The Genius of Bill Bernbach

Paving his own way

In 1933, Bill Bernbach started in the mailroom at Schenley Distillers. Instead of waiting for opportunity, he wrote an ad for their American Cream Whiskey client.  It worked.  He got promoted.

When he returned to New York after World War II, Bernbach became creative director at Grey Advertising but was frustrated: ads were all rules and formulas. He believed persuasion wasn’t science. It was an art.  The art of persuasion.

In 1949, he co-founded Doyle Dane Bernbach (DDB). He paired copywriters and art directors into teams for the very first time, making words and visuals work together seamlessly. The result: ads that were clever, cohesive, and unforgettable.

Success that lasts

Bernbach changed advertising forever. Volkswagen’s “Think Small” campaign taught Americans to love tiny, unconventional vehicles that didn’t look like any cars they’d ever seen before. Avis’ “We Try Harder” campaign turned an underdog into a market winner. 

Bernbach’s campaign for Avis Rent-A-Car pioneered the concept of “underdog advertising” and was an instant hit with the market.  The “We Try Harder” ads debuted in 1962 when Avis was losing market share to rival Hertz.  

DDB’s campaign helped Avis’s financial position turn from a loss to a profit in a single year.  The campaign remained unchanged for 50 years and is one of the most enduring campaigns in advertising history.

He also created iconic campaigns for the Coffee Growers of Columbia (Juan Valdez), Life Cereal, (Mikey Likes It!), Levy’s Rye (“You don’t have to be Jewish to love Levy’s”), and Polaroid (It’s so simple.)

Bernbach’s mantra?  It’s not creative unless it sells. 

He didn’t just make ads. He made advertising an art that moved people and markets.