Boost the Boss

In advertising, coddling the client's ego can be almost as important as selling his goods. The latest device for doing both at once is to give the corporate chief star billing in his company's ads. Wells, Rich, Greene popularized the idea last year by creating a television commercial for Trans World Airlines featuring the company's chairman, Charles Tillinghast Jr., who gave an elder-statesmanly address on the advantages of flying his line. Next, Wells. Rich turned out a print and television campaign for American Motors Corp. that focused on Chairman Roy Chapin Jr. stressing the moderate prices of AMC models lined up behind him. Soon other chief executives, including TransAmerica's John Beckett. TRW's Horace Armor Shepard and A-T-O Inc.'s Harry Figgie Jr., turned up in their companies' print ads. Not to be outdone, J. Walter Thompson has just produced a Pan American World Airways ad with an oversize photo of President Najeeb Halaby, who seeks public support for a cut-rate youth fare that the line plans to propose to the International Air Transport Association. Since fads spread like measles on Madison Avenue, it is probable that more corporate brass will soon be peering out of advertisements. Even if it offers no other advantages, the device eliminates the expense of models' fees.

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