Charles H. Brower
Encyclopedia
Charles Hendrickson Brower (November 13, 1901 - July 23, 1984) was an American advertising
executive, copywriter, and author
.
and came from a long line of Dutch New Jersey farmers. His father, Charles Hendrick Brower, was an insurance agent and owner of two butcher shops. In 1903 his father sold the butcher shops and purchased a ranch near Pasadena, California. After the ranch failed family moved to Pasadena and lived there a few years.
In Pasadena Charles Brower first attended Columbia Grammar School, and then the Pasadena High School, specializing in agriculture. He also worked as a paperboy for the Los Angeles Examiner. During his junior year in high school his parents inherited some money from an uncle and moved back to New Jersey, settling in Freehold, where Charles Brower attended the local high school. Being tall (6'4") and weighing more than 200 pounds he played center on the football team.
He entered Rutgers on a scholarship to study agriculture, he than changed his major to physics, and then once again to English. He graduated from Rutgers College (NJ) in 1925 with a Bachelor of Science in English.
After graduation he worked as a teacher of English in Middlesex County Vocational School, and then as a full-time teacher at the Bound Brook High School in New Jersey. Though he liked teaching, he did not like the salary it provided, and began a search for a different career path. He worked briefly in Boston as a trainee adjuster for a casualty insurance company, and then as an assistant advertising manager at Pacific Mills.
On July 8, 1930, Brower married Marry Elizabeth Nelson. They had three children, one of them - a son Brock H. Brower a journalist and novelist.
He served at Batton, Barton, Durstine, and Osborn
(BBDO
) for 44 years until his retirement in 1972, and rose to become the chairman of the board, CEO, and president in 1957.
He was described as "MADISON Avenue's favorite phrasemaker" and was also known for his advertising approach of "smart" sell. As he said: "there is no such thing as the hard sell or the soft sell. There is only the smart sell and the stupid sell."
(AAF
) Hall of Fame.
In 1983 he received the Rutgers Medal and the Rutgers Alumni Association’s Loyal Son award.
The College Avenue complex, Brower Commons, is named in his honor.
Advertising
Advertising is a form of communication used to persuade an audience to take some action with respect to products, ideas, or services. Most commonly, the desired result is to drive consumer behavior with respect to a commercial offering, although political and ideological advertising is also common...
executive, copywriter, and author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
.
Biography
Charles H. Brower was born in Asbury Park, New JerseyNew Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
and came from a long line of Dutch New Jersey farmers. His father, Charles Hendrick Brower, was an insurance agent and owner of two butcher shops. In 1903 his father sold the butcher shops and purchased a ranch near Pasadena, California. After the ranch failed family moved to Pasadena and lived there a few years.
In Pasadena Charles Brower first attended Columbia Grammar School, and then the Pasadena High School, specializing in agriculture. He also worked as a paperboy for the Los Angeles Examiner. During his junior year in high school his parents inherited some money from an uncle and moved back to New Jersey, settling in Freehold, where Charles Brower attended the local high school. Being tall (6'4") and weighing more than 200 pounds he played center on the football team.
He entered Rutgers on a scholarship to study agriculture, he than changed his major to physics, and then once again to English. He graduated from Rutgers College (NJ) in 1925 with a Bachelor of Science in English.
After graduation he worked as a teacher of English in Middlesex County Vocational School, and then as a full-time teacher at the Bound Brook High School in New Jersey. Though he liked teaching, he did not like the salary it provided, and began a search for a different career path. He worked briefly in Boston as a trainee adjuster for a casualty insurance company, and then as an assistant advertising manager at Pacific Mills.
On July 8, 1930, Brower married Marry Elizabeth Nelson. They had three children, one of them - a son Brock H. Brower a journalist and novelist.
Batten, Barton, Durstine, and Osborn
When Brower first applied for a copyrighter position in George Batten Company he was not hired. He waited another 18 months before applying again, when he was interviewed and hired by William Benton. Benton, who later cofounded the Benton and Bowles agency, was fired from the company before Brower could start and didn't leave any written notice of hiring Brower. However, after showing up for work every day for three weeks he officially joined the advertising firm of George Batten Co., in 1928, just before its merger with Barton, Durstine & Osborn. of Batten. The first advertisement he wrote at the agency was for Paniplus, a hygroscopic agent which drew moisture from the air and was used by industrial bakers to keep bread moist. His headline read "Cut Losses from Stales".He served at Batton, Barton, Durstine, and Osborn
BBDO
BBDO is a worldwide advertising agency network, with its headquarters in New York City. The agency began in 1891 with George Batten's Batten Company, and later in 1928, through a merger of BDO and Batten Co. the agency became BBDO...
(BBDO
BBDO
BBDO is a worldwide advertising agency network, with its headquarters in New York City. The agency began in 1891 with George Batten's Batten Company, and later in 1928, through a merger of BDO and Batten Co. the agency became BBDO...
) for 44 years until his retirement in 1972, and rose to become the chairman of the board, CEO, and president in 1957.
He was described as "MADISON Avenue's favorite phrasemaker" and was also known for his advertising approach of "smart" sell. As he said: "there is no such thing as the hard sell or the soft sell. There is only the smart sell and the stupid sell."
Rutgers
Brower was closely involved in future and development of Rutgers University. For many years he served as class correspondent for Rugers magazine. Being the alumni trustee since 1946, he became instrumental in reorganizing Rutgers into a State University, and chaired the committee for that purpose in 1955. For 12 years since 1956 he served as one of trustee members of Board of Governors of the college in various positions, including vice chairman and chairman. He worked to establishing Charles and Elizabeth Brower Rare Book Fund, chairing and working on other organizations such as the Friends of the Rutgers Libraries.Legacy and awards
In 1981 Charles Brower was inducted into the American Advertising FederationAmerican Advertising Federation
The American Advertising Federation , headquartered in Washington, D.C., is the oldest national advertising trade association, representing 50,000 professionals in the advertising industry. The AAF has a national network of 200 ad clubs located in ad communities across the United States...
(AAF
American Advertising Federation
The American Advertising Federation , headquartered in Washington, D.C., is the oldest national advertising trade association, representing 50,000 professionals in the advertising industry. The AAF has a national network of 200 ad clubs located in ad communities across the United States...
) Hall of Fame.
In 1983 he received the Rutgers Medal and the Rutgers Alumni Association’s Loyal Son award.
The College Avenue complex, Brower Commons, is named in his honor.