Leo Burnett, the creator of some of the best-known advertising icons in America, was born October 21, 1891 in St. John's, Michigan. His career was centered in the Midwest, from his first job at the Peoria Journal Star to his own ad agency in Chicago. His ads reflected a Midwestern homeyness rather than the East Coast sophistication typical of New York's Madison Avenue agencies.
Burnett's most famous characters became a part of the American vernacular. They included the Jolly Green Giant, Morris the Cat, the Pillsbury Doughboy, the Marlboro Man and Tony the Tiger. Many of his advertising characters are still at work today.
"I have learned that any fool can write a bad ad, but that it takes a real genius to keep his hands off a good one." -Leo Burnett
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