Leo Burnett Addresses Employees for the Last Time

Leo Burnett called his farewell address, "When to Take My Name Off the Door." The legendary figure who brought us Charlie the Tuna, Jolly Green Giant, Tony the Tiger, and Pillsbury Doughboy gave this heartfelt speech shortly before his 1967 retirement from the advertising powerhouse now known as Leo Burnett Worldwide. (Yes, his name is still on the door.)

Burnett was born in the 19th century, and his words are hopelessly antiquated, but I hope you give this seven-minute video a serious look. Chicago's salt-of-the-earth advertising giant saw it all coming: merger mania, the obsession with short-term profits, and the spinelessness. I wonder what he'd think of 21st century agency life.

Leo died just four years after giving this speech.

Comments

[Tom Messner]

Burnett was famous for distributing apples to its employees, an old-fashioned custom that I suppose either came from a reversal of students bringing apples to endear themselves to their teacher or, who knows, a depression carryover.
In any case, in 1982 Advertising Age named Ally & Gargano agency of the year. That day, 217 apples arrived from Leo Burnett, one for each of Ally's employees.
Class act, that agency.
(For myself, I sent a thank you note that pointed out they must have been glad that Interpublic didn't win as it might cause a spike in the apple commodity market.)

[Robert Rosenthal]

I found this Wikipedia entry on Leo's apples (it was indeed a carryover from the Great Depression):

"One of his most important uses of internal corporate symbols were the red apples placed on every receptionist's desk. Any visitor or employee was free to take one. This stemmed from a prediction from a Chicago newspaper columnist that Leo would fail miserably in his agency launch in 1935, made in the depths of the Great Depression, and would soon be on the street selling apples instead. Upon reading those words, Leo vowed to give away apples instead."

[james]

I doubt his resume would ever clear the desks of any modern day HR gatekeepers?

TOO CORNBALL! TOO OLD! TRAGICALLY UN-HIP! NEXT!

Leo understood the marketplace, and across a breadth of products & services cobbled together a slew of masterfully crafted, long-term selling propositions. He deserves to be up on the Mt. Rushmore of advertising's titans. It appears the likes of him has skipped a generation (or two).

[Robert Rosenthal]

james: I'd say Leo Burnett was one of the Big Three of all time.

[Toby]

Should be required for everyone who wants to pursue a career in not only advertising but business. Thanks for the post.