Bill Bernbach

 

“Rules are what the artist breaks; the memorable never emerged from a formula.”

Bill Bernbach born in 1911 was an advertising creative director and was one of the founders of the advertising agency DoyleDaneBernbach in 1949. Bernbach first began hsi career in the great depression where pro actively wrote a Schenley's American Cream Whiskey ad which helped get him promoted to the companies advertising department. after working for Scheneleys he moved on to other great advertising departments and became a ghost writer for Grover Whalen, the head of the 1939 World's Fair. Later on he then moved on to William Weintraub agency and then followed by a position at Grey Advertising. Bernbach worked there as a copy writer and was soon promoted to Creative director in 1947.

The international advertising agency DDB was created by Ned Doyle who Bernbach met at Grey Advertising and Mac Dane who was already running an agency at the time. Bernbach founded thier agency in Manhatten, 1949.


Bernbachs notable adverts include We Try Harder for Avis Car Rental, Mikey for Life Cereal, You Don't Have to be Jewish to Love Levy's for Levy's Rye Bread, and It's so simple for Polaroid.

Bernbachs legacy has continued through to recent times , a legacy that has made him the major force behind the creative revolution of the 1960's and 1970's. Bernbach is also ccredited for being the first creative director to combine copywriters and art directors in two person teams. He has also recived many awards for his work in advertising. He was awarded the The Man of the Year of Advertising Award in 1964 and 1965 and also was inducted into the copywriters hall of fame in 1964.  He was also named "Top Advertising Agency Executive" in 1969 and received the American Academy of Achievement Award in 1976.