Leo Burnett popularized the philosophy of creating a compelling visual image connected to a product. Before Burnett’s time advertising centered on long text descriptions of the product, with detailed arguments as to its superiority to other competing products. Burnett concentrated on imagery and stressed that the creator of an ad needed to somehow capture and reflect what he called the “inherent drama” of the product.

“We convinced ourselves that the image of meat should be a virile one, best expressed in red meat.” At the time it was highly unusual, even distasteful, to portray uncooked meat in advertisements. Enthusiastically breaking the code, Burnett produced full-page ads depicting thick chops of raw red meat against a bright-red background. “Red against red was a trick,” he explained, “but it was a natural thing to do. It just intensified the red concept and the virility and everything else we were trying to express. This was inherent drama in its purest form.”

Burnett was responsoble for the Jolly Green Giant, theMarlboro Man, Toucan Sam, Charlie the Tuna, Morris the Cat, the Pillsbury Doughboy, the 7up ”Spot”, and Tony the Tiger.

A female copy-writer who worked for Burnett in the late sixties is blogging about Mad Men over at WSJ.

11:56am | 11 notes | advertising | leo burnett