Thomas J. Barratt
Encyclopedia
Thomas J. Barratt was the chairman of the soap manufacturer A&F Pears
and a pioneer of brand marketing. He has been called "the father of modern advertising".
Barratt was born in London. He married Mary Pears, the eldest daughter of Francis Pears, the head of A&F Pears'. He consequently entered the firm in 1865, becoming his father-in-law's partner. Under his leadership the company instituted a systematic method of advertising its distinctive soap, in which slogans and memorable images were combined. His slogan "Good morning. Have you used Pears' soap?" was famous in its day. It continued to be a well known catch phrase well into the twentieth century.
Barratt was keen to equate Pears with quality and high culture through his campaign methods. He acquired works of art to use in the advertisements, most famously John Everett Millais
' painting Bubbles
, which he turned into an advertisement by adding a bar of Pears soap in the foreground. Millais was said to be unhappy about the alteration, but could do nothing since Barratt had acquired the copyright. Barratt followed this with a series of adverts inspired by Millais' painting, portraying cute children in idealised middle class homes, associating Pears with social aspiration and domestic comfort.
Barratt also made effective use of testimonials, recruiting both scientists and glamorous high society figures. He also established Pears Annual in 1891, in which he promoted contemporary illustration and colour printing. In 1897 he added Pears Cyclopedia, a single volume encyclopedia.
Barratt's methods led to much comment and parody, most famously a Harry Furniss
Punch cartoon in which a tramp says "I used your soap two years ago, and have not used any other since", a parody of Lillie Langtry
's testimonial advertisement for the soap. Barratt bought the rights to the cartoon and used it in Pears' own marketing. Another of Barratt's gimmicks was to import half a million French centime
s, imprint them with Pears' name and introduce them into circulation. The ploy caused huge publicity and led to an act of Parliament to protect British currency. Barratt also linked Pears' to British imperial culture, associating the cleansing power of the soap with the imagery of worldwide commerce and the empire's supposed civilising mission.
Barratt was not a systematic theorist of marketing, but introduced a number of ideas that were widely circulated. He was keen to define a strong brand image for Pears while also emphasising his products ubiquity with saturation campaigns. He was also aware of the need for constant reinvention, stating in 1907 that "tastes change, fashions change, and the advertiser has to change with them. An idea that was effective a generation ago would fall flat, stale, and unprofitable if presented to the public today. Not that the idea of today is always better than the older idea, but it is different - it hits the present taste."
In addition to his business and advertising activity Barratt wrote a history of Hampstead
, Annals of Hampstead (1912). He became Deputy Lieutenant of the City of London, Master of the Barber's Company and a Fellow of the Royal Microscopical and Statistical Society. He was also a member of several clubs.
Pears soap
Pears transparent soap is a brand of soap first produced and sold in 1789 by Andrew Pears at a factory just off Oxford Street in London, England. It was the world's first transparent soap. Under the stewardship of Thomas J. Barratt, A. & F. Pears Ltd. company initiated a number of innovations in...
and a pioneer of brand marketing. He has been called "the father of modern advertising".
Barratt was born in London. He married Mary Pears, the eldest daughter of Francis Pears, the head of A&F Pears'. He consequently entered the firm in 1865, becoming his father-in-law's partner. Under his leadership the company instituted a systematic method of advertising its distinctive soap, in which slogans and memorable images were combined. His slogan "Good morning. Have you used Pears' soap?" was famous in its day. It continued to be a well known catch phrase well into the twentieth century.
Barratt was keen to equate Pears with quality and high culture through his campaign methods. He acquired works of art to use in the advertisements, most famously John Everett Millais
John Everett Millais
Sir John Everett Millais, 1st Baronet, PRA was an English painter and illustrator and one of the founders of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood.-Early life:...
' painting Bubbles
Bubbles (painting)
Bubbles, originally titled A Child's World, is a painting by Sir John Everett Millais that became famous when it was used over many generations in advertisements for Pears soap...
, which he turned into an advertisement by adding a bar of Pears soap in the foreground. Millais was said to be unhappy about the alteration, but could do nothing since Barratt had acquired the copyright. Barratt followed this with a series of adverts inspired by Millais' painting, portraying cute children in idealised middle class homes, associating Pears with social aspiration and domestic comfort.
Barratt also made effective use of testimonials, recruiting both scientists and glamorous high society figures. He also established Pears Annual in 1891, in which he promoted contemporary illustration and colour printing. In 1897 he added Pears Cyclopedia, a single volume encyclopedia.
Harry Furniss
Henry Furniss was an artist and illustrator, born in Wexford, Ireland. His father was English and his mother Scottish, Furniss identifying himself as English...
Punch cartoon in which a tramp says "I used your soap two years ago, and have not used any other since", a parody of Lillie Langtry
Lillie Langtry
Lillie Langtry , usually spelled Lily Langtry when she was in the U.S., born Emilie Charlotte Le Breton, was a British actress born on the island of Jersey...
's testimonial advertisement for the soap. Barratt bought the rights to the cartoon and used it in Pears' own marketing. Another of Barratt's gimmicks was to import half a million French centime
Centime
Centime is French for "cent", and is used in English as the name of the fraction currency in several Francophone countries ....
s, imprint them with Pears' name and introduce them into circulation. The ploy caused huge publicity and led to an act of Parliament to protect British currency. Barratt also linked Pears' to British imperial culture, associating the cleansing power of the soap with the imagery of worldwide commerce and the empire's supposed civilising mission.
Barratt was not a systematic theorist of marketing, but introduced a number of ideas that were widely circulated. He was keen to define a strong brand image for Pears while also emphasising his products ubiquity with saturation campaigns. He was also aware of the need for constant reinvention, stating in 1907 that "tastes change, fashions change, and the advertiser has to change with them. An idea that was effective a generation ago would fall flat, stale, and unprofitable if presented to the public today. Not that the idea of today is always better than the older idea, but it is different - it hits the present taste."
In addition to his business and advertising activity Barratt wrote a history of Hampstead
Hampstead
Hampstead is an area of London, England, north-west of Charing Cross. Part of the London Borough of Camden in Inner London, it is known for its intellectual, liberal, artistic, musical and literary associations and for Hampstead Heath, a large, hilly expanse of parkland...
, Annals of Hampstead (1912). He became Deputy Lieutenant of the City of London, Master of the Barber's Company and a Fellow of the Royal Microscopical and Statistical Society. He was also a member of several clubs.