Newsroom
The Last Real Mad Man on Madison Ave
by Wunderman
When he takes the stage at the DMA Annual Conference in Boston on October 4, Lester Wunderman will bring with him over half a century of insight, wisdom and ideas.
Boston, October 4, 2011 -- When he takes the stage at the DMA Annual Conference in Boston today, Lester Wunderman will bring with him over half a century of insight, wisdom and ideas. The man who revolutionized the advertising world by coining the phrase "Direct Marketing" joins Wunderman CMO Trish Wheaton to talk candidly about the past - and future - of advertising.
It was in an address to the Hundred Million Club (predecessor to the DMA), in New York on October 1, 1961 where a young Lester Wunderman delivered a speech that was one of the first uses of the term “Direct Marketing”. Almost 50 years to the day, Lester is back at the DMA Conference which hosts over 10,000 attendees from 50 countries. Download the 1961 speech here.
Today, at a forward-looking 91, Mr. Wunderman’s view of advertising has changed.
“If I were to name the industry today, I would call it “Personal Advertising”—an idea driven by consumer data and made possible by the rapid explosion of technology on every front,” said Wunderman.
“Personal Advertising,” as he describes it, is based on information stored as a live capsule that can remain latent in any electronic device and germinate, change and be brought to life when it is both relevant and timely. It flows increasingly from the growing dialogues that take place between the companies that make and market things and their ultimate consumers.
Mr. Wunderman will engage in a conversation about this and other musings about the future of the industry in which he is still involved (he still goes to his Madison Avenue office every day). Earlier this year his autobiography, Being Direct, which highlights his career journey, went digital and is now available as an e-book on Amazon Kindle, Barnes and Noble Nook and Apple iBooks, complete with a new foreword.
A Conversation with Lester Wunderman
The DMA Annual Conference, Oct 4, 4:15pm - 5:00pm
Boston Convention Center
Location: Room 258 BC
About Wunderman
Founded by Lester Wunderman, who coined the term “Direct Marketing,” Wunderman is the first name in response-driven marketing that delivers measureable results. With 50+ years of innovation, creativity and analytics, Wunderman transforms businesses—delivering digital, data and creative solutions through its network of 150+ offices in 60+ countries and 19 companies specializing in social, mobile, local and performance marketing. Wunderman’s network is seamlessly linked by a common philosophy that helps transform the way our clients do business. Wunderman is a member of Young & Rubicam Group and WPP (NASDAQ: WPPGY). For more information, visit www.wunderman.com.
