Lester Wunderman facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Lester Wunderman
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Lester Wunderman, 2008
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| Born | June 22, 1920 The Bronx, New York City, U.S.
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| Died | January 9, 2019 (aged 98) New York, U.S.
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| Occupation | Advertising executive |
| Known for | Creator of direct marketing |
| Spouse(s) | Liljan Darcourt (divorced) Suzanne Oksman Cott |
| Children | 2 with Darcourt 3 stepsons |
Lester Wunderman (born June 22, 1920 – died January 9, 2019) was an American advertising expert. Many people see him as the person who created "modern direct marketing."
He came up with many new ideas, like the cards you find in magazines to subscribe. He also helped create the free 1-800 phone numbers for businesses. And he invented loyalty programs, which give you rewards for being a good customer. In 1967, he even named and defined "direct marketing" in a speech. Later, in 1998, he was honored in the Advertising Hall of Fame.
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Early Life and Education
Lester Wunderman was born on June 22, 1920, in the Bronx, a part of New York City. His parents, Dorothy and Harry Wunderman, were immigrants. His father came from Austria, and his mother was from Romania.
Lester didn't go to a traditional college to get a degree. Instead, he took classes at many different colleges and universities in New York City. This way, he created his own unique education!
The Birth of Direct Marketing
In 1947, Lester Wunderman started working as a copywriter. A copywriter is someone who writes the words for advertisements. He noticed that "mail order" businesses, which sold products through the mail, had a lot of potential.
He realized that these businesses could connect with customers in a more personal way than regular advertising. He called this new approach "direct marketing." It meant reaching customers directly, often through their mailboxes, to build a stronger connection.
Starting His Own Company
To make his direct marketing ideas grow, Lester Wunderman decided to start his own company. On August 20, 1958, he met with his brother Irving and two friends, Ed Ricotta and Harry Kline. They started their agency, called Wunderman, Ricotta & Kline, with $60,000.
Their new company opened in New York City with seven employees. Even without any clients at first, they quickly became very successful. In their first year, they earned over $2 million!
Big Ideas and Innovations
Wunderman, Ricotta & Kline (which later became just Wunderman) was behind many important advertising ideas:
- They helped develop the Columbia Record Club, where people could get music albums by mail.
- They created the first 1-800 toll-free phone number for businesses. This was first used for a Toyota car campaign.
- They invented the magazine subscription card, making it easy to sign up for magazines.
- They even helped with the postal ZIP code system, which helps mail get to the right place.
- Wunderman also worked closely with American Express. For them, he created the very first customer rewards program. This was a huge idea that helped keep customers loyal to a brand. Today, many travel and shopping companies use similar reward programs.
Awards and Recognition
Lester Wunderman received many honors for his work:
- In 1983, he was inducted into the Direct Marketing Hall of Fame.
- In 1998, he joined the Advertising Hall of Fame.
- He received an honorary doctorate degree from Brooklyn College in 1984.
- AdWeek Magazine named him one of twenty "Advertising Legends and Leaders" in 1998.
- In 2001, Time Magazine called him one of the "Great Pitchmen Over the Years."
Lester Wunderman also shared his knowledge by giving talks at many universities. These included Columbia University, Fordham University, Boston University, and M.I.T.. He wrote a book called Being Direct: Making Advertising Pay, which was first published in 1997.
Art and Photography
Lester Wunderman loved art and collected many pieces. He gave almost 300 works of Dogon art (from West Africa) to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. He also gave more of his Dogon collection to the Musée de l'Homme in Paris, France.
He was also a talented photographer. He studied photography and had his work shown in galleries. Fifty of his photographs of Dogon art are part of the permanent collection at New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art and thirteen other museums. He even helped start the International Center of Photography in New York.
Personal Life
Lester Wunderman was married twice. He had two children, Marc and Karen, with his first wife, Liljan Darcourt Malina.
At the time of his death, he lived in New York City with his second wife, Dr. Suzanne Cott. She had appeared on TV game shows in the 1950s and 1960s. Lester Wunderman also had three stepsons. He passed away on January 9, 2019, at the age of 98.
