Wunderman

Wunderman is a network of advertising, marketing and consulting companies with offices in 60 countries. Headquartered in New York City, Wunderman is part of Young & Rubicam Brands and a member of WPP Group (NASDAQ: WPPGY).^[1]

History

In 1958, Lester Wunderman, alongside his brother Irving Wunderman, and colleagues Ed Ricotta and Harry Kline, opened Wunderman, Ricotta & Klein (WRK).^[2] Founder Lester Wunderman is widely considered,^[3] to be the creator of modern-day Direct Marketing—a term he originated in a 1967 speech at MIT.^[4]

Wunderman, Ricotta & Kline was acquired by Young & Rubicam in 1973. Subsequently; Y&R merged WRK with its subsidiary, Cato Johnson Associates, in 1992 forming Wunderman Cato Johnson.^[5]

To reflect the global expansions of the agency alongside then client American Express the agency became Wunderman Worldwide in the 1980s.^[6]

The agency was briefly renamed Impiric in 2000, before returning to its heritage and rebranding itself as Wunderman on June 1, 2001. Since then it has expanded its reach into the interactive, strategic and data-analysis fields.^[7]

Notable Innovations, Moments & Campaigns

In 1961, the American Association of Advertising Agencies (4A’s) asked Wunderman Ricotta and Kline to become the first direct-mail agency to join its ranks symbolizing the advertising industries acceptance of direct marketing as discipline.^[8]

Among the agency’s early innovations are the Columbia Record Club, the 1-800 toll-free number for businesses (developed for a Toyota campaign, the United States Post Office campaign for Mr. ZIP^[9] and the ZIP code, and the magazine subscription card.)^[10]

A long-time relationship with American Express eventually led to the first customer rewards program—a breakthrough means of keeping customers loyal to a brand that has since transformed the travel and retail industries as well.^[11]

In 2002, Wunderman won the inaugural Cannes Lions Direct Grand Prix.^[12] Since then numerous members of Wunderman have served on, or acted as Cannes Lions juries chairmen including Daniel Morel.^[13]

External links

• Wunderman

References

1. ↑ Wunderman
2. ↑ Being Direct: Making Advertising Pay, 2nd Edition, Pages 147-151, 2004, The Direct Marketing Association
3. ↑ Impiric changes its name, WPP Press Centre, June 1, 2001
4. ↑ Being Direct: Making Advertising Pay, 2nd Edition, Pages 171-155, 2004, The Direct Marketing Association
5. ↑ Impiric changes its name, WPP Press Centre, June 1, 2001
6. ↑ Advertising Age, Encyclopedia of Advertising Wunderman (Wunderman Cato Johnson) September 15, 2003
7. ↑ Impiric changes its name, WPP Press Centre, June 1, 2001
8. ↑ Advertising Age, Encyclopedia of Advertising Wunderman (Wunderman Cato Johnson) September 15, 2003
9. ↑ Smithsonian National Postal Museum Mr. ZIP
10. ↑ Marketing Legend Lester Wunderman Live on ‘The Alan Levy Show’
11. ↑ Marketing Legend Lester Wunderman Live on ‘The Alan Levy Show’
12. ↑ Campaign, Harrison Bows Out of HTW by Kate Nettleton, May 24, 2007
13. ↑ Adweek, Daniel Morel, CEO, Wunderman Worldwide, Jury President, Direct Lions, by Kristen Rountree, June 17, 2003