John Treasure

John Treasure (20 June 1924 – 9 February 2004) was a leading figure in the British advertising industry in the 1960s, 70s and 80s. He was chairman of J Walter Thompson in the UK while it was the country's number one agency, and then vice chairman of Saatchi & Saatchi when it in turn held the number one position; he was also Dean of City University Business School and Master of the Worshipful Company of Marketors. He was a potent proponent of the economic and social value of his industry, and became known as "Mr Advertising."

Early life and rise in BMRB and JWT John Albert Penberthy Treasure was born at Usk, in Monmouthshire, on 20 June 1924. The son of a bank clerk, he was brought up in Cardiff, where he was educated at the High School, and went on to take first-class honours in economics at University College, then part of the University of Wales.

'Mr Advertising' In 1967, at the age of 43, Treasure became JWT chairman. Between then and 1976, when he resigned, he presided over one of the most successful periods in the long life of that agency: under his chairmanship, JWT in the UK grew fourfold in recorded billings from £20 million to £80 million. Treasure became a director of the J Walter Thompson company worldwide, becoming vice chairman in 1974, and was president of both the Institute of Practitioners in Advertising and the Market Research Society. He was also president of the National Advertising Benevolent Society and later of the History of Advertising Trust, where he remained a governor until 2002; he also headed a Conservative Party committee on communications. the television critic of The Sunday Times wrote: "On the level of civil, intelligent Q&A it was very good. A good deal of rubbish that is talked about advertising, from both sides, was sensibly disposed of". at the winners' press conference, Treasure revealed that he had dreamed the night before that he would win with just such a putt, provoking the headline "Prophetic Prof Sinks Dream Putt". Good publicity was in his nature.

John Treasure's influence on the advertising profession and its image in the UK was significant and lasting: Maurice (later Baron) Saatchi called him "one of the great figures of advertising".

John Treasure died in Kingston Hospital on 9 February 2004. His papers from his time at JWT are stored as the John Treasure Collection at the History of Advertising Trust.