William Bernbach

William Bernbach – Life, Career, and Famous Quotes

Explore the life of William “Bill” Bernbach—his rise from mailroom clerk to advertising legend, the founding of DDB, his creative philosophy, landmark campaigns, and timeless quotes. Learn lessons from a visionary who transformed modern advertising.

Introduction

William “Bill” Bernbach (August 13, 1911 – October 2, 1982) is widely considered one of the most influential figures in the history of advertising. As a co-founder of Doyle Dane Bernbach (DDB), Bernbach championed creativity, honesty, and simplicity in advertising, helping usher in what is often called the “creative revolution” of mid-20th century advertising. His work changed how ads were crafted, elevating copywriting and art direction into a joint creative team, rather than separate silos. Bernbach believed in the power of ideas and the dignity of the consumer, and his legacy continues to influence marketers, creatives, and brand builders today.

Early Life and Education

William Bernbach was born in New York City, in the borough of the Bronx, on August 13, 1911. New York University, where in 1932 he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English.

Early in his life, Bernbach was drawn to words, creativity, and ideas—traits which would shape his career in advertising.

Early Career & Entry into Advertising

Bernbach’s entry into the advertising world was not glamorous. During the 1930s — the era of the Great Depression — he took a job in the mailroom of Schenley Distillers in New York.

From there, he moved to the William Weintraub agency and later held roles at Coty and Grey Advertising, where he worked initially as a copywriter before being elevated to creative director.

Bernbach grew frustrated with the formulaic, mechanical nature of most advertising at the time. He believed many agencies placed too much emphasis on research, rules, and repetitive structures, while neglecting originality, emotional truth, and respect for the consumer.

Founding DDB and Creative Philosophy

The Birth of DDB

In 1949, Bill Bernbach co-founded the advertising agency Doyle Dane Bernbach (DDB) along with Ned Doyle and Maxwell Dane. In this partnership:

• Maxwell Dane handled administrative and account matters

• Ned Doyle managed financial and client relationships

• Bernbach focused on the creative direction, copywriting, and the tone of the ads

Under this structure, Bernbach had freedom to push creative boundaries. He insisted on a radical shift: combining copywriters and art directors into small, collaborative teams, rather than having them in separate departments. This collaborative model is a staple in modern advertising agencies.

Creative Philosophy & Revolution

Bernbach’s core belief was that ideas—not mechanical rules or rote formulas—were the engine of effective advertising. His key principles included:

• Simplicity & honesty: Ads should strip away everything that doesn’t serve the product message. “Our job is to kill the cleverness that makes us shine instead of the product.”

• Truth & respect: “The truth isn’t the truth until people believe you.”

• Creativity as an unfair advantage: “It may well be that creativity is the last unfair advantage we’re legally allowed to take over our competitors.”

• Advertising is persuasion, not science: He warned against over-reliance on research: “Research can trap you into the past.”

• Emotional connection & human tone: He often stressed that effective ads should speak to people, not at them. “Words that work are words that are human.”

Through these philosophies, Bernbach helped shift advertising from stiff, formulaic copy toward emotionally resonant, human-centric messaging—a transformation central to the so-called Creative Revolution of the 1950s and 1960s.

Landmark Campaigns & Achievements

Bernbach and his agency produced a number of campaigns that became iconic, both creatively and commercially:

• Volkswagen “Think Small” / “Lemon”
  Perhaps his most celebrated work. DDB’s Volkswagen Beetle campaign (designed and overseen by Bernbach) broke conventions of car advertising. With minimalist art, self-deprecating honesty, and a focus on simplicity, the campaign became an advertising touchstone.

• Avis “We Try Harder”
  Facing a weaker market position (Avis was #2 behind Hertz), Bernard’s campaign leaned into that underdog status: “When you’re No. 2, you try harder.” It turned a weakness into a strength and is regarded as one of advertising’s classic turnaround strategies.

• Levy’s Bread – “You Don't Have to Be Jewish to Love Levy’s”
  A bold campaign for a rye bread brand, it used the clever line to expand the product beyond a niche market.

• Mikey for Life Cereal
  A campaign that humanized a cereal brand via kid perspective and trial messaging.

• Polaroid, Juan Valdez, “It’s so simple” (Polaroid)
  Bernbach’s agency handled wide-reaching brands across different product categories, applying his creative-first approach broadly.

During his career, Bernbach won numerous industry awards and honors. He was inducted into the writers Hall of Fame in 1964, named “Man of the Year in Advertising” in 1964 and 1965, and was recognized by multiple organizations including the American Advertising Federation.

By 1976, DDB had grown from its modest start into the 11th largest advertising agency in the U.S.

Personal Life

Bill Bernbach married Evelyn Carbone in 1938. John L. Bernbach and Paul Bernbach.

He was known to be a cultured man, with interests in literature, poetry, and music. New York City on October 2, 1982, at the age of 71.

Posthumously, his life and work have been examined by biographers and advertising historians. Doris Willens, a former DDB PR executive, published a biography Nobody’s Perfect: Bill Bernbach and the Golden Age of Advertising, which both celebrates and critically explores his legacy.

Legacy and Influence

• Creative paradigm shift: Bernbach is widely credited as one of the architects of the modern creative advertising model, emphasizing collaboration, idea-driven work, and emotional resonance over mechanical rule-based execution.

• Enduring agency model: The integration of copywriters and art directors into creative teams became a template for agencies around the world, thanks in part to Bernbach’s influence.

• Cultural impact: Campaigns like Think Small redefined how products could be presented—honestly, wittily, and with respect for the audience.

• Industry lore & inspiration: His beliefs—that truth, originality, and respect matter—are still frequently cited in marketing, design, and advertising discourse.

• Model of integrity and art in commerce: Bernbach argued that advertising should not debase society, but could instead help “lift it onto a higher level.”

In rankings of influential advertising figures, Bernbach is often placed at or near the top of the list.

Famous Quotes of William Bernbach

Here are selected quotes that convey his philosophy, wit, and worldview:

• “The most powerful element in advertising is the truth.”

• “Our job is to sell our clients’ merchandise… not ourselves. Our job is to kill the cleverness that makes us shine instead of the product.”

• “An idea can turn to dust or magic, depending on the talent that rubs against it.”

• “In advertising, not to be different is virtually suicidal.”

• “Research can trap you into the past.”

• “Advertising is fundamentally persuasion and persuasion happens to be not a science, but an art.”

• “Nobody counts the number of ads you run; they just remember the impression you make.”

• “All of us who professionally use the mass media are the shapers of society. We can vulgarize that society. We can brutalize it. Or we can help lift it onto a higher level.”

• “It may well be that creativity is the last unfair advantage we’re legally allowed to take over our competitors.”

• “Just because your ad looks good is no insurance that it will get looked at.”

These quotes reflect Bernbach’s emphasis on truth, creativity, emotional impact, and responsibility in advertising.

Lessons from William Bernbach

1. Creativity over conformity: Bernbach’s success shows that breaking rules and defying norms can be exactly what cuts through the noise.

2. Respect the audience: He believed that consumers deserve honest, intelligent communication—not manipulation or fluff.

3. Ideas are central: No amount of technique can substitute for a compelling idea at the core.

4. Simplicity is powerful: Strip away distractions; let the essential message shine.

5. Responsibility in influence: As someone shaping mass media, Bernbach believed advertisers had societal responsibility, not just commercial goals.

6. Collaborative craftsmanship: His model of pairing writers and artists underscores that the best work often emerges from teamwork rather than siloed expertise.

Conclusion

William Bernbach radically reshaped what advertising could be: not a mere commercial tool, but a creative, honest, human medium. His drive for originality, integrity, and emotional truth left an indelible mark on the industry. The campaigns he produced remain studied, celebrated, and influential decades on.