Biow Bows Out

With no warning at all, one of Manhattan's biggest ad agencies last week hung up its grey flannel suit, wrapped the draperies of its couch about it and lay down to pleasant dreams. Milton H. Biow, 63-year-old founder, chairman and president of Biow Co., Inc., announced that he would liquidate the company at the end of June. His explanation: "After 40 years of intensive application, I feel that I can now pursue other interests."

Thus ended a spectacular career. Biow founded his company during World War I at the age of 25, and quickly proved himself a nimble idea man. For his first big account he coined the phrase "Bulova Watch Time." For Eversharp, Inc. he invented radio's $64 Question, saw the sum of money gain such renown that TV's current $64,000 Question pays him a royalty. He found a midget bellhop, assigned him the $20,000-a-year job of shrilling "Call for Philip Morris!" By 1952, with an annual billing of $50 million, Biow Co. ranked as the eighth biggest U.S. advertising agency.

But then, Biow's road led downhill. Sensing that he was slipping, Biow turned over some of his authority to two big account executives, changed the agency's name to Biow-Beirn-Toigo, Inc. Then suddenly big accounts became dissatisfied with the agency's work and signed off one by one. Oldtimer Bulova Watch Co. withdrew in 1954. Pepsi-Cola and Philip Morris, among others, left in 1955. Executive Vice President John Toigo brought the Schlitz beer account into the firm early this year without consulting Biow; angrily, Biow threw Schlitz back out, took over the company again and changed its name back to Biow Co. In the midst of the confusion F. Kenneth Beirn, Toigo and a host of other key staff members quit.

Left alone, his billings at least halved and still slipping, Adman Biow fought to keep his agency alive, even tried to push a $1,000,000 revitalizing program. Madison Avenue felt that he might make it. But Biow, mulling it all over, finally decided that the task would be too much for him.

Last week, as some 300 Biow employees scrambled to find new jobs, other agencies began scrambling for his remaining accounts. Among them: Armstrong Rubber Co., Benrus Watch Co. and Hudson Pulp & Paper Corp., attractive prizes all.

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