Thomas J. Barrett - a Brief, 'Under the Microscope' - vidadz
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Thomas J. Barrett - a Brief Under the Microscope - vidadz
Thomas James Barratt (1841–1914), was an English businessman who was the chairman of the soap manufacturer A. & F. Pears. Barratt was born in London. He married Mary Pears, the eldest daughter of Francis Pears, the head of, A & F. Pears
He consequently entered the firm in 1865, becoming his father-in-law's partner. Under his leadership, the company instituted a systematic method of advertising its distinctive soap, in which slogans and memorable images were combined.
A pioneer of brand marketing, he has been called "the father of modern advertising". Pity about the racism and ignorance of the times, ouch. Added here for historical-research purposes only.
"Tastes change, fashions change, and the advertiser has to change with them. An idea that was effective a generation ago would fall flat, stale, and unprofitable, if presented to the public today. Not that the idea of today is always better than the older idea, but it is different – it hits the present taste." - Thomas J. Barrett
With that quote in mind about "Tastes change, fashions change, and the advertiser has to change with them...", today's most popular format for advertising is video.
Video is, without doubt, the most popular form of medium and communication. Video, is the ideal format for advertising. The stats supporting this are mega-impressive. Here's one for example;
"84% of people say that they’ve been convinced to buy a product or service by watching a brand’s video." – wyzowl
Here’s another mind-blowing stat about using video on social media.
"93% of brands got a new customer because of a video on social media" -Source. Animoto
Going back to Pears Soap, it must be added here, that Pears' early business leanings, were entirely based on the racial ignorance of those colonial times.
His slogan "Good morning. Have you used Pears' soap?" was famous in its day. It continued to be a well-known catchphrase into the 20th century.
He acquired works of art to use in the advertisements, most famously John Everett Millais' painting 'Bubbles', which he turned into an advertisement by adding a bar of Pears soap in the foreground.
Guinness World Record
Barratt was awarded a Guinness World Record in 2014 for being considered the world's first brand manager, a job he held for A. & F. Pears from 1865
Mistakes aside, Barrett was a landmark figure in the world of advertising and branding.