William Hesketh Lever marked a starting point for creative advertising who founded Sunlight Vision with James Darcy in 1885 and today Unilever advertise for over 900 brands including Ben and Jerry's and Bertie.
Packaging technology was invented in 1860 when Kelloggs figured out how to print and fill their cardboard boxes mechanically.
Lever was the first to advertise pre-packaged bars of soap.
- Brand value was added to a product through advertising and packaging -
Advertising Boom
Advertising was aided by tax cuts on newspapers as tax relief.
1880- printing boom when colour images, colour printing and pictorial ads in magazines began.
1885 - co-founder of the Lever Bros.
1890 - technology - contemporary painting could be reproduced
Lever Bros. became the first multinational in the world and in 1930 it became Unilever, the largest corporation in Britain.
What was so much better about Unilever advertising?
- Started to use contemporary paintings in advertising
- Used paintings depicting women, white men and children which created an instant morality high as children are a popular subject (signify joy, purity, innocence)
Lever used George Dunlop's 1879 Alice In Wonderland painting and Albert Chevallier Taylor's "A Dress Rehearsal" painting in 1889 "As Good As New"ad posters which was used to sell washing soap for clothing.
Use of contemporary art expressed a more powerful, interesting and innovative message and encourages people to get a copy of the prints to hang in their own homes.
Lever was one of the first to use product placement in image which encouraged loyalty to brands through generations.
Innovative events:
- Lever Bros. Switzerland - organised a washing event when new offices were opening
- Royal endorsement from 1892 by Queen
- Wrapper promos targeted mothers through children - receive a voucher or gift when buying soap
1899 Lever Bros purchased Philadelphia soap firm and the owner, Sidney Gross became director - was an expert at picking appropriate art for an advert.
Lever was seen as first worldwide executive creative director for his collaborative creativity, overseeing of advertising and constant research.
He like using ambience - use of space, choosing location
-Advocating truth in advertising is an asset, falsehood in advertising is a liability-
Tell the truth but keep it interesting.
Many ads possessed messages that the use of the product would make women's lives easier - emotive strategy (promised happiness).
Lever managed to convince the world that not only do people want these products but they need them by convincing them of things such as hygiene problems that they need to attend to.
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