All My Relations J. Walter Wronski

J. Walter Wronski is my Uncle on my Dad's side. Duh!, you say. With that name, "Wronski", doesn't that family tree association explain itself? Let's not quibble.

J. Walter was an Ad Man. An Ad Biggie as he himself liked to refer to himself. I know, sounds a lot like that venerable old firm J. Walter Thompson. Where, by the way, your's truly had his start as an Ad Biggie himself. I arrived during the year JWT was celebrating its 100th anniversary. It is the oldest; and once, the biggest. Here I am during the height of my career as a Mad Man.

But enough about me. [What do you think of me?]

J. Walter was actually a pioneer in the Ad Game. His bread and butter was those ads you see in the back page of church Sunday flyer newsletters. Sounds like it's not all that, huh? Think again. He did well. He lived in the swellest town in Connecticut where, to give you an idea of how swell ... let's just say that the only thing local residents there had to worry about was the sun bleaching the garden wicker furniture. Lakeside, you better believe; vintage Garwood speedboat. All the most exotic imported cars. He even tried his hand on the race circuit. Pictured here, once again, with a pair of the usual cuties at his side.

That "pair" of cuties thing, was his claim to fame. At least what was talked about among the cocktail set after hours at Sardi's. He invented the "2 for 1" Sale. Just came to him once, the story goes, on some booze filled night working late in the office with his, ahem, crack [no pun intended] staff of twin secretaries. [As imaged above.] It's all true. And, then some. I assure you.

Interesting, his hiring practices. When the placement agency asked him what sort of secretarial skill level he required, he famously tersely requested, "Like a mink. Might as well make it a coupla of 'em."

He was the classic ad man. Work hard. Play hard.

And, by play, we're not talking tiddlywinks ...

He did have a few clients on the national stage. Remember Doublemint Chewing Gum? Those two lovelies pictured below were the inspiration for that memorable iconic line: "Double Your Pleasure. Double Your Fun ..."

Which also reminds me to mention how J. Walter was an early adopter of multitasking. It might be "party on" time, but dear Uncle was always looking for whatever the opportunity. Ad Biggie to the bone. [No pun intended.]

Hey, that's a Wronski!

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