Most ad people these days only know Mr. Whipple from Luke Sullivan’s book.
But the man was an icon, and his creator has passed away. USA Today reports:
John Chervokas, an advertising visionary who dreamed up “Please Don’t Squeeze the Charmin,” will be memorialized by colleagues and family this week.
In 1964, Chervokas was a 28-year-old advertising writer for Benton & Bowles who was ordered to create a campaign for toilet tissue. He introduced a character named Mr. Whipple in what was to become one of the country’s most famous advertising campaigns. Advertising Age magazine ranked it the 51st best of the 20th century.
Say what you will about Mr. Whipple, but I don’t think there’s a creative in advertising who wouldn’t be proud to create an iconic campaign like that. These days, with campaigns so short-lived, I wonder if anyone ever will again create a campaign that lasts.
Was thinking about this the other day with the Old Spice guy/challenge commercials…there just aren’t many characters that remain in commercials for years and years. I guess the polar bears with Coke are still around, but that seems a little different.
Also interesting to note that the one guy who came up with the idea actually gets credit for it, even after all these years. Compare that to the movie credits-like list of people attached to most campaigns these days. Even the crappy ones. Who wrote that spot? No way to be sure, but I can tell you who the Associate Media Buyer was.
the pinesol lady has been the same since i was growing up in the 90’s