This document discusses several pioneering copywriters throughout history. It provides brief biographies of copywriters including Stan Freberg, Leo Burnett, Bernice Bowles Fitz-Gibbon, David Abbott, Fairfax M. Cone, Dave Trott, William Bernbach, Drayton Bird, Jo Foxworth, and David Ogilvy. It notes that these copywriters challenged conventions and helped shape modern advertising through their creative talents and approaches. The document concludes by wondering who will be the next generation of minds to challenge current conventions.

1. TheBest
Copywriters
ofAllTime
(Sofar)
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2. III
Bystudyingtheexploitsofthe
expertswecanalllearnto
improveourskills.
TheseaThesearethecopywritersthat
weretalentedenough,diligent
enough,andunconventional
enoughtoseetheirnamesgo
downinhistory.

3. III
StanFreberg
TosaythatStanFrebergwas
amanofmanytalentswould
bethegrossestof
understatements.
DuringhisliDuringhislife(hewasbornin1926
andpassedawaythisyear)hewasan
author,recordingartist,animation
voiceactor,comedian,radio
personality,andpuppeteer.
Hewasalsoanadvertisingcreative
director,andherevolutionisedthe
industrywithaninfectiousdoseof
comedy.
FFrebergproducedmanycampaigns
famousfortheirhumorous,satirical
approach,includingafuturisticadfor
SunsweetPrunesentitledBraveNew
Prunes,whichfeaturedauthorand
friendofFreberg,RayBradbury.

4. LeoBurnett
Burnettisalegendintheworld
ofadvertising.
HeundeHeunderstoodthepowerofashared
publicconsciousness,andusedthe
‘softsell’approachtocreatemythsand
tellstoriesthatresonatedwithpeople.
ThecharactershecreatedincludeThe
JollyGreenGiant,TonytheTiger,and
theMarlboroughMan.
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5. BerniceBowles
Fitz-Gibbon
BerniceBowlesFitz-Gibbon
wasapioneerinretail
advertising.
ShebeganShebeganworkatanewspaperbefore
gainingapositionatMarshallField’s,
whereshepennedtheMacy’stagline,
“It’ssmarttobethrifty”.
SheShewentontostartherownfirm,win
numerousawards,andwasinducted
intotheAdvertisingHallofFamein
1982.
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6. DavidAbbott
AfterDavidAbbottreadabookabout
advertisinghefoundonamarketstall,
hebeganhiscareerasanin-house
copywriteratKodak.
HeHewouldgoontobecomeone
ofthemostsuccessfulcreatives
inhistory,andwasregardedby
manyasthegreatestcopywriter
ofhisgeneration.
AAbbottwasinductedintotheOne
ClubForArtandCopy’sCreativeHall
ofFamein2001.
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7. FairfaxM.Cone
FairfaxM.Coneissometimes
referredtoasthefatherof
modernadvertising.
HesaidofAdvertising:
ConebelieConebelievedinclear,directadvertising,
ratherthan“cleverandcute”campaigns.
Healsospokeofhowimportantitisto
speakasifyouaretalkingtojustone
person,ratherthanamillion.
It’swhatyoudowhenyoucan’tseesomebody.
That’sallitis.“ ”
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DaveTrott
Trottbeganhiscareerasa
traineecopywriterin1971at
BoasseMassimiPollitt.
InIn1980hefoundedtheagencyGGTwith
MikeGoldandMikeGreenless,andis
nowacopywriter,authorandblogger.
Heisresponsibleforsomeofthemost
excitingadvertsinrecenttimes,including
Toshiba’scampaign,‘HelloTosh,gotta
Toshiba?’

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WilliamBernbach
WilliamBernbachbeganhiscareer
runningtheSchenleyDistillers
mailroomin1933.
WhenheWhenhetooktheinitiativeofwritinganad
forSchenley’sAmericanCreamWhiskey,he
gainedapromotiontotheadvertising
department.
HeHewentontofoundhisagencyandmadea
lastingimpactonthecreativeteamapproach
intheindustry.Hisworkbecameasymbolfor
creativityandinnovation.

10. DraytonBird
Draytonhasearnedhis
reputationovertheyears,asone
oftheforemostpioneersand
teachersindirectmarketingthe
industryhastooffer.
HeisasuccessfulauthoHeisasuccessfulauthor,copywriter,has
foundedhisownagency,andhasworked
withsuchbrandsasMercedes,Virgin,
andVisa.
DavidOgilvysaidofBird:
Heknowsmoreaboutdirectmarketingthan
anyoneelseintheworld.“ ”
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11. JoFoxworth
JosephineFoxworthtookacopywritingjobat
McCannEricksonin1955,movedupto
managementbytheendofthesixties,andin
1968lefttoformJoFoxworthInc.
ShemadehernameinShemadehernameinretailadvertising,takingon
D'AgostinoSupermarkets,Inc.ashersoleclientin1980.She
wasinductedintotheAdvertisingHallofFamein1997.
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DavidOgilvy
DavidOgilvyisfamousfor
hiscreativetalentaswellas
hisbusinessacumen,andhis
wordsandworkarestilla
sourceofinspirationtoday.
HisphilosopHisphilosophyfocusedonthe
importanceofcreativetalentand
clear-cutresultsforclients,ascanbe
seeninhisworkOgilvyon
Advertising.
HefoundedOgilvy&Matherandhas
beenresponsibleforsuchcampaignsthe
Dovetagline“OnlyDoveisone-quarter
moisturizingcream,”aswellasthe
advertforRollsRoycefeaturedbelow.

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Thepeoplediscussedwere
pioneersincopywritingandin
creativityingeneral.They
challengedconventional
wisdom.
WWecanonlywonderaboutwho
willmakeupthenextbatchof
greatminds,readytochallenge
thewaywedothingstoday.

14. Phone•02071180333 Email•copywriter@rule-of-three.co.uk
.Contactus.
www.rule-of-three.co.uk
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