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{{Short description|Defunct Philadelphia-based advertising agency}}
{{Infobox company
{{Infobox company
| name = N. W. Ayer & Son
| name = N. W. Ayer & Son
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| predecessor =
| predecessor =
| successor = [[D'Arcy Masius Benton & Bowles|MacManus Group]], [[Bcom3]], [[Kaplan Thaler Group]], [[Publicis Groupe]]
| successor = [[D'Arcy Masius Benton & Bowles|MacManus Group]], [[Bcom3]], [[Kaplan Thaler Group]], [[Publicis Groupe]]
| foundation = Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA ({{Start date|1868}})
| foundation = Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US ({{Start date|1869}})
| founder = [[Francis Wayland Ayer]]
| founder = [[Francis Wayland Ayer]]
| defunct = {{End date|2002}}
| defunct = {{End date|2002}}
| location_city = [[Philadelphia, Pennsylvania]]
| location_city = [[Philadelphia, Pennsylvania]]
| location_country = USA
| location_country = US
| locations = <!-- Number of locations, stores, offices, etc. -->
| locations = <!-- Number of locations, stores, offices, etc. -->
| area_served =
| area_served =
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}}
}}


'''N. W. Ayer & Son''' was a [[Philadelphia]] [[advertising agency]] founded in in 1869. It called itself the oldest advertising agency in the United States. Named after Francis Ayer's father N. W. Ayer, it ventured into advertising in 1884. It created a number of memorable slogans for firms such as De Beers, AT&T and the U.S. Army. The company started to decline in the 1960s and, after a series of mergers, was closed in 2002 with its assets sold to the Publicis Groupe.
'''N. W. Ayer & Son''' was a [[Philadelphia]] [[advertising agency]] founded in 1869. It called itself the oldest advertising agency in the United States. Named by [[Francis Ayer]] after his father N. W. Ayer, it ventured into advertising in 1884. It created a number of memorable slogans for firms such as [[De Beers]], [[AT&T]] and the [[U.S. Army]]. The company started to decline in the 1960s and, after a series of mergers,<ref>other options considered included a partnership with [[Dentsu]]. {{cite news |newspaper=[[The New York Times]]
|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1990/09/17/business/the-media-business-advertising-how-ayer-views-talks-with-dentsu.html
|title=How Ayer Views Talks With Dentsu
|author=Kim Foltz |date=September 17, 1990}}</ref> closed in 2002 with its assets sold to the [[Publicis Groupe]].


== Early history ==
==Early history==
N. W. Ayer & Son was founded in [[Philadelphia]] in 1869<ref name=ushist /> by 21-year-old [[Francis Wayland Ayer]], who named the agency after his father, N. W. Ayer. N. W. Ayer & Son started its business by representing religious weekly newspapers. By 1877, N. W. Ayer & Son had become successful enough to obtain what remained of another agency, the Volney Palmer Agency. In 1884, Ayer expanded into the advertising business. Ayer styled itself the oldest advertising firm in the U.S. In 1892, artists and writers began working in groups known as creative teams.<ref name=hower>{{cite book|title=The History of an Advertising Agency: N. W. Ayer & Son|author=Hower, Ralph|publisher=Cambridge, Harvard University Press|year=1949}}</ref> Eventually Ayer became responsible for some of the most recognized slogans in advertising history. Gerold M. Lauck was president of Ayer in the 1930s.
N. W. Ayer & Son was founded in [[Philadelphia]] in 1869<ref name=ushist /> by 21-year-old [[Francis Ayer]], who named the agency after his father, N. W. Ayer. N. W. Ayer & Son started its business by representing religious weekly newspapers. By 1877, N. W. Ayer & Son had become successful enough to obtain what remained of another agency, the Volney Palmer Agency. They also acquired [[George P. Rowell]]'s ''American Newspaper Directory'', which became ''N. W. Ayer & Son's American Newspaper Annual'' and later ''Ayer's Newspaper Annual and Directory''.
In 1884, Ayer expanded into the advertising business. Ayer styled itself the oldest advertising firm in the U.S. In 1892, artists and writers began working in groups known as creative teams.<ref name=hower>{{cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/historyofadverti0000ralp/|title=The History of an Advertising Agency: N. W. Ayer & Son|orig-date=1939|author=Hower, Ralph|publisher=Cambridge, Harvard University Press|year=1949|isbn=9780405111754|oclc=4192469}}</ref> Eventually Ayer became responsible for some of the most recognized slogans in advertising history. Gerold M. Lauck was president of Ayer in the 1930s.


==Notable slogans==
==Notable slogans==
*''When it rains it pours'', advertising [[salt]] for [[Morton Salt]], coined in 1912.
*''When it rains it pours'', advertising [[salt]] for [[Morton Salt]], coined in 1912.
*''I'd walk a mile for a Camel'', advertising [[Camel cigarettes]] for [[Reynolds American Inc.|R.J. Reynolds Tobacco]], coined in 1921. Sometimes formed into a jingle, ''I'd walk a mile for a mild, mild Camel.''<ref>[http://www.searchengineforums.com/gazette/archives/issue-71/]</ref><ref>[http://www.unlikelystories.org/pdfs/commercial_fiction_pp_84-168.pdf]</ref><ref>[http://www.buzzstuff.net/archives/001555.php]</ref>
*''I'd walk a mile for a Camel'', advertising [[Camel cigarettes]] for [[Reynolds American Inc.|R.J. Reynolds Tobacco]], coined in 1921 by [[William Martin Armistead]]. Sometimes formed into a jingle, ''I'd walk a mile for a mild, mild Camel.''<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.searchengineforums.com/gazette/archives/issue-71/ | title=Search Engine Forums - SEO Tools, Communities, Blogs, Podcasts and Conferences }}</ref><ref>http://www.unlikelystories.org/pdfs/commercial_fiction_pp_84-168.pdf {{Bare URL PDF|date=March 2022}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.buzzstuff.net/archives/001555.php |title=Buzzstuff: Puff Daddy |access-date=2005-06-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050304023649/http://www.buzzstuff.net/archives/001555.php |archive-date=2005-03-04 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
*''A diamond is forever'', advertising [[diamond]]s for [[De Beers]], coined in 1947 by [[Mary Frances Gerety]].<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OYBB_DGQN7kC|pages=65–66|title=Cinderella Dreams: The Allure of the Lavish Wedding|author1=Otnes, Cele |author2=Pleck, Elizabeth Hafkin |publisher=University of California Press|year=2003|isbn=0-520-23661-0}}</ref>
*''A diamond is forever'', advertising [[diamond]]s for [[De Beers]], coined in 1947 by [[Mary Frances Gerety]].<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OYBB_DGQN7kC|pages=65–66|title=Cinderella Dreams: The Allure of the Lavish Wedding|author1=Otnes, Cele |author2=Pleck, Elizabeth Hafkin |publisher=University of California Press|year=2003|isbn=0-520-23661-0}}</ref>
*''Reach out and touch someone'', advertising long-distance [[telephone]] service for [[AT&T Corp.]], coined in 1979 by Anthony (Tony) P. Galli and [[Stanley Lomas]]. Music composed by [[David Lucas (composer)|David Lucas]].
*''Reach out and touch someone'', advertising long-distance [[telephone]] service for [[AT&T Corp.]], coined in 1979 by Anthony (Tony) P. Galli and [[Stanley Lomas]]. Music composed by [[David Lucas (composer)|David Lucas]].
*''We may be the only phone company in town, but we try not to act like it'', advertising phone services for AT&T, coined by Tony Galli.
*''We may be the only phone company in town, but we try not to act like it'', advertising phone services for AT&T, coined by Tony Galli.
*''Today's army wants to join you'', advertising military service for the [[U.S. Army]].<ref name=campaigns>[http://adage.com/century/campaigns.html]</ref>
*''Today's army wants to join you'', advertising military service for the [[U.S. Army]].<ref name=campaigns>{{Cite web |url=http://adage.com/century/campaigns.html |title=Ad Age Advertising Century: Top 100 Advertising Campaigns |access-date=2011-12-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110511185517/http://adage.com/century/campaigns.html |archive-date=2011-05-11 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
*''[[Be All You Can Be|Be all you can be]]'', advertising military service for the U.S. Army, coined in 1981 by [[E. N. J. Carter]].<ref name=campaigns/>
*''[[Be All You Can Be|Be all you can be]]'', advertising military service for the U.S. Army, coined in 1981 by [[E. N. J. Carter]].<ref name=campaigns/>


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==AT&T==
==AT&T==
In 1906, Ayer was commissioned by the Mutual Life Insurance Company of New York to create an advertising campaign for [[AT&T Corp.]] The goal was to encourage the company's popularity with customers. Ayer's successful campaign began with the AT&T ad ''Twenty million voices'', appearing in June, with four more appearing in the following months. Due to the campaign's success, AT&T made Ayer its main advertising agency.<ref>{{cite book|url=http://adage.com/article/adage-encyclopedia/t-corp-american-telephone-telegraph/98327/|title=AT&T Corp. (American Telephone & Telegraph)|publisher=Advertising Age|year=2003}}</ref> This relationship continued until the 1970s and became one of the oldest advertising relationships in America.<ref>{{cite book|jstor=4188120|title=AT&T: 1908 Origins of the Nation's Oldest Continuous Institutional Advertising Campaign|author=Griese, Noel L.|publisher=M. E. Sharpe, Inc.|year=1977}}</ref>
In 1906, Ayer was commissioned by the Mutual Life Insurance Company of New York to create an advertising campaign for [[AT&T Corp.]] Ayer's successful campaign began with the AT&T ad ''Twenty million voices'', appearing in June, with four more appearing in the following months. Due to the campaign's success, AT&T made Ayer its main advertising agency.<ref>{{cite book|url=http://adage.com/article/adage-encyclopedia/t-corp-american-telephone-telegraph/98327/|title=AT&T Corp. (American Telephone & Telegraph)|publisher=Advertising Age|year=2003}}</ref> This relationship continued until the 1970s and became one of the oldest advertising relationships in America.<ref>{{cite journal|jstor=4188120|title=AT&T: 1908 Origins of the Nation's Oldest Continuous Institutional Advertising Campaign|author=Griese, Noel L.|journal=Journal of Advertising|publisher=M. E. Sharpe, Inc.|year=1977|volume=6|issue=3|pages=18–23|doi=10.1080/00913367.1977.10672703}}</ref>


Ayer created the slogan ''Reach out and touch someone'', one of AT&T's most successful ads, coined in 1979 by Tony Galli and [[Stanley Lomas]]; music was composed by [[David Lucas (composer)|David Lucas]]. Galli's original phrasing was: ''To communicate is the beginning of understanding. Reach out and touch someone.''
Ayer created the slogan ''Reach out and touch someone'', one of AT&T's most successful ads, coined in 1979 by Tony Galli and [[Stanley Lomas]]; music was composed by [[David Lucas (composer)|David Lucas]]. Galli's original phrasing was: ''To communicate is the beginning of understanding. Reach out and touch someone.''
Line 74: Line 80:
In the late 1960s, Ayer faced challenges from industry changes as smaller agencies began creating ads appealing to targeted groups of consumers. This method focused agency attention on single demographics and could be performed faster by smaller agencies rather than traditional larger agencies. Ayer's standing dropped to tenth place among major agencies in one report. In 1982, it called itself the 14th largest advertising agency in the U.S.
In the late 1960s, Ayer faced challenges from industry changes as smaller agencies began creating ads appealing to targeted groups of consumers. This method focused agency attention on single demographics and could be performed faster by smaller agencies rather than traditional larger agencies. Ayer's standing dropped to tenth place among major agencies in one report. In 1982, it called itself the 14th largest advertising agency in the U.S.


In 1986, Ayer received positive feedback for its U.S. Army recruiting slogan, ''Be all that you can be''. This campaign benefited the army's recruitment goals greatly, and also faced negative responses toward the Vietnam War and low enlistment. In a well-published scandal, charges were filed against the Ayer employee responsible for the Army collaboration, and Ayer was consequently suspended from making bids with any branches of government.<ref>{{cite book|url=http://articles.latimes.com/1986-11-26/business/fi-15468_1_bid-rigging|title=The Army suspended N. W. Ayer from any bidding|publisher=Los Angeles Times|year=1986}}</ref>
In 1986, Ayer received positive feedback for its U.S. Army recruiting slogan, ''Be all that you can be''. This campaign benefited the army's recruitment goals greatly, and also faced negative responses toward the Vietnam War and low enlistment. In a well-published scandal, charges of bid rigging were filed against the Ayer employee responsible for the Army collaboration, and Ayer was consequently suspended from making bids with any branches of government.<ref>{{cite news|author=<!--not stated--> |url=http://articles.latimes.com/1986-11-26/business/fi-15468_1_bid-rigging|title=The Army suspended N. W. Ayer from any bidding|work=Los Angeles Times|date=Nov 26, 1986}}</ref>


[[File:N.W. Ayer & Son Building 210 West Washington Square top.jpg|thumb|right|350px|The top of the N. W. Ayer & Son headquarters building at 210 West Washington Square in [[Philadelphia]], built in 1928 and designed by Ralph Bencker in the [[Art Deco architecture|Art Deco style]]<ref name=ushist>[http://www.ushistory.org/tour/tour_washsq.htm "Virtual Historic Tour of Historic Philadelphia: Washington Square"] on ''USHistory.org''. Retrieved May 27, 2013</ref>]]
[[File:N.W. Ayer & Son Building 210 West Washington Square top.jpg|thumb|right|350px|The top of the N. W. Ayer & Son headquarters building at 210 West Washington Square in [[Philadelphia]], built in 1928 and designed by Ralph Bencker in the [[Art Deco architecture|Art Deco style]]<ref name=ushist>[http://www.ushistory.org/tour/tour_washsq.htm "Virtual Historic Tour of Historic Philadelphia: Washington Square"] on ''USHistory.org''. Retrieved May 27, 2013</ref>]]
Line 81: Line 87:


==Merger==
==Merger==
Due to the Army scandal, Ayer began to struggle, and its importance gradually faded. In 1996 Ayer became part of MacManus Group after merging with [[D'Arcy Masius Benton & Bowles]].<ref name=AA2003/> Three years later, Ayer CEO [[Mary Lou Quinlan]] stepped down to form a new unit within MacManus and was replaced by [[Mary Beth Casey]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.adage.com/article/news/mary-lou-quinlan-leaves-ayer-ceo-form-macmanus-unit/31317/|title=Quinlan leaves as Ayer CEO to form new MacManus unit|author=Petrecca, Laura|publisher=Advertising Age|year=1999}}</ref> Under MacManus, Ayer was merged with Leo Group and Dentsu to form [[Bcom3]]. In 2002, Bcom3 retired the Ayer name and merged it into the thriving [[Kaplan Thaler Group]], where Ayer's stalwart client, Continental Airlines, took flight again.<ref name=bcom3>{{cite book|url=http://adage.com/article/news/agency-shutdown-bcom3-pulls-plug-ayer/52428/|title=Agency Shutdown: Bcom3 pulls plug on Ayer |author1=Sanders, Lisa |author2=MacArthur, Kate |publisher=Advertising Age|year=2002}}</ref>
Due to the Army scandal, Ayer began to struggle, and its importance gradually faded. In 1996 Ayer became part of MacManus Group after merging with [[D'Arcy Masius Benton & Bowles]].<ref name=AA2003/> Three years later, Ayer CEO Mary Lou Quinlan stepped down to form a new unit within MacManus and was replaced by Mary Beth Casey.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.adage.com/article/news/mary-lou-quinlan-leaves-ayer-ceo-form-macmanus-unit/31317/|title=Quinlan leaves as Ayer CEO to form new MacManus unit|author=Petrecca, Laura|publisher=Advertising Age|year=1999}}</ref> Under MacManus, Ayer was merged with Leo Group and Dentsu to form Bcom3. In 2002, Bcom3 retired the Ayer name and merged it into the thriving [[Kaplan Thaler Group]], where Ayer's stalwart client, Continental Airlines, took flight again.<ref name=bcom3>{{cite book|url=http://adage.com/article/news/agency-shutdown-bcom3-pulls-plug-ayer/52428/|title=Agency Shutdown: Bcom3 pulls plug on Ayer |author1=Sanders, Lisa |author2=MacArthur, Kate |publisher=Advertising Age|year=2002}}</ref>


Bcom3 Chairman and CEO [[Roger Haupt]] said, "Retiring the venerable N. W. Ayer name wasn't easy .... It is more about the Kaplan name .... We're in a situation where we have an excellent agency in Kaplan Thaler and at the end of the day that's the right thing to do." "Ayer" remained one of the most recognized names in advertising; other agencies approximately as old as Ayer are overshadowed by Ayer's legacy.<ref name=bcom3/>
Bcom3 Chairman and CEO Roger Haupt said, "Retiring the venerable N. W. Ayer name wasn't easy .... It is more about the Kaplan name .... We're in a situation where we have an excellent agency in Kaplan Thaler and at the end of the day that's the right thing to do." "Ayer" remained one of the most recognized names in advertising; other agencies approximately as old as Ayer are overshadowed by Ayer's legacy.<ref name=bcom3/>


Ayer's assets were bought by the [[Publicis Groupe]] in [[Paris]], which closed down the Ayer offices in 2002.<ref name=bcom3/> In 2005, the N. W. Ayer Philadelphia building was purchased and has been made into The Ayer, a luxury [[condominium]].
Ayer's assets were bought by the [[Publicis Groupe]] in [[Paris]], which closed down the Ayer offices in 2002.<ref name=bcom3/> In 2005, the N. W. Ayer Philadelphia building was purchased and has been made into The Ayer, a luxury [[Condominium (living space)|condominium]].


==References==
==References==
'''Notes'''
'''Citations'''
{{reflist}}
{{Reflist}}


'''Bibliography'''
'''Bibliography'''
*Garfield, Bob. [http://www.adage.com/century/campaigns.html "The Advertising Century: Top 100 Advertising Campaigns"]. ''Advertising Age''. Retrieved March 15, 2005
* Garfield, Bob. [https://web.archive.org/web/20051218052418/http://www.adage.com/century/campaigns.html "The Advertising Century: Top 100 Advertising Campaigns"]. ''Advertising Age''. Retrieved March 15, 2005


==External links==
==External links==
* [https://www.loc.gov/rr/news/news_research_tools/ayersdirectory.html List of Ayer & Son's newspaper directories], [[Library of Congress]] website
*[https://www.loc.gov/rr/news/news_research_tools/ayersdirectory.html List of Ayer & Son's newspaper directories], [[Library of Congress]] website
* Newspaper directories [https://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/006109711 via HathiTrust]
*Newspaper directories [https://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/006109711 via HathiTrust]
*{{HABS |survey=PA-1390 |id=pa1094 |title=N. W. Ayer & Company Building, 204–212 South Seventh Street, Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, PA |photos=2 |cap=1}}


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[[Category:Advertising agencies of the United States]]
[[Category:Advertising agencies of the United States]]
[[Category:Companies based in Philadelphia]]
[[Category:Companies based in Philadelphia]]
[[Category:Companies based in New York City]]
[[Category:Companies based in New York City]]
[[Category:Historic American Buildings Survey in Philadelphia]]
[[Category:American companies established in 1869]]
[[Category:1869 establishments in Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:American companies disestablished in 2002]]
[[Category:2002 disestablishments in Pennsylvania]]

Revision as of 15:30, 29 June 2024

N. W. Ayer & Son
IndustryAdvertising
FoundedPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania, US (1869 (1869))
FounderFrancis Wayland Ayer
Defunct2002 (2002)
FateDissolved
SuccessorMacManus Group, Bcom3, Kaplan Thaler Group, Publicis Groupe
Headquarters
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
,
US

N. W. Ayer & Son was a Philadelphia advertising agency founded in 1869. It called itself the oldest advertising agency in the United States. Named by Francis Ayer after his father N. W. Ayer, it ventured into advertising in 1884. It created a number of memorable slogans for firms such as De Beers, AT&T and the U.S. Army. The company started to decline in the 1960s and, after a series of mergers,[1] closed in 2002 with its assets sold to the Publicis Groupe.

Early history

N. W. Ayer & Son was founded in Philadelphia in 1869[2] by 21-year-old Francis Ayer, who named the agency after his father, N. W. Ayer. N. W. Ayer & Son started its business by representing religious weekly newspapers. By 1877, N. W. Ayer & Son had become successful enough to obtain what remained of another agency, the Volney Palmer Agency. They also acquired George P. Rowell's American Newspaper Directory, which became N. W. Ayer & Son's American Newspaper Annual and later Ayer's Newspaper Annual and Directory.

In 1884, Ayer expanded into the advertising business. Ayer styled itself the oldest advertising firm in the U.S. In 1892, artists and writers began working in groups known as creative teams.[3] Eventually Ayer became responsible for some of the most recognized slogans in advertising history. Gerold M. Lauck was president of Ayer in the 1930s.

Notable slogans

De Beers

N. W. Ayer & Son created one of the most recognized slogans of the 20th century, A diamond is forever.

Harry Oppenheimer of De Beers and Ayer president Gerold M. Lauck discussed a marketing campaign in 1938 that would change the falling price of diamonds at the time. The idea of engagement rings decorated with diamonds wasn't very popular in Europe, but interest in diamonds was high in the U.S. Because of this, Oppenheimer decided to promote the idea in the U.S. and told Lauck that, if Ayer's plan was successful, De Beers would have Ayer become the exclusive agency for its American interests. Ayer was motivated to propose that its campaign should move the American spending demographic towards larger and more expensive diamonds.

To successfully achieve its goal, Ayer suggested a reinforcement of the relationship of diamonds with love and romance. This proved successful, as both men and women were caught in the relationship of diamonds being a gift of love. The slogan created for De Beers remained memorable for many years.[9]

AT&T

In 1906, Ayer was commissioned by the Mutual Life Insurance Company of New York to create an advertising campaign for AT&T Corp. Ayer's successful campaign began with the AT&T ad Twenty million voices, appearing in June, with four more appearing in the following months. Due to the campaign's success, AT&T made Ayer its main advertising agency.[10] This relationship continued until the 1970s and became one of the oldest advertising relationships in America.[11]

Ayer created the slogan Reach out and touch someone, one of AT&T's most successful ads, coined in 1979 by Tony Galli and Stanley Lomas; music was composed by David Lucas. Galli's original phrasing was: To communicate is the beginning of understanding. Reach out and touch someone.

Decline

In the late 1960s, Ayer faced challenges from industry changes as smaller agencies began creating ads appealing to targeted groups of consumers. This method focused agency attention on single demographics and could be performed faster by smaller agencies rather than traditional larger agencies. Ayer's standing dropped to tenth place among major agencies in one report. In 1982, it called itself the 14th largest advertising agency in the U.S.

In 1986, Ayer received positive feedback for its U.S. Army recruiting slogan, Be all that you can be. This campaign benefited the army's recruitment goals greatly, and also faced negative responses toward the Vietnam War and low enlistment. In a well-published scandal, charges of bid rigging were filed against the Ayer employee responsible for the Army collaboration, and Ayer was consequently suspended from making bids with any branches of government.[12]

The top of the N. W. Ayer & Son headquarters building at 210 West Washington Square in Philadelphia, built in 1928 and designed by Ralph Bencker in the Art Deco style[2]

The Army account loss struck Ayer hard. Ayer strengthened its business by obtaining an account with the Burger King Corporation but lost the account after 18 months. Ayer also desperately tried to keep the AT&T Corp. account, but AT&T parted ways around the same time despite its long history with Ayer.[13]

Merger

Due to the Army scandal, Ayer began to struggle, and its importance gradually faded. In 1996 Ayer became part of MacManus Group after merging with D'Arcy Masius Benton & Bowles.[13] Three years later, Ayer CEO Mary Lou Quinlan stepped down to form a new unit within MacManus and was replaced by Mary Beth Casey.[14] Under MacManus, Ayer was merged with Leo Group and Dentsu to form Bcom3. In 2002, Bcom3 retired the Ayer name and merged it into the thriving Kaplan Thaler Group, where Ayer's stalwart client, Continental Airlines, took flight again.[15]

Bcom3 Chairman and CEO Roger Haupt said, "Retiring the venerable N. W. Ayer name wasn't easy .... It is more about the Kaplan name .... We're in a situation where we have an excellent agency in Kaplan Thaler and at the end of the day that's the right thing to do." "Ayer" remained one of the most recognized names in advertising; other agencies approximately as old as Ayer are overshadowed by Ayer's legacy.[15]

Ayer's assets were bought by the Publicis Groupe in Paris, which closed down the Ayer offices in 2002.[15] In 2005, the N. W. Ayer Philadelphia building was purchased and has been made into The Ayer, a luxury condominium.

References

Citations

  1. ^ other options considered included a partnership with Dentsu. Kim Foltz (September 17, 1990). "How Ayer Views Talks With Dentsu". The New York Times.
  2. ^ a b "Virtual Historic Tour of Historic Philadelphia: Washington Square" on USHistory.org. Retrieved May 27, 2013
  3. ^ Hower, Ralph (1949) [1939]. The History of an Advertising Agency: N. W. Ayer & Son. Cambridge, Harvard University Press. ISBN 9780405111754. OCLC 4192469.
  4. ^ "Search Engine Forums - SEO Tools, Communities, Blogs, Podcasts and Conferences".
  5. ^ http://www.unlikelystories.org/pdfs/commercial_fiction_pp_84-168.pdf [bare URL PDF]
  6. ^ "Buzzstuff: Puff Daddy". Archived from the original on 2005-03-04. Retrieved 2005-06-23.
  7. ^ Otnes, Cele; Pleck, Elizabeth Hafkin (2003). Cinderella Dreams: The Allure of the Lavish Wedding. University of California Press. pp. 65–66. ISBN 0-520-23661-0.
  8. ^ a b "Ad Age Advertising Century: Top 100 Advertising Campaigns". Archived from the original on 2011-05-11. Retrieved 2011-12-06.
  9. ^ Epstein, Edward (1982). Have You Ever Tried to Sell a Diamond?. Atlantic Magazine.
  10. ^ AT&T Corp. (American Telephone & Telegraph). Advertising Age. 2003.
  11. ^ Griese, Noel L. (1977). "AT&T: 1908 Origins of the Nation's Oldest Continuous Institutional Advertising Campaign". Journal of Advertising. 6 (3). M. E. Sharpe, Inc.: 18–23. doi:10.1080/00913367.1977.10672703. JSTOR 4188120.
  12. ^ "The Army suspended N. W. Ayer from any bidding". Los Angeles Times. Nov 26, 1986.
  13. ^ a b N. W. Ayer & Son (N.W. Ayer & Partners). Advertising Age. 2003.
  14. ^ Petrecca, Laura (1999). "Quinlan leaves as Ayer CEO to form new MacManus unit". Advertising Age.
  15. ^ a b c Sanders, Lisa; MacArthur, Kate (2002). Agency Shutdown: Bcom3 pulls plug on Ayer. Advertising Age.

Bibliography

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