Level: Sub-series
Reference: HAT50/1/98
Alt Ref No.: Hatrecord
Extent: 400+ folders (55 boxes)
Agency: J Walter Thompson (JWT), London
Advertiser / Client: Lever Brothers Ltd: Unilever
Related Material: HAT: JWT/5/5 (client data book for Lux Toilet Soap, 1931-1932) and JWT/7/8/1-3 (Lux Toilet Soap scientific study from the 1930s and research work on Sunsilk and Dimension shampoo for Unilever, 1977-1980s).
See also HAT50/1/82 for Hudson & Knight Limited (a Lever Brothers subsidiary) client account files and HAT50/1/181 for Van den Berghs Ltd.
Within the John Treasure collection there is a 1963 Schwerin research report for Lintas : 'A study of the relationship between commercial effectiveness measurements and sales performance for nine Unilever brands and a recommendation for future action' (Report B-L-6304360) and a JWT Unilever Conference report (1965) with loosely inserted notes on 'Unilever Conference on agency services and compensation: Report of the Beta Discussion Group' (J Walter Thompson New York).
Admin History: Lever & Co was founded in Warrington (Lancashire) in 1885 by brothers, William Hesketh and James Darcy Lever. They were originally wholesale grocers who then moved into the emerging soap market. In 1888 the business was transferred to the Port Sunlight site on the Wirral and in 1890 Lever Brothers Ltd was formed. In 1920 William Lever bought the Niger Company in order to obtain a supply of palm oil for his soap manufacture, which merged in 1929 with the African and Eastern Trade Corporation to form The United Africa Company Ltd (U.A.C). Following the Second World War the U.A.C expanded into East Africa, North Africa and the Middle East. In 1930 Lever Brothers formed an alliance with the Dutch Margarine Union which resulted in the creation of the Unilever combine, the first multinational consumer goods company. The Unilever Soap Company in England became Lever Brothers & Associates (L.B. & A.) Ltd, which was an amalgam of three companies: Crosfield; Hudson & Knight; Lever Brothers.
JWT was a pioneer in the use of personal testimonials by film and stage stars to promote beauty products, such as Lux Toilet Soap for Lever Brothers. 'The need to revitalise the Lux brand in the 1920s prompted Lever to commission JWT to find out exactly what kind of consumers bought Lux and how the brand was positioned in consumers' minds. JWT responded by conducting a large-scale market research survey. In 1927-1928, JWT researchers interviewed 3200 housewives in 20 towns across Britain about their attitudes towards washing generally and their habits in using soap brands in particular. JWT's market research on behalf of Lever focussed on how the whole category of soap was used by the prospective target market and how Lux flakes could be integrated into that network of washing habits and everyday life. JWT also studied the local conditions which influenced the sale of soap e.g. problems of hard water in counties of Southern England. The resulting market research reports suggests that the basis of the whole campaign was a 'quasi-ethnological analysis of modern housewives' washing habits'. The results of these investigations were then translated directly into a campaign plan for 1928-29, which resulted in the re-invention of Lux as one of Britain's first 'lifestyle' brands. Aside from 'recasting the brand values', JWT also translated the results of their investigations of the various market segments and their mental habits into advice that focussed on marketing mix decisions. As an early example of market development JWT advised Lever to create and exploit new markets for Lux by pushing the product into the formerly ignored retail channel of grocers and devise advertising messages which induced consumers to try soap flakes for the washing of dishes' (extract from 'Consumer Voice and Brand Loyalty: Lever, J. Walter Thompson and the Rise of Market Research in Britain, 1918-1939' by Stefan Schwarzkopf, 2007). In 1977 JWT London celebrated the 50th anniversary of their partnership with Lever Brothers through the creation of a 'Golden Jubilee' exhibition featuring classic ads.