American advertising agencies in Europe: J. Walter Thompson's Belgian business in the inter-war years

Business History

Volumn 47, Issue 1, 2005, Pages 44-58

  Pouillard, Véronique ^a  

^a FREE UNIVERSITY OF BRUSSELS   (Belgium)

Author keywords

[No Author keywords available]

Indexed keywords

ADVERTISING; BUSINESS; ECONOMIC HISTORY; HISTORICAL GEOGRAPHY; TWENTIETH CENTURY;

BELGIUM; BENELUX; EASTERN HEMISPHERE; EURASIA; EUROPE; NORTH AMERICA; UNITED STATES; WESTERN EUROPE; WESTERN HEMISPHERE; WORLD;

EID: 14744303011     PISSN: 00076791     EISSN: 17437938     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1080/0007679042000267460     Document Type: Article

References (98)

1. R.W. Pollay, 'Maintaining Archives for the History of Advertising', Special Libraries, Vol. LXIX (April 1978), pp.145-54;
2. G. Fauconnier and A. Van der Meiden, Reclame, een andere kijk op een merkwaardig maatschappelijk phenomeen (Bussum, 1993), p.40.
3. The J. Walter Thompson records, located in the John Hartman Center for Sales, Advertising and Marketing History at Duke University, are extremely useful sources for an understanding of how an American advertising agency settled in Belgium. This article is mostly based on these archives. J. Walter Thompson Company Archives (JWT), John Hartman Center for Sales, Advertising and Marketing History, Special Collections Library, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina. J. Walter Thompson Company Archives (JWT), John Hartman Center for Sales, Advertising and Marketing History, Special Collections Library, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina.
4. This article is part of a larger study: V. Pouillard, 'La publicité en Belgique (1850-1975): Institutions, Acteurs, Entreprises, Influences' (unpublished Ph.D. thesis, University of Brussels, 2002).
5. On the history of Belgium, see, amongst others, M.-T. Bitsch, Histoire de la Belgique (Paris, 1992)
6. X. Mabille, Histoire politique de la Belgique. Facteurs et acteurs de développement (Brussels, 2000);
7. J. Stengers and E. Gubin, Histoire du sentiment national belge en Belgique des origines à 1918. vol. 2, Le grand siècle de la nationalité belge (Brussels, 2002);
8. E. Witte and J. Craeybeckx, Politieke geschiedenis van België sinds 1830. Spanningen in een burgerlijke democratie (Antwverp, 1981).
9. M. Martin, Trois siècles depublicité en France (Paris, 1992).
10. One of them is still published every day in Brussels. This paper, Le Soir, was founded in 1887 by Emile Rossel and, for a few years, was free and delivered to every first floor in the city. See 'Rossel, Emile', Biographie nationale publiée par l'Académie royale des Sciences, Lettres et Beaux-Arts de Belgique (Brussels, 1969), col.639;
11. R. Feibelman, L'Evolution de la Presse bruxelloise (Brussels, 1911), p.34;
12. R. Campé, J.-J. Dumon and M. Jespers, Radioscopie de la presse belge (Verviers, 1975), pp.154-5.
13. For more information, see V. Pouillard, 'L'école belge de publicité', Market management, revue internationale des sciences commerciales, No.3 (Paris, Dec. 2003), pp.18-41.
14. 'Advertising: How to use it'.
15. E.S. Turner, The Shocking History of Advertising (Harmondsworth, 1952), p.152.
16. M.A. Beale, The Modernist Enterprise: French Elites and the Threat of Modernity, 1900-1940 (Stanford, CA, 1999), pp.15-17.
17. See P.M. Mosselmans, La Vente par correspondance. Mail order Business. Méthodes américaines (Brussels, 1909).
18. See O.J. Gérin, E. Damour and L. Serre, Précis intégral de publicité (Paris, 1935);
19. O.J. Gérin and C. Espinadel, La publicité suggestive. Théorie et technique (Paris, 1911);
20. D.C.A. Hémet, Traité pratique de publicité commerciale et industrielle (Paris, 1922)
21. M.-E. Chessel, La publicité, naissance d'une profession, 1900-1940 (Paris, 1998)
22. M.-E. Chessel, 'L'enseignant, le journaliste et le traducteur: Louis Angé (1885-1931)', Market management, revue internationale des sciences commerciales, No.3 (Paris, Dec. 2003).
23. V. Mataja, La réclame dans ses rapports avec les affaires et le public, translated into French by Paul Mosselmans (Paris, Brussels and Lausanne, n.d.). On Mataja's works, see E. Obermayer-Marnach, Österreichisches biographisches Lexicon 1815-1950, Vol.VI (1975), p.135.
24. P.M. Mosselmans, La Publicité en Allemagne. Simple exposé de l'histoire, de l'évolution, de l 'intensité et de la valeur de la Publicité allemande (Brussels, 1910).
25. P.M. Mosselmans, La Publicité Coloniale (Brussels, 1910).
26. I. Cassiers, Croissance, crise et régulation en économie ouverte. La Belgique entre les deux guerres (Brussels, 1989).
27. R. Johnston, Selling Themselves: The Emergence of Canadian Advertising (Toronto, Buffalo and London, 2001).
28. 'Chambre syndicale belge de la Publicité. Association sans bur lucratif', Bulletin officiel de la Chambre syndicale belge de la Publicité, Vol.III No.9 (Dec. 1932), pp.3-5;
29. Moniteur belge, 21 Aug. 1926, n.552;
30. 10 Nov. 1926, nn.698-9;
31. 14 Jan. 1933, nn.32-3.
32. See, for example, J. and E. Piteraerens, Les forces vives de la publicité (Brussels, 1939).
33. Pouillard, thesis, pp.252-4.
34. J.-P. Duchesne, L 'affiche en Belgique: Art et Pouvoir (Brussels, 1989).
35. Pasinomie. Collection complete des lois, arrêtés et réglements généraux qui peuvent être invoqués en Belgique et des lois et arrêtés de la Colonie du Congo Belge, 5 ème série, t. XIV (Brussels, 1923), p.354.
36. The agency's name would change a couple of times. See Comfort [L. Angé], 'L'oeuvre publicitaire du bureau d'études Polmoss', Polmoss Revue. Publication traitant exclusivement des méthodes modernes d'organisation, de vente et de publicité, Vol.I No.1 (Jan. 1922), p.26.
37. La Réclame. Revue mensuelle traitant exclusivement de la Publicité sous toutes ses formes, Vol.I No.6 (June 1911), p.98.
38. P. Serneels, 'Reportage: Onze graphiekers. Alfons Marchant', De Vlaamse drukker, Vol.XII No.4 (April 1952) pp.87-90
39. A. Marchant, Reklametechniek en gebruiksgraphiek (Antwerp, 1940);
40. Meer en beter. Tijdschrift over reclame, Vol.I No.1 (Jan. 1927).
41. G. Fauconnier, Struktuur, werking en organisatie van het reklamebedrijf in België (Leuven, 1962).
42. C.E. Hultquist, 'Americans in Paris: The J. Walter Thompson Company in France, 1927-1968', Enterprise and Society, Vol.4 (Sept. 2003), p.480.
43. C.E. Hultquist, 'The Price of Dreams: History of Advertising, 1927-1968' (unpublished Ph.D. thesis, Ohio State University, 1995).
44. P. Scholliers, 'Consommation de classe. Consommation de masse. L'auto en Belgique depuis 1900', Les Cahiers de la Fonderie, Vol.14 (June 1993), pp.2-10.
45. Hultquist, thesis, p.237. On historical elements in marketing research, see F. Cochoy, Une histoire du marketing. Discipliner l'économie de marché (Paris, 1999), pp.85-7.
46. 'Parmi les agences belges de publicité', La Vie Publicitaire, Vol. IX No.1 (Jan. 1939), p.17.
47. McCann-Erickson had a similar policy; however this agency settled in Belgium after World War II.
48. J. Scanlon, 'Advertising Women: The J. Walter Thompson Company Women's Editorial Department', in idem (ed.), Inarticulate Longings: The Ladies' Home Journal, Gender, and Promises of Consumer Culture (London and New York, 1995), pp.169 96. West names five American agencies which were then working on an international level:
49. J. Walter Thompson, Erwin Wasey, Lord & Thomas, McCann-Erickson, and Paul E. Derrick. D.C. West, 'From T-Square to the T-Plan: The London Office of the J. Walter Thompson Advertising Agency', Business History, Vol.XXIX No.2 (April 1987), p.200.
50. For more details about the J. Walter Thompson Company's history, see S. Fox, The Mirror Makers: A History of American Advertising and its Creators (New York, 1984), pp.29-33.
51. JWT, Writings and Speeches Collection, Howard Henderson, 1960, 'A Short History of the J. Walter Thompson Company'.
52. For Sam Meek's profile, see J. Merron, 'Putting Foreign Consumers on the Map: J. Walter Thompson's Struggle with General Motor's International Advertising Account in the 1920s', Business History Review, Vol.73 (Autumn 1999), pp.468-9.
53. JWT, Sidney Ralph Bernstein Company History Files, Box 4, Biographical Studies, Samuel Meek; Hultquist, thesis, p.235, note 8.
54. JWT, Treasurer's Office Records, International Corporation. Correspondence with Foreign Offices, JWT to Philip Richardson, Copenhagen, Sept. 1929, p.1.
55. JWT, TOR, Antwerp, Belgian Corporation, J.H. Cerny to D.C. Foote, 24 Feb. 1934.
56. Merron, 'Putting Foreign Consumers on the Map'.
57. JWT, Microfilm Collection, 16 mm reels, No.223, Car Owners in Belgium, 1927-29.
58. JWT, Writings and Speeches Collection, Howard Henderson, 1960, 'A Short History of the J. Walter Thompson Company', p.1
59. A. Mattelart, L 'internationale publicitaire (Paris, 1989), pp. 12 et seq.: idem;
60. Le rôle des sociétés transnationales dans la publicité. Etude technique, (New York, 1979), p.4.
61. The J. Walter Thompson Company had earlier followed Libby's in England, opening its London office in 1899.
62. West, 'From T-Square to the T-Plan', pp.199-201.
63. Hulquist, 'Americans in Paris', p.472.
64. JWT, Colin Dawkins Papers, Box 14, Alphabetical Files, Offices, London [ca. 1952].
65. J. Piteraerens, 'Comment accroître l'efficience de la Publicité', Bulletin de la Chambre syndicale belge de la Publicité, Vol.III No.1 (April 1932), p.11.
66. JWT, Representative Meeting Minmes, 23 June 1931. Speaker: Lloyd Baillie, p.5.
67. Both countries stand out as 'pillars' of democracy, in which different ideologies and parties (liberal, catholic, socialist) take part in societal organisation.
68. JWT, Sidney Ralph Bernstein Company History Files, Box 4, Belgium 1963, p.2.
69. The Coca-Cola Company met with major difficulties in the French market (Hultquist, 'Americans in Paris', p.483)
70. Belgium, Coca-Cola scored its first success with the development of refrigeration techniques.
71. Merron, 'Putting Foreign Consumers on the Map', p.479.
72. L.R. Coleman, 'La recherche du client', in E. Bernheim, L.R. Coleman, P. Nicolas and J.-B. Vinck (eds.), La distribution des produits de l'entreprise (Brussels, 1939), pp.5-6.
73. JWT, Writings and Speeches Collection, Howard Henderson, 1960, 'A Short History of the J. Walter Thompson Company', p.2.
74. JWT, TOR, Antwerp, General, D.C. Foote, to J.H. Cerny, 16 Oct. 1934.
75. JWT, Staff Meeting Minutes, Minutes of representative meetings, box 4/5, p.4.
76. L. Segreto, 'Changing a Low Consumption Society: The Impact of US Advertising Methods and Techniques in Italy', in M. Kipping and N. Tiratsoo (eds.), L' américanisation en Europe au VXXème siècle: entreprises, culture, politique, Vol.2 (Lille, 2002), pp.75-80.
77. 'However, we recognized the difficult problem which you have in operating in a country where all appropriations are very small and it is necessary to handle a large number of clients and prepare advertising in several languages.' JWT, TOR, Antwerp, General, D.C. Foote to R.P. Jeanneret, 8 Feb. 1937. appropriations are very small and it is necessary to handle a large number of clients and prepare advertising in several languages.' JWT, TOR, Antwerp, General, D.C. Foote to R.P. Jeanneret, 8 Feb. 1937.
78. R. Boyer, E. Charron, U. Jürgens and S. Tolliday (eds.), Between Imitation and Innovation: The Transfer and Hybridization of Productive Models in the International Automobile Industry (New York, 1998).
79. JWT, Sidney Ralph Bemstein Company History Files, Box 4, Samuel Meek Biographical File.
80. For additional information on the subject see Duchesne, L 'affiche en Belgique. The Americanisation of Belgium is qualified in K. Bertrams, 'Productivité économique et paix sociale au'sein du Plan Marshall. Les limites de l'influence américaine auprès des industriels et des syndicats belges', Cahiers d'Histoire du Temps présent, Vol.9 (2001), pp.191-235.
81. D.A. Leslie, 'Global Scan: The Globalization of Advertising Agencies, Concepts and Campaigns', Economic Geography, Vol.CCCLXXI No.4 (Oct. 1995), p.402.
82. M. Néama, Publicité 'à l 'américaine', prefaced by L.R. Coleman and followed by an Etude de la population belge et de son pouvoir d'achat by J.H. Cerny (Brussels, 1932).
83. Jeff Merron states that, after the 1929 stock market crash, many JWT offices abroad closed, even if'In 1932, at the depths of the depression, JWT overseas operations still managed to show a modest profit' (Merron, 'Putting Foreign Consumers on the Map', pp.469-70). He also maintains that Antwerp was among the closing offices. In fact, the Antwerp office did not close, though it was transferred to Brussels duringthe war. Actually J. Walter Thompson was the first American agency to restart its activities in Belgium after World War II. V. Pouillard, thesis, pp.326-8.
84. JWT, TOR, Antwerp, General, 1936, L.R. Coleman to D.C. Foote, New York, 26 Dec. 1935.
85. The Paris office created campaigns for the French colonies, especially Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia. Hultquist, 'Americans in Paris', p.475.
86. See, for example, M. Quaghebeur and N. Savy (eds.), France-Belgique (1848-1914). Affinités-ambiguïtés, Actes du colloque des 7, 8 et 9 mai 1996 (Brussels, 1997).
87. Hultquist, 'Americans in Paris', pp.497-9.
88. Chessel, 'La publicité';
89. Martin, 'Trois siècles'.
90. Hultquist, thesis, p.10.
91. M.-E. Chessel, 'Une méthode publicitaire américaine? Cadum dans la France de l'entre-deux-guerres', Entreprises et Histoire, Vol. 11 (1996), pp.61-76.
92. Hultquist, 'Americans in Paris', p.471.
93. R. Kuisel, Le miroir américain. 50 ans de regard frana̧is sur l'Amérique (Paris, 1993), p.28.
94. M. Martin, 'Structures de société et consciences rebelles: les résistances à la publicité dans la France de l'entre-deux-guerres', Le Mouvement social, Vol.146 (Jan.-March 1989), pp.27-48.
95. G. Duhamel, Scènes de la vie future (Paris, 1930).
96. See for example, H. De Man, Au pays du taylorisme (Brussels, 1919).
97. R. Kroes, If You 've Seen One, You 've Seen the Mall: Europeans and American Mass Culture (Urbana and Chicago, IL, 1996), pp.18, 23-4.
98. M. Gijsen, De stem uit Amerika (Brussels, 1982). Jan Albert Goris was born in Antwerp, on 20 Oct. 1899.