A Different
POINT OF VIEW
IN THIS EDITION 2 LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT 3 NWHM HOSTS ANNUAL de Pizan Honors 5 A STAR-STUDDED AFFAIR 6 LEGISLATION UPDATE 7 NWHM AND GWU LAUNCH FIRST LECTURE SERIES 8 FEATURE ARTICLE: MAD WOMEN 9 THE FEMALE CONSUMER 11 DID YOU KNOW? 12 BIOGRAPHIES 14 SPOTLIGHT WINTER 2013 | VOLUME XIV Cover Image “Advertising: A Career for Women,” J. Walter Thompson Company, 1963 Publications Collection John W. Hartman Center for Sales, Advertising & Marketing History Duke University David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library
LETTER FROM JOAN WAGES NWHM President Dear Friends, It’s been an exceptionally busy, but exciting season with the annual de Pizan Honors Gala on October 9 and Los Angeles Regional Council Women Making History event on October 24. Both events were a resounding success with hundreds of men and women attending to help honor women who have made (and those who are making) history, and to learn more about our efforts to secure a permanent home for the Museum. Each of the Living Legacy and Women Making History award recipients spoke from the heart about the women who’ve inspired them. In particular, Dr. Etta Pisano (this year’s recipient of the Dr. Helen Taussig Award) touched many in the audience as she spoke so emotionally about being 15 and the oldest of 7 children when she lost her mother to breast cancer more than 40 years ago. Her emotion resonated with all of us because we know that no matter how much time passes, our connections to our mothers last a lifetime. Dr. Pisano’s loss at such a young age was truly a defining moment as today she is one of the world’s leading radiologists and has invented technologies that are saving the lives of women with breast cancer and other breast abnormalities. It’s stories like Dr. Pisano’s that continue to fuel our drive to ensure that women in our history and those making history today are recognized, celebrated and remembered for their significant contributions to society; and that their stories are chronicled for future generations to learn from.
Amid all of our activity, the government shut-down occurred. We were so delighted to see our own Senator Susan Collins (Sponsor of S. 398 to create a Commission on NWHM) prompt and lead the negotiations to end the shut-down and avoid the default. In the same way that women from the North and South came together to heal the nation after the Civil War, it took the women in our Senate to clean up the mess! Bravo! In Maya Angelou’s words, “You make me proud to spell my name W-O-M-A-N.” Many thanks for your continued support and a very happy new year from NWHM’s board and staff! Respectfully,
Joan Wages
A DIFFERENT POINT OF VIEW
I’m also delighted to report that we launched our Initiating Change / Adapting to Change Lecture Series, presented in partnership with The George Washington University on October 2 with A New Order: Change for Women in the U. S. Military. It was a fascinating conversation moderated by legendary journalist Eleanor Clift and featuring military history scholar, Dr. Lisa Meyer and retired Brigadier General Wilma Vaught. The second event in the series, Making A Business of Change: American Women in Business, was held on November 12. Moderated by veteran news executive and biographer A’Lelia Bundles and featuring history of American business cultures scholar, Professor Pamela Laird and President & Chief Executive Officer of McKissack & McKissack, Deryl McKissack.
2
NWHM HOSTS ITS THIRD ANNUAL de Pizan Honors on October 9, 2013 achievements and most importantly, the experiences of American women. A major highlight of the evening were the heartfelt and stirring acceptance speeches given by each honoree. Each spoke to the value and importance of honoring and telling the rich and diverse stories of the women who built this nation, as well as the inspirational women in their own lives.
Honorees Denyce Graves, Dr. Etta Pisano and Phylicia Rashad with NWHM President & CEO Joan Wages
O
n October 9, 2013, the National Women’s History Museum held its 3rd annual de Pizan Honors ceremony in Washington, DC.
WINTER 2013
More than 300 guests filled the Mead Center for American Theatre at Arena Stage to celebrate American women who have enriched the fabric of this nation through their life’s work. Each year since 2011 NWHM has paid tribute posthumously to three trailblazing women with an award in their name presented to a contemporary counterpart. The 2013 honorees included Tony Award-winning actress and activist Phylicia Rashad (Lena Horne Living Legacy Award), world-renowned opera singer Denyce Graves (Marian Anderson Living Legacy Award) and groundbreaking radiologist Dr. Etta Pisano (Helen Taussig Living Legacy Award). Multi-award winning documentary filmmaker Ken Burns was honored with the Henry Blackwell Award, named for the 19th century women’s rights advocate who co-founded the American Women Suffrage Association. The award honors men who have championed, supported, encouraged and appreciated the contributions,
3
“ Too often women’s history is marginalized as a separate, politically correct addendum to American history.” —Ken Burns
Prior to the program the Museum held a silent auction with a number of exciting prizes including a series of hand-crafted hats designed by Laura Spears, a recent graduate from the University of Texas at Austin’s MFA program in design and technology, a Washington Redskins package, an Ultimate National’s Baseball fan package, a weekend in Miami and a Broadway show in New York City, among other prizes.
“ Women in STEM find it too hard to succeed…I’ll work hard to change what’s possible for women and girls in science.” —Dr. Pisano Dr. Pisano is an award-winning medical history-making radiologist whose work in screening for and diagnosis of breast cancer gained national recognition in leading medical journals. Recently Dr. Pisano co-founded her own company, NextRay, Inc., which will commercialize a device she and her partners invented that creates medical images using x-rays providing superior image quality at a substantially lower dose for those women undergoing breast cancer screening. She has been named as one of the 20 most influential people in radiology. Dr. Piasno accepted the Dr. Helen Taussig Living Legacy award named for the groundbreaking pediatric cardiologist who developed a surgical procedure to correct “blue baby” syndrome, a defect that prevents babies’ hearts from receiving enough oxygen. Credited
“ It’s important to commemorate the contributions women make each day.” —Phylicia Rashad Award-winning actress, teacher and activist Phylicia Rashad is perhaps best known as one of America’s favorite TV moms, Claire Huxtable, on the award-winning sitcom The Cosby Show. Her rich and diverse acting career has included roles on both the stage and the screen worldwide. Ms. Rashad accepted the Lena Horne Living Legacy Award.
musical performances, lectures and seminars. Ms. Graves accepted the Marian Anderson Living Legacy Award. Marian Anderson was a world-renowned contralto and one of the most accomplished singers in the United States during the 1930s. She was the first African‑American entertainer to perform at the White House and was the recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the Kennedy Center Honors, the National Medal of Arts and a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. NWHM would like to thank all who were able to attend the event and to express particular appreciation to the event’s honorary co-chairs, Senator Elizabeth Dole, Mrs. Lynda Bird Johnson Robb, and all of our sponsors. Marian Anderson
Lena Horne was one of the most popular entertainers of the 20th century. Famous for her singing and acting, Ms. Horne was the first African‑American to have a contract with a major Hollywood movie studio. A passionate civil rights activist, she refused to sing to segregated audiences during WWII, participated in NAACP rallies and the march on Washington, and worked with Eleanor Roosevelt to pass antilynching laws.
“ Marian Anderson’s voice was so powerful that music just happened to be the vehicle through which we kne w her.” —Denyce Graves Washington native, Denyce Graves, is a mezzosoprano vocal sensation and “operatic superstar of the 21st century.” Her career has taken her to the world’s greatest opera houses and concert halls. She is currently a cultural ambassador for the United States and travels throughout the world under the auspices of the State Department appearing in goodwill missions of
Lena Horne
Dr. Helen Taussig
A DIFFERENT POINT OF VIEW
with creating the field of pediatric cardiology, Dr. Tasussig was one of the first women to receive a full professorship at John’s Hopkins University and the first woman to serve as president of the American Heart Association.
4
A STAR-STUDDED AFFAIR AT at NWHM’s Second Annual LA Event battle with uterine cancer. Cancer Schmancer is a non-profit organization committed to transforming patients into medical consumers and working to change the way people live. Drescher has received multiple Emmy and Golden Globe nominations for her portrayal of “Miss Fine” on The Nanny. She currently serves the U.S. State Department as a Public Diplomacy Envoy for Women’s Health, and is an accomplished author whose two books became New York Times bestsellers.
N
Rebecca Soni, Fran Drescher, Rita Moreno, Joan Wages
WINTER 2013
WHM’s Los Angeles Regional Council hosted its 2nd, Women Making History event, on Thursday Oct. 24th at the Mr. C Hotel in Beverly Hills. CSI star Melina Kanakaredes served as the evening’s emcee and honors were presented to Grammy, Oscar, Emmy and Tony-Award Winning Actress Rita Moreno, Actress and Activist Fran Drescher, and the United Nation’s Girl Up initiative which provides girls around the world with life-changing opportunities; Olympic Gold Medalist Rebecca Soni accepted on behalf of Girl Up. The event was attended by more than 250 guests including NWHM Ambassadors and stars of Devious Maids, Brianna Brown, and Susan Lucci, Actresses Judy Reyes, Ana Ortiz, Marianna Klaveno, Rebecca Wisocky, NWHM Interim Board Chair Carey Shuart, Charter Members of the Museum, and new supporters.
5
Rosie O’Donnell introduced Fran Drescher with remarks that had the audience both laughing and crying. Ms. Drescher was honored for her work in cancer prevention. In accepting the honor, Drescher spoke of her support for NWHM saying, “Women have been side-by-side with men throughout the ages, only in history there is a great void.” Ms. Drescher founded the Cancer Schmancer Movement after surviving her own
The legendary Rita Moreno was honored for her pioneering work in the entertainment industry. Ms. Moreno was introduced by her long-time friend and West George Chakiris and Rita Moreno Side Story costar, George Chakiris, who spoke fondly of their friendship, which began more than 50 years ago. Moreno belongs to an elite group of only eight living performers (and the only Hispanic person) who have won entertainment’s grand slam—an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony. Moreno was born in Puerto Rico in 1931. She moved with her mother to New York at the age of 5, and made her Broadway debut a mere 8 years later. After her Oscar-winning performance in the 1961 film adaptation of West Side Story, Moreno continued to grow her list of accomplishments with countless theater, film, television, and Broadway appearances. Today, at 81 years young, Rita Moreno remains one of the busiest stars in show business; her first book—a memoir—was published this spring and instantly became a New York Times bestseller. The Girl Up Foundation was honored for its pivotal work improving the lives of girls across the globe.
This initiative of the United Nations Foundation, mobilizes American youth to raise awareness and funds for UN programs that provide girls around the world with life-changing Susan Lucci opportunities like the chance to go to school, see a doctor, and stay safe from violence. Through online engagement and community mobilization, Girl Up is a platform for American girls to advocate on behalf of girls everywhere. With its Teen Advisory Board, nationwide network of Girl Up Clubs, and online constituents, the campaign has galvanized more than 300,000 supporters to stand up for the rights of all girls. As a Girl Up champion, six-time Olympic medalist Rebecca Soni went from shattering world swimming records to mobilizing American girls to advocate for the world’s most marginalized girls, particularly in developing countries.
WOMEN SEND GOVERNMENT BACK TO WORK While the majority of Americans were painfully aware of the recent Government shutdown, few are aware that it took the women in the Senate to come up with a plan to get Government back to work. Senator Susan Collins, Sponsor of our Senate bill S 398, led the charge along with another long-time NWHM supporter Senator Lisa Murkowski. It’s no surprise that the solution came from women. We already know (and history backs this up) that women find ways to make it work. We are leaders, problem solvers and meditators. And, we’re delighted that Senators Collins and Murkowski, along with many others in the Senate and the House, are back working diligently to move NWHM’s legislation forward in both houses.
YOU MAKE A DIFFERENCE Special thanks to all the Charter Members who responded to our request to send handwritten notes and for telephoning Senator Wyden and Representative Hastings. Your personal notes and calls DO MAKE A DIFFERENCE. Speaker Boehner recently shared with me at a Congressional function that he was aware of the bill pending for the National Women’s History Museum and confirmed that once HR 863 passes out of the Natural Resources Committee in the House, he will ensure it is brought to the floor for a final vote. This commitment is a major breakthrough for the Museum and its supporters and means we must keep the pressure on Congressman Doc Hastings and Senator Ron Wyden since our bills sit waiting for review in their committees.
WHICH MEMBERS OF CONGRESS SUPPORT NWHM LEGISLATION? NWHM posted a U.S. map and state-by-state sponsor information on its website at www.nwhm.org/get-involved/ promote/legislation-sponsors, which enables visitors to see if their Representative and two Senators are sponsors of HR 863 and S 398. If they are, visitors to the site can easily send a thank you letter directly from the website; and if not, they can send a note urging sponsorship.
Rosie O’Donnell
CORRECTION! Historical Women Who Rocked: Myers-Briggs (Winter 2012 Edition) An incorrect link was featured in this article. Please follow the link below to access the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator assessment tool: http://www.mbticomplete.com
Congress is learning on a daily basis that NWHM and its Charter Members have no intention of going away or letting our efforts for a permanent home on the National Mall dissipate. If anything, the longer they deny women their rightful place on the Mall, the stronger our resolve. We are already more than a Museum. With over 2.2 million hits on our website annually, and 45,000 institutions using the site as an educational resource — we are already bringing women’s history into the light of day. In addition, our 23 online exhibits, galas, receptions, lecture series and National Speakers Bureau are helping to raise awareness and engage support as we work and wait to secure our site. NWHM is working closely with Representatives Maloney and Blackburn and Senators Susan Collins and Barbara Mikulski to move our bills forward. We WILL realize the dream. The bills will pass. As Former Senator Kay Bailey Hutchinson said when recently asked if Congress would ever pass legislation allowing us a presence on the Mall — “Yes…it’s just a matter of time!”
A DIFFERENT POINT OF VIEW
Special thanks to the LA Regional Council, Dermalogica, Dr. Gretchen Green, Mari Johnson, Earth Friendly Products, Mr. C Hotel, Los Angeles Magazine, and Elana Pianko for their generous support of the National Women’s History Museum.
LEGISLATION UPDATE
6
NWHM & THE GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY Launch Initiating Change—Adapting to Change to advancement, the military as a gendered workplace, and the reality of sexual assault.
Dr. Leisa Meyer, Eleanor Clift, General Vaught, Joan Wages
C
WINTER 2013
hange is a constant in life. It may come slowly as a result of cultural evolution, or it may be precipitated by economic, social, political, or natural events. Demand for change may be a result of historic injustice and inequality, or it may be precipitated by immediate needs to provide resources for self or family. Of course, not all change is sought after, and women often have been forced to adapt to new and unforeseen situations. As part of our ongoing partnership with The George Washington University history department, the National Women’s History Museum has launched Initiating Change/Adapting to Change, a series of community forums that place modern women’s issues in a historical framework. Each event features two speakers: a women’s history scholar and an accomplished woman who presents the topic’s contemporary perspective.
7
Our first forum, A New Order: Change for Women in the U.S. Military was held on October 2, 2013 at the Arts Club of Washington. Legendary journalist Eleanor Clift moderated this fascinating discussion which featured Dr. Leisa Meyer (College of William & Mary) and General Wilma Vaught (President of the Board of Directors of the Women In Military Service For America Memorial Foundation, Inc.). The hour-long, wide-ranging conversation examined several topics comparing the modern and historical aspects of women and military life. These included changes in why women enter the service, how the service accommodates and rewards women, the barriers
The second forum in the series, Making a Business of Change: American Women in Business, was held on Tuesday, November 12th at GWU’s Jack Morton Auditorium in Washington, DC. Ms. A’Leila Bundles, chairwoman of the Foundation for the National Archives, moderated the discussion which featured University of Colorado historian Dr. Pamela Laird and Chairwoman of McKissack and McKissack, Ms. Deryl McKissack. The American dream is often described as the belief that hard work and ambition are the keys to economic and social advancement. Popular culture celebrates the image of the self-made man. However, research shows that social capital is infinitely more important to success than either talent or drive. Robust networks and connections are critical to success. Historically, women were left out of power networks, but as larger numbers entered into career fields they learned to forge alternate networks. Rather than waiting for opportunity, many successful women have created their own opportunities and in doing so challenged the notion of business as usual. This insightful discussion touched on many areas of women’s experiences in business including balancing work and family, overcoming gender-bias, and the fact that the government has both opened doors to women’s participation in the work force (Civil Rights Act and the Equal Credit Opportunity Act), but also eliminated programs designed to promote women in business. Please visit our website to view excerpts from the discussion. We are profoundly grateful to pricewaterhousecoopers (PWC) for generously supporting the second forum; and look forward to reporting on the next two forums—Game Changers: American Women in Sports (February 19, 2014) and Standing Up for Change: Women and the Civil Rights Movement (March 26, 2014) in a future issue.
FEATURE Mad Women: A History of America’s Influential Women of the Ad Industry Sydnee C. Winston — NWHM Project Coordinator
Image “Advertising: A Career for Women,” J. Walter Thompson Company, 1963 Publications Collection John W. Hartman Center for Sales, Advertising & Marketing History Duke University David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library
One of the first was Mathilde C. Weil. In 1880, four decades before the United States granted its women citizens the right to vote, Mathilde, a German-immigrant, opened an ad agency in New York City. The M.C. Weil Agency became the first
general agency established by a woman and Weil has been heralded as “America’s first ad woman.” A mere nine years earlier, Weil and her husband had made the journey from Germany to the U.S. and Not long after their arrival, Mr. Weil passed away, leaving Mathilde with no means of support. FEATURE continues on page 9 Image of a "New Woman"
A DIFFERENT POINT OF VIEW
W
ith 15 Emmy’s under its belt, legions of dedicated viewers, and a ranking as the sixth greatest TV drama of all time, AMC’s Mad Men is seemingly unstoppable. The show, set in 1960s New York City, explores the business and personal lives of men and women working at a fictional Madison Avenue advertising agency. Mad Men has received high praise for the historical accuracy of its sets, costumes and portrayal of life in the 1960s ad industry; but just how accurate is its portrayal of the pioneering “mad women” of the period who helped shape the industry? While it’s true that, except for a few rare exceptions, professional women were largely restricted to administrative positions, there were quite a few in history who achieved great success of their own in this male-dominated industry.
8
The Female
CONSUMER American women have had tremendous influence on the advertising industry since its earliest days. In our culture women are often seen as the consumers and shopping is associated with femininity. It is no accident that women have been influencing what we want, need and purchase for centuries. Modern American consumer culture arose on the backdrop of the 19th century, a time in which America experienced rapid urbanization and industrialization, which was making fundamental shifts in cultural attitudes towards women. With this new mass production of goods, businesses crafted new methods of distribution, promotion and sales, which established the framework of our modern consumer culture. As businesses thought of new ways to sell their products and expand consumer demand, they adopted new methods of merchandising, packaging and advertising.
WINTER 2013
The image of the “female consumer” was one of the cultural and marketing phenomena that emerged from new advertising. Consumer identity became linked with notions of femininity and was seen as the way to a better life.
9
Godey’s Lady’s Book (edited by Sarah Josepha Hale) set the precedent for women’s magazines, and by the turn of the century, the “big six” women’s magazines— Ladies’ Home June 1867 issue of Godey’s Lady’s Book Journal, McCall’s, Delineator, Woman’s Home Companion, Pictorial Review, and Good Housekeeping—were founded.
She eventually found work as a translator in English, German, French and Spanish, and later as a newspaper and magazine writer, but it was when she started buying and selling ad space for a German newspaper during the mid-1870s that she discovered a career in advertising could be far more profitable. Weil had a keen eye for what women were reading during those days and her company was very successful. “By the 1880s, states began to modify laws to give women the right to their own wages during marriage, to enter into business partnerships and sign contracts. As a result, women’s roles as consumers and as ad women became all the more important in the emerging consumer society of the early 20th century.” During the early 1900s, a number of women gained prominence as successful ad managers, illustrators and photographers. Jane Johnston Martin was in many ways the embodiment of the “New Woman” feminist ideal of the turn of the 20th century. “She was a successful ad manager for Sperry & Hutchinson and specialized in the woman’s viewpoint, insisting that she understood the needs and desires of women because she was one. She worked at the company from 1904 until her resignation in 1922, and was reputed to have earned a salary of $10,000 a year, about eight times the average annual salary in 1925.” Another woman who rose to prominence in the ad industry during the early 20th Century was copywriter and advertising executive Helen Lansdowne Resor. Resor not only helped transform the way agencies advertised to women with her provocative ads, but also founded the Women’s Editorial Department at the prestigious J. Walter Thompson Company in the early 1900s. Erma Proetz, an innovative copywriter and later ad agency executive during the 1920s and 1930s, created an award-winning ad campaign for “Pet Milk,” which appeared in Ladies’ Home Journal in May of 1927. The campaign was so successful that she won the Harvard Award in 1927 for the “best planned and executed national advertising campaign.” While Proetz was carving out her career as a successful copywriter at the Gardner Agency,
Bernice FitzGibbon was making her mark as one of the most successful retail ad makers in the industry. She got her start working at Wannamaker’s in New York and later at Bernice Fitz-Gibbon (Photo Credit) American Advertising Federation Macy’s, where beginning in 1928, she worked as a head fashion copywriter earning $15,000 a year. Fitz-Gibbon was the creative genius behind Macy’s: “It’s Smart to Be Thrifty” tagline. She worked at Macy’s for twelve years before leaving to continue her career in the advertising department at Macy’s competitor, Gimbels. While at Gimbels, she created innovative advertisements that engaged readers with anecdotes, catchy slogans and puns, to give the store its own unique personality. Her clever advertisements had a tremendous impact on sales and Gimbels’ business increased 96 percent from 1939 to 1945.
(DDB), and copy chief and Vice President of Jack Tinkler & Partners. Mary is credited with bringing creative vision and direction to iconic print and television ads for nationally-recognized brands like Alka-Seltzer, Braniff Airlines, Volkswagen and Avis Rent-a-Car. By 1969, Wells was the highest paid woman in the world; earning an annual salary of $225,000. In a 2012 New York Times article, Wells, who is now 84, reflected on her experience as a woman in such a male-dominated environment. “There were and are so many talented women in the advertising business, and the real wonder is why they aren’t all running worldwide agencies of their own,” she said. “I’m looking into that.” Image “Advertising: A Career for Women,” J. Walter Thompson Company, 1963 Publications Collection John W. Hartman Center for Sales, Advertising & Marketing History Duke University David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library
In 1966 (the year that Mad Men’s 5th season commences), a talented ad executive’s visionary and game-changing work was taking Madison Avenue by storm. That was Mary Wells Lawrence. Not only was Mary the founding president of Wells Rich Greene (which she ran for two decades), she was also the first female CEO of a company listed on the New York Stock Exchange. Over the course of her 40 year career, Wells worked as a fashion-advertising manager for Macy’s, a writer and copy group head at McCannErickson, an associate copy chief and head of new products development at Doyle Dane Bernbach
Macy’s Window Display c. 1952 Photo Courtesy of The Library of Congress References: “Ad Women: How They Impact What we Need, Want and Buy”; Juliann Sivulka, Prometheus Books, 2009 New York Times Article: A Pioneer in a Mad Men’s World; June 8, 2012; Gina Bellafante: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/10/fashion/marywells-lawrence-took-on-the-mad-men.html?_r=0
A DIFFERENT POINT OF VIEW
By the 1940s, Fitz-Gibbon had become one of the highest-paid women in American advertising; earning $90,000 in 1941. In 1954 she opened her own retail advertising consulting firm on Fifth Avenue in New York City, and only a year later was voted Woman of the Year in Business by the Association of Press Editors.
10
Check out these historic ads that use women to advertise ideas and products. We certainly HAVE come a long way, baby!
You DO Make a Difference “ In all my 99 years, I can think of nothing more important for women now than finally giving NWHM a HOME, so please support our legislation.” —Cecilia, Santa Monica, CA
“ Honor your mothers, grandmothers, daughters and sisters by granting the National Women’s History Museum the last site on the National Mall.” —Vera, Lakeville, PA
WINTER 2013
“All of us, female and male, are part of our history. It always struck me as wrong that only men were recognized. We must honor the accomplishments of all if we are truly to meet our potential as a race.”
11
—Pamela, Hillsborough, NJ
Photos Courtesy of Library of Congress
Visit http://nwhm.org/get-involved/promote/ legislation-sponsors to find out if your Representative and Senators have sponsored our legislation.
BIOGRAPHIES Helen Lansdowne Resor (1886 - 1964)
planned for the ad to appear exclusively in prominent women’s magazines that were read by white middle and upper class audiences. Lansdowne understood the desires of many American women, one of which was the total adoration and devotion of a man. She capitalized on that fantasy and used it to sell the soap. The ad featured a painting of an attractive couple and a provocative headline that read: “A skin you love to touch.” Over the next five years, sales of the Woodbury line jumped from $515,000 in 1915 to $2.58 million in 1920. Lansdowne’s groundbreaking work on the Woodbury campaign is also thought to be a part of the broader movement in advertising towards the use of market investigations, psychological insights and copy testing to better understand audiences.
H
Photo Credit: American Advertising Federation
elen Lansdowne Resor was a pioneering advertiser and copywriter who became Vice President and Director at the renowned J. Walter Thompson ad agency in New York City. For over 40 years, she and her husband Stanley Resor worked to build the powerhouse advertising agency. With their support, the company grew from only a few offices and fewer than 100 employees to a worldwide staff of more than 7,000 in over twenty-three countries, and $360 million in billings. Not only did her work influence a change in how companies advertised to women, but her commitment to expanding career opportunities for women in advertising was remarkable as well.
In what was perhaps her most important and far-reaching contribution to the advertising industry, Lansdowne opened the Women’s Editorial Department at JWT. She and her husband believed that the growth of the advertising field would depend on female consumers and that women advertisers would be crucial in understanding women’s wants. “JWT employed more women in creative positions than any other agency at the time. These female executives controlled most of the agency’s prestigious soap, food, drug and toiletry accounts. In 1918, the copy written by the Women’s Editorial Department accounted for $2.26 million of the company’s $3.90 million billings.”2 Lansdowne would later become vice president and director at JWT and would remain active at the agency until September 1958, when she fell in the office and injured her head. She died on Jan. 2, 1964 and was posthumously inducted into the Advertising Hall of Fame in 1967.
Erma Proetz (1891 - 1944)
Lansdowne graduated from high school with honors in 1903 and after a brief stint as a bill auditor at the Procter & Collier Agency in Cincinnati, began writing retail ads. In 1906 she worked for a nationally recognized streetcar advertising firm. In 1907, Stanley Resor, who had been working at Procter & Collier as a salesman, persuaded Lansdowne to return to the agency as a copywriter. A year later in 1908, when Stanley and his brother opened the J. Walter Thompson Cincinnati office, they hired Lansdowne as the company’s first copywriter. It didn’t take long for Lansdowne to be promoted. She moved to the agency’s New York headquarters in 1911 and soon became the first woman to successfully create and write national advertising campaigns. Her most famous and enormously successful campaign was for Woodbury Facial Soap in 1911. “Lansdowne made assumptions about the gendered nature of the audience and added the essential emotional appeal to the rational sales argument.”1 She determined the soap’s target audience was female and
R
Photo Credit: American Advertising Federation
enowned American copywriter and ad agency executive, Erma Proetz, made a name for herself in the advertising world at a time when it offered little advancement for women. She was the first woman inducted into the Advertising Hall of Fame in 1952 (posthumously) and from 1923 to the end of her life
A DIFFERENT POINT OF VIEW
An ardent suffragist and champion of women’s rights, all of Resor’s work centered on her commitment to improving the lives of women. As a young girl, her mother taught her the value of self-reliance as a woman; the powerful lesson would prove to be influential throughout her career.
BIOGRAPHIES continues on page 13 12
in 1944, she worked with the Gardner Advertising Company in St. Louis as a successful copywriter, account executive, director, creative vice president. A graduate of Washington University in St., Louis, Proetz earned her degree in liberal arts in 1910 and later began work as a copywriter at the Gardner Agency in St. Louis. There she created a very successful campaign to promote an evaporated milk brand called “Pet Milk,” which appeared in Ladies’ Home Journal in May of 1927. She created a Pet Milk test kitchen complete with recipes and developed an extensive advertising campaign around it. Her work won her the prestigious Harvard Award in 1924 and again in 1925 for the “most effective illustration in advertising.” In 1927 she won the $2,000 Edward W. Bok prize by Harvard Award Jury for the “best planned and executed advertising campaign.” Proetz was the only person (male or female) to receive all three awards. Over the next twenty years she would continue to create powerful ad campaigns for many accounts including radio and magazines. By 1931, Proetz’ work and talent had catapulted her into the prominent position of being one of the ten most distinguished St. Louisans and four years later in 1935, she was named as one of the 16 outstanding women in American business. In 1936 Proetz was appointed president of the Women’s Advertising Club of St. Louis. She was also elected as regional director of the St. Louis Branch of the Fashion Group and served as chairman of the Council of Women’s Clubs of the Advertising Federation of America. When she died in 1944, the St. Louis Fashion Group established the Erma Proetz Memorial Scholarship at Washington University School of Fine Arts. The honor recognized “her great interest in students and the wide help and encouragement she gave many young girls starting out in their careers.”
Mary Wells Lawrence (1928 - )
first female CEO of a company listed on the New York Stock Exchange. Wells was born in Youngstown, Ohio, a steel mill town. Her early interests focused on dancing, drama and theater. At seventeen, she left for New York and enrolled in the Neighborhood Playhouse School of Theater. Two years later, she moved to Pittsbugh, PA to attend the Carnegie Institute of Technology where she met a married her husband Bert Wells, an industrial student. Wells began her career in 1951 at the age of twenty-three, as a copy-writer at a department store in Youngstown. Upon accepting a position as fashion advertising manager at Macy’s, she moved back to New York. The follow year she was offered the position of writer and copy group head at McCannErickson. She accepted the position and worked there for the next three years. From 1957 to 1964, Wells worked as the associate copy chief and head of new products development at Doyle Dane Bernbach (DDB). In her book, A Big Life in Advertising (2002), Wells noted that DDB partners James Edwin Doyle, Maxwell Dane, and William Bernbach were significant influences on her career. It was during her tenure at DDB, that Wells honed her creative talents by working on award-winning campaigns for Volkswagen and Avis Rent-a-Car. By 1964, Wells had established herself as a widely known and respected copy chief and had become the Vice President of Jack Tinker & Partners, a branch of the prestigious Marion Harper’s Interpublic Advertising firm. Her creative work helped to give brands like Alka-Seltzer a personality and in fact, she wrote the lyrics to its jingle: “No matter what shape your stomach is in.” Despite her success at Tinkler & Partners, Wells was still subjected to the unfairness and discrimination toward women that existed in the business. She eventually left the company when she was told that she could not be given the title of president (of the company) because it would limit the growth of Jack Tinker & Partners. Undaunted, Wells founded Wells Rich Greene in 1966 and served as president and chairwoman of its board. In less than six months, the young firm had enlisted an impressive roster of clients with billings of $28.5 million, putting it among the fifty biggest ad agencies in the country. Wells Rich Greene also proved to be lucrative. By 1969, she was earning $225,000 per year, making her the highest-paid woman in the world.3
WINTER 2013
Wells won many honors for her innovative and groundbreaking work including induction into the Copywriters Hall of Fame in 1969 and being named Advertising Woman of the Year in 1971. Wells resigned as CEO in 1990.
13
M
ary Wells Lawrence is a retired advertising executive whose talent and ingenuity helped to transform the way Madison Avenue viewed women in advertising during the 1960s and 1970s. She served as founding president of Wells Rich Greene, a well-known ad agency, and was also the
1 “Ad Women: How They Impact What we Need, Want and Buy”; Juliann Sivulka; Prometheus Books, 2009; pg. 26 2 “Ad Women: How They Impact What we Need, Want and Buy”; Juliann Sivulka; Prometheus Books, 2009; pg. 28. 3 “Ad Women: How They Impact What we Need, Want and Buy”; Juliann Sivulka; Prometheus Books, 2009; pg. 286.
SPOTLIGHT ON NWHM’S DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS SUSAN MURPHY The National Women’s History Museum is delighted to welcome Susan Murphy as its Director of Communications. Susan is an accomplished marketing communications strategist with more than 20 years of experience working with leading public relations agencies, multi-national corporations, national not for profits, and federal government agencies. Her expertise includes integrated communications planning and program development, brand marketing, media relations, crisis and issue management, thought leadership, partnerships, publications, event planning and execution, budget management and staff development. Prior to joining NWHM, Susan spent nearly a decade as Vice President, Corporate Communications and Senior Vice President, Public Relations at the national non-profit Ad Council where she worked to help many of the nation’s leading non-profit organizations and federal government agencies communicate their critical messages to the American people. Autism Speaks, American Red Cross, National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, National Crime Prevention Council, and the Departments of Health & Human Services, Homeland Security, Justice, and Transportation are just a few of the clients she has served. Her work has been called “masterful,” by PR Week and we are thrilled to have her working to maximize the reach and impact of our mission. The following letter summarizes her own thoughts on joining us! Dear NWHM Board of Directors, Charter Members, Ambassadors, Donors, Friends:
I made the decision many years ago to dedicate my career to programs that would affect positive change in society, and I’ve been incredibly fortunate to work on campaigns that raised awareness, inspired positive action and even, saved lives. The opportunity to contribute my experience to advancing the NWHM mission and securing a home for women’s history on or near the National Mall is truly a pleasure and privilege. I’m currently working to develop a strategic, comprehensive and measurable communications plan for 2014 and look forward to sharing some of our successes with all of you in future issues of this newsletter. Thank you for your continued support of NWHM. Kind Regards, Susan
A DIFFERENT POINT OF VIEW
It is truly my honor to join NWHM. The extent to which women are underrepresented in our national narrative is startling to me. What I find equally startling is that in several cases, the accounts of some of our most significant historic events credit men for the accomplishments of women. (Think cotton gin and pasteurization).
14
NONPROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE
PAID PERMIT NO. 324 MAILED FROM 24506
205 S. Whiting Street, Suite 254 Alexandria, VA 22304 t: 703.461.1920 | f: 703.636.2668 www.nwhm.org