F. William Free
Encyclopedia
F. William Free was an American advertising
executive. He is best remembered for the controversial 1971 advertising slogan for National Airlines
, "I'm Cheryl – Fly Me."
http://photos-e.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v1979/37/112/713338056/n713338056_1220732_8624.jpg
in New York, he became creative director of the Marschalk Company in 1959. During his time at Marschalk, Mr. Free introduced New York to the first soda brands to be added by the Coca-Cola
company; Sprite
, Tab
and Fresca
. His Fresca campaign featured a memorable exploit. Commercials for the citrus-flavored drink labeled it as having the "frosty taste of a blizzard", and were first published in winter 1967. The day after the ad was first shown, a foot of snow was rained upon New York. Mr. Free marched out into the blizzard and was photographed with a bottle of Fresca in his hand. He took a full-page newspaper advertisement out in The New York Times
the next day, announcing “New York. I'm sorry.” He later became president of Marschalk. He later opened his own agency in 1969 with his wife, Marcella. It was named F. William Free & Company.
, "I'm Cheryl – Fly Me." The slogan caused women's rights groups to protest outside his office in New York
carrying signs reading "I'm Bill-Fire Me." The campaign's notoriety paid off for National, and they saw an increase in revenue per passenger mile. The next year he created another ad, "I'm Eileen – Fly Me," this time featuring an 8-year-old girl who aspires to be a flight attendant. He also reprised the original ad, saying: "Millions of people flew me last year."
Another well known ad campaign of his was for the Silva Thins cigarettes of the American Tobacco Company
. Some of Mr. Free's ads for Silva Thins were almost as notorious as the Cheryl ads. One, in 1970, went, "Cigarettes are like girls, the best ones are thin and rich," which prompted the National Organization for Women
to demand a boycott of the brand.
with his ads for José Cuervo.
in 1928. He was also a champion horse breeder. One of the horses he bred, Packett's Landing, accumulated earnings of $799,769. He married twice, first to Marcella Free
(née Jones), and then to Mary Anne Free (née Murry). He had four children, Abagail, Adam and Molly with Jones, and Samantha with Murry. He was a longtime prominent resident of Millbrook, NY. He died in 2003, from complications of lung cancer
.
Advertising
Advertising is a form of communication used to persuade an audience to take some action with respect to products, ideas, or services. Most commonly, the desired result is to drive consumer behavior with respect to a commercial offering, although political and ideological advertising is also common...
executive. He is best remembered for the controversial 1971 advertising slogan for National Airlines
National Airlines (NA)
National Airlines was an airline founded in 1934 and was headquartered on the grounds of Miami International Airport in unincorporated Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States near Miami.- History :...
, "I'm Cheryl – Fly Me."
http://photos-e.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v1979/37/112/713338056/n713338056_1220732_8624.jpg
Early career and Marschalk years
He began his advertising career in 1950 as a junior art director at N. W. Ayer & Son in Philadelphia. After working as an art director for J. Walter Thompson in London and Foote, Cone & BeldingFoote, Cone & Belding
Draftfcb is one of the largest global advertising agency networks. It is owned by Interpublic Group and was formed by the 2006 merger of Foote, Cone & Belding and Draft. Although the merger of the two agencies is fairly young, the origins of Draftfcb date back to 1873, with the opening of Lord &...
in New York, he became creative director of the Marschalk Company in 1959. During his time at Marschalk, Mr. Free introduced New York to the first soda brands to be added by the Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola is a carbonated soft drink sold in stores, restaurants, and vending machines in more than 200 countries. It is produced by The Coca-Cola Company of Atlanta, Georgia, and is often referred to simply as Coke...
company; Sprite
Sprite (soft drink)
Sprite is a transparent, lemon-lime flavored , caffeine free soft drink, produced by the Coca-Cola Company. It was introduced in the United States in 1961. This was Coke's response to the popularity of 7 Up, which had begun as "Bib-Label Lithiated Lemon-Lime Soda" in 1929...
, Tab
Tab (soft drink)
Tab, stylized as TaB, is a diet cola soft drink produced by the Coca-Cola Company, first introduced in 1963. The soda was created by Coca Cola after the successful sales and marketing of Diet Rite cola, owned by The Royal Crown Company; previously, Diet Rite had been the only sugarless soda on the...
and Fresca
Fresca
Fresca is a citrus diet soft drink made by The Coca-Cola Company. First introduced in the United States in 1966, the drink is now sold throughout the American continent...
. His Fresca campaign featured a memorable exploit. Commercials for the citrus-flavored drink labeled it as having the "frosty taste of a blizzard", and were first published in winter 1967. The day after the ad was first shown, a foot of snow was rained upon New York. Mr. Free marched out into the blizzard and was photographed with a bottle of Fresca in his hand. He took a full-page newspaper advertisement out in The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
the next day, announcing “New York. I'm sorry.” He later became president of Marschalk. He later opened his own agency in 1969 with his wife, Marcella. It was named F. William Free & Company.
Controversial Ads
Free is best remembered for the controversial 1971 advertising slogan for National AirlinesNational Airlines (NA)
National Airlines was an airline founded in 1934 and was headquartered on the grounds of Miami International Airport in unincorporated Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States near Miami.- History :...
, "I'm Cheryl – Fly Me." The slogan caused women's rights groups to protest outside his office in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
carrying signs reading "I'm Bill-Fire Me." The campaign's notoriety paid off for National, and they saw an increase in revenue per passenger mile. The next year he created another ad, "I'm Eileen – Fly Me," this time featuring an 8-year-old girl who aspires to be a flight attendant. He also reprised the original ad, saying: "Millions of people flew me last year."
Another well known ad campaign of his was for the Silva Thins cigarettes of the American Tobacco Company
American Tobacco Company
The American Tobacco Company was a tobacco company founded in 1890 by J. B. Duke through a merger between a number of U.S. tobacco manufacturers including Allen and Ginter and Goodwin & Company...
. Some of Mr. Free's ads for Silva Thins were almost as notorious as the Cheryl ads. One, in 1970, went, "Cigarettes are like girls, the best ones are thin and rich," which prompted the National Organization for Women
National Organization for Women
The National Organization for Women is the largest feminist organization in the United States. It was founded in 1966 and has a membership of 500,000 contributing members. The organization consists of 550 chapters in all 50 U.S...
to demand a boycott of the brand.
Later career
He sold F. William Free & Company to Laurence & Charles after his divorce in 1981. At the new agency of Laurence, Charles & Free. There he was a key player in popularization of the tequila sunriseTequila Sunrise (cocktail)
The Tequila Sunrise is a cocktail made in two different ways, the original and the more popular concoction...
with his ads for José Cuervo.
Personal life
Free was born in Pittsburgh, PennsylvaniaPennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
in 1928. He was also a champion horse breeder. One of the horses he bred, Packett's Landing, accumulated earnings of $799,769. He married twice, first to Marcella Free
Marcella Free
Marcella Free , was respected as one of the advertising industry's leading copywriters . She was a pioneering woman in the business and was the...
(née Jones), and then to Mary Anne Free (née Murry). He had four children, Abagail, Adam and Molly with Jones, and Samantha with Murry. He was a longtime prominent resident of Millbrook, NY. He died in 2003, from complications of lung cancer
Lung cancer
Lung cancer is a disease characterized by uncontrolled cell growth in tissues of the lung. If left untreated, this growth can spread beyond the lung in a process called metastasis into nearby tissue and, eventually, into other parts of the body. Most cancers that start in lung, known as primary...
.