Norman B. Norman (1914–1991) was an American advertising executive who co-founded the Norman, Craig & Kummel advertising agency.[1]
Norman B. Norman | |
|---|---|
| Born | Norman B. Norman 1914 |
| Died | 1991 (age 77) |
| Nationality | American |
| Education | B.A. Columbia University |
| Occupation | Advertising executive |
| Known for | co-founder of Norman, Craig & Kummel |
| Spouse | Gail Snyder |
| Children | Peter Norman Susan Norman Blumenthal |
Biography
editNorman B. Norman was born to a Jewish family[2][3] in New York City. In 1934, he graduated from Columbia University.[1] After school, he worked as an unpaid assistant at the Biow Agency founded by Milton H. Biow.[1] After six months, he was given a salary of $5 a week, and after two years, he was making $25 per week.[1] While at the Biow Agency, he worked in all areas of the business including research, new business, and account management.[1] In 1942, he joined the United States Navy where he served during World War II on a minesweeper as a lieutenant; he was awarded a Bronze Star.[1]
After the war, he worked for the Norman A. Mack & Company as an executive vice president and then in 1948, he accepted a position with the William H. Weintraub & Company.[1] In 1955, he along with fellow Weintraub co-workers, Eugene H. Kummel and Walter Craig, bought the William H. Weintraub agency and renamed it Norman, Craig & Kummel.[1][3] In 1957, he was elected president of the agency[1] and pioneered the concept of what he called "emotional advertising" aimed at having the reader find himself inside the advertisement.[3] The tenets were summed up in one word: P-E-O-P-L-E: Put people in the sell; Excitingly different look and sound; Open the way through the heart-not the head; Put in an important reason why; Living visuals people will talk about; Eliminate any non-preemptive selling proposition.[4] The firm won many major clients including Colgate-Palmolive, Revlon, Ronson, Chanel, Liggett & Myers, and Olin Corporation.[1] In 1956, the firm won the U.S. Democratic National Committee account and its presidential candidate Adlai Stevenson, going head-to-head with its rival Batten, Barton, Durstine & Osborn.[4]
In 1961, the firm was renamed the NCK Organization.[4] In 1979, he retired as president and chairman of the board; he served as honorary chairman until 1985.[1] By 1982, the NCK Organization had 1,184 employees in 32 offices worldwide with $433 million in sales and $70 million in income.[4] In 1983, the firm merged with Foote, Cone & Belding Communications and ceased to exist under its own name.[4]
Norman served as the director of the Association for a Better New York and as a trustee of the New York Police Foundation.[1]
Personal life
editNorman was married to Gail Snyder; they had two children: Peter Norman and Susan Norman Blumenthal.[1] They had homes in Woodstock, Vermont, in Fairfield, Connecticut, in the Cotswolds of England, and in Key Largo, Florida.[1] Norman died in Miami at the age of 77.[1]
References
edit- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Saxon, Wolfgang (November 28, 1991). "Norman B. Norman, 77, Is Dead; Former Ad and Marketing Advise". The New York Times.
- ^ "Race & Ethnicity in Advertising—America in the 20th Century: Jews and American Advertising". Association of National Advertisers Educational Foundation.
- ^ a b c Jewish Virtual Library: "Modern Jewish History: Advertising" retrieved May 4, 2017
- ^ a b c d e "Norman, Craig & Kummel". Advertising Age. September 15, 2003. Archived from the original on April 1, 2015. Retrieved September 7, 2021.
