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Leo BurnettAmerican businessman and advertiser
Date of Birth: 21.10.1891
Country:  USA |
Content:
- Leo Burnett: A Pioneer in Advertising
- Early Life and Career
- Entering the Advertising Industry
- Establishing Leo Burnett Company
- Legacy and Recognition
Leo Burnett: A Pioneer in Advertising
Leo Burnett, an American businessman and advertiser, is considered one of the greatest creatives in the advertising industry. While the 19th century was dominated by bulky advertisements with meticulous product descriptions and sales arguments, Leo developed fresh and simple images that easily conveyed the advantages of the advertised product to 20th-century consumers. In 1935, Burnett founded the advertising company 'Leo Burnett Worldwide', which currently has 97 offices worldwide.
Early Life and Career
Leo Burnett was born on October 21, 1891, in St. Johns, Michigan, to parents Noubl and Rose Clark Burnett. His father owned a store, and a young Leo helped with the family business. Growing up, he observed his father creating advertising announcements and trying to promote his business.
During high school, Burnett worked as a reporter for a local rural newspaper during summer vacations. After completing his secondary education, he studied journalism at Michigan State University and earned his bachelor's degree in 1914. His first job was as a reporter for the 'Peoria Journal' magazine in Peoria, Illinois.
Entering the Advertising Industry
In his free time, Burnett wrote short stories that were published between 1915 and 1921. Realizing the potential of the advertising business, Burnett moved to Detroit and worked as an in-house copywriter and editor for the 'Cadillac Clearing House,' a magazine founded by the automobile brand 'Cadillac.' He excelled in this role and became the head of Cadillac Clearing House's advertising department.
In 1918, he married Naomi Geddes, whose father was a newspaperman. The couple had three children: Peter, Joseph, and Phoebe. During World War II, Burnett served in the U.S. Navy for six months. However, he never went to sea and spent most of his service building breakwaters on the Great Lakes. Additionally, Leo was involved in cement transportation.
After returning from the Navy, Burnett continued to work for 'Cadillac' until a few of its employees formed the corporation 'LaFayette Motors.' Burnett relocated to Indianapolis, Indiana, where he became the head of advertising for 'LaFayette Motors.' When the company faced financial difficulties, Leo received an offer from the agency 'Homer McKee.' He left 'LaFayette Motors' to immediately lead the agency's creative department. Burnett dedicated ten years of his career to 'Homer McKee.'
Establishing Leo Burnett Company
After experiencing the consequences of the stock market crash in 1929, Burnett decided to move forward and achieve something greater in the advertising business. In 1930, Leo moved to Chicago, where he was hired by 'Erwin, Wasey & Company' and became its vice president and head of the creative department.
After five years of work, Burnett founded his own company, 'Leo Burnett Company Inc.,' in 1935. The company launched the first global advertising campaigns for 'Kellogg's' and 'P&G' brands in 1950. By the end of the 1950s, Burnett's creation was generating around $100 million annually. In his advertisements, Leo used a dramatic approach and 'soft' selling techniques with low levels of psychological pressure on the customer. He aimed to gain favor through warmth, the ability to share emotions and experiences, and created simple, powerful, and subconscious images that touched the hearts of everyone.
Legacy and Recognition
Burnett is also known for incorporating elements of culture into his work, and his reimagined mythical and fairytale creatures successfully convey American values to this day. Examples include the cheerful green giant, the symbol of 'Green Giant' company, Tony the Tiger for 'Kellogg's,' the doughboy for 'Pillsbury,' and the Marlboro cowboy for the cigarette advertising campaign.
On June 7, 1971, Leo Burnett passed away from a heart attack on his family farm in Lake Zurich, Illinois. He gained recognition for his involvement in the "creative revolution" in American advertising during the 1960s, alongside other outstanding advertising department leaders such as David Ogilvy, William Bernbach, and Mary Wells. 'Time' magazine included Burnett on its list of the "100 Most Influential People of the 20th Century."
