld finds something unique in it. Every reader creates his or her own story within the story I present on the page.
One of the things people have told me over and over is that Beanworld has aged very well along with them over the course of their lives. That it matures in the imagination like a fine wine.
It seems that no one really ever outgrows Beanworld.
Sunday, May 18, 2008
"Big ideas come out of big pencils!"
There were a lot of superior advertising folks in the 20th century. I've already written about Theodore McManus and Rosser Reeves. Others, who I'd include on a list of folks who's work (or often far more properly put, their agency's work) has had direct influence on how I think would include David Ogilvy, Raymond Rubicam, and Bill Burnbach.
But the most important person to me was Leo Burnett, the founder of the so-called "Chicago School of Advertising." Leo's shop created or/or shaped four of Advertisng Age's Top 10 Advertising Icons of the 20th Century: #1 Marlboro Man (not that I condone cigarette smoking in any way, I don't, but the power of this icon was undeniable), #3 Jolly Green Giant, #6 Pillsbury Doughboy, #9 Tony the Tiger. Now THAT is an impressive track record!
And my absolute favorite:I've never been comfortable working for any company on any product that didn't allow me to work in the Chicago style. I've done it, but I didn't like it.
Thursday, May 15, 2008
More From The Beanworld Archives
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Robert Rauschenberg Has Died At Age 82.



