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A. Bernie Wood Papers, 1942-2001 (bulk 1960s)

Extent and Forms of Material: 10 cubic feet, including photographs, slides, audio discs, moving image, and some three dimensional packaging (27 boxes, 1 oversize folder)
Creator: A. Bernie Wood
Abstract: A. (Arthur) Bernie Wood (1921-1986) was an advertising designer, consultant, and inventor actively involved in the development of the restaurant franchise industry in America during the 1960s and 1970s. Particularly notable is his work with marketing, promotion, and merchandising for the McDonald’s Corporation during its formative years.
Repository: Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C.; archivescenter@si.edu; 202-633-3270; www.americanhistory.si.edu/archives
Collection Number: AC0962
Processing Note: Processed by Alison L. Oswald, archivist, 2008.
© 2009 by the Smithsonian Institution. All rights reserved.

Information for users of the collection

Conditions Governing Access: The collection is open for research use.
Physical Access: Researchers must handle unprotected photographs with gloves. Researchers must use reference copies of audio-visual materials. When no reference copy exists, the Archives Center staff will produce reference copies on an "as needed" basis, as resources allow. Collection located at off-site storage area.
Technical Access: Viewing film portion of collection requires special appointment, please inquire. Do not use original materials when available on reference video or audio tapes.
Conditions Governing Reproduction and Use: Copyright held by the Smithsonian Institution. Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Reproduction permission from Archives Center: reproduction fees may apply.
Preferred Citation: [Title and date of item], A. Bernie Wood Papers, 1942-2001 (bulk 1960s), Archives Center, National Museum of American History, box number X, folder number XX, digital file number XXXXXXXX

In-depth information about the collection

Administrative/biographical history
Scope and content
System of arrangement
Languages
Acquisition information
Access points
Container listing

Administrative/biographical history

Arthur Bernie Wood (1921-1986) was born in Council Grove, Kansas. Wood graduated from Central High School in Kansas City, Missouri, in 1939 and subsequently attended several junior colleges and business and trade schools. Wood held a variety of positions in typesetting and lithographic services from 1940 until military service in the United States Navy (1942-1945). In the Navy, Wood served as a Laboratory Technician, 1st Class Photographic Specialist at the Naval Air Station, Glenview, Illinois. While in the Navy, Wood produced patentable material for a photo-litho process for instant printing techniques through photosynthesis. After being discharged from the Navy, Wood worked for an art studio that serviced advertising agencies. This work involved reproduction art, direct mailing services, mail order books, and newspaper art for Marshall Field's. From 1958 to 1960, Wood established the A. Bernie Wood Studio in Chicago to provide finished photographic art for leading advertising and print publications and television.

In 1961, Wood founded Admart, Inc., Advertising. As the president and creative director of Admart, he created, promoted, and merchandised the new fast-food corporate image of McDonald's Carry-Out Restaurants. While working for McDonald's, Wood designed interior food service floor plans, a logotype, direct mailing materials, posters, newspaper mat campaigns, and radio taped productions (1963-1964). Wood obtained several patents--beverage cup holder (1964), candy box (1967), finger-grip food product containers (1967), and a refreshment tray-forming template (1964) and trademarks--"Chick'n-2-Go" (1968);"NEATRAE" (1967); and "Ma and Pa's Country Candy Store" (1966). Wood, and Donald Conley formed Neat Containers Associates to promote the use of "Neatrae" and license it.

In 1965, Wood founded a franchise business called Ma and Pa's Country Candy Stores in Arlington Heights, Illinois, which he owned and operated with his wife Marilyn until 1972. They also owned another unit in Long Grove, Illinois. As the director and co-founder of this franchise, Wood was responsible for creating names, trademarks, copyrights, and image materials. He sold franchise rights to others, and there were other Ma and Pa's Country Candy Stores located in the United States, especially in St. Louis. He also designed store interiors and exteriors for other clients and supervised construction. From 1964 to 1965, Wood was a freelance designer and consultant on design, marketing, and franchising issues for restaurants and drive-ins. Other corporate images designed by Wood include: Prince Castle, Neba Roast Beef, and Friar Fish's Fish and Chips. Wood expressed his goal to design an image/logo as one "that would be recognized and one that would relate to products, packaging, properties, people, procedures and promotion. Put together, these elements communicated and coordinated the corporate image."

Wood also developed the concept Dial "All Wood," the use of a memorable association of letters rather than phone numbers (255-9663) and requesting specific phone numbers from the local Illinois Bell Telephone.

Wood married Marilyn Dewar (1923-1981) on May 27, 1942, in Kansas City, Missouri. They had five children: Ronald W.; Rhonda C.; Randall S.; Rayne Ann; and Rodger L.

Scope and content

The collection documents the post-war development of the franchise business system from an insider's view. Wood participated in almost all aspects of franchising activities from design to ownership. The materials consist of a wide variety of corporate identity elements--primarily visual--developed by Wood under contract to various corporations in the food service industry. Wood delivered his services in design concepts and graphics for advertisers and industrial firms using photo graphics and lithographic media.

The collection is divided into seven series: Series 1, Personal Materials, 1942-1986, undated; Series 2, Business Materials, 1959-2001, undated; Series 3, McDonald's Corporation, 1960-1985; Series 4, Client Files, 1958-1984; Series 5, Patent and Trademark Materials, 1962-1976; Series 6, Photographs, Slides and Negatives, 1963-1975, undated; and Series 7, Audio and Moving Image Materials, 1963, 1964, 1968.

Series 1, Personal Materials, 1942-1986, undated, contains resumes and business cards, an obituary and in memoriam pamphlets, the Central High School Reunion Yearbook (1977), a self-portrait, and other miscellaneous materials. The resumes and business cards provide a good overview of Wood's career. The correspondence, 1942-1945, 1972, consists of a letter of recommendation for Wood and Naval Air Reserve Training Command letters detailing Wood's work for the Photographic and Printing Department and his submission to the United States Navy's "Beneficial Suggestion Plan" of an invention for controlling the lens aperture of a camera process. Wood's idea was filed on July 29, 1946 (US Patent Serial No., 686, 833), but it is unclear whether this invention was pursued by the United States Navy. The self-portrait of Wood is black crayon on mat board depicting Wood in his naval uniform, circa 1940s. An oversize black-and-white photograph of Wood can be found in box 23. Other miscellaneous materials include a Frank Lloyd Wright Day proclamation and invitation, October 1956; an article, photograph and campaign button related to Alf Landon, Governor of Kansas from 1933-1937 and 1936 GOP candidate for United States President; a voter registration card; American Academy of Art School brochures and photocopies of the "two fisted double barreled Mickey Mouse Horse" named Cynthia drawn by Wood.

Series 2, Business Materials, 1959-2001, undated, is divided into three subseries: Subseries 1, Franchise information, 1961-2001; Subseries 2, Design work, undated; and Subseries 3, Reference materials, 1959-1972. This series deals primarily with documentation on the topic of franchising and activities related to Wood's own business, Admart, Inc., and other business interests. Wood's own franchise, Ma and Pa's Country Candy Store, is represented here. Photographs related to Ma and Pa's Country Candy Store is in Series 6, Photographs, Slides and Negatives, 1963-1968.

Subseries 1, Franchise information, 1961-2001, includes examples of letterhead used by Wood for business purposes, specifically Admart, Inc., Advertising, and correspondence, awards, and general franchise information. The correspondence is sparse and the three letters relate to the topic of franchising and one for shares owned by Wood in the American Flavor Corporation. The annual report planning chart is a generic chart detailing the concept (ideas/direction), planning (copy and design layout), writing (art), and production (printing /distribution) of an annual report with an established time frame. The award given to Wood is from Food Services Executives Association and Paper Cup and Container Institute. It was given for, "outstanding use of imprinting on paper cups or food containers in the promotion of specialties of the house." The International Design Conference (Aspen) (IDCA) materials in this series consist of printed emails from 2001 determining whether or not Wood was a 1959 participant of IDCA. See Series 6 for photographs of the IDCA from 1964. The International Franchise Association, Inc., materials include a program for the February 1962 meeting and other printed materials Wood designated as part of the International Franchise Association file. The Food Facilities Engineering Society meeting of May 1965 includes personal notes taken by Wood at the meeting and the Food Facilities Engineering Society News, 1965 and the National Restaurant Association Take-Out technical bulletin, undated. Of note is a photocopied example of a one page, annotated Colonel Sanders Kentucky Fried Chicken, Inc., franchise contract from 1961. The National Franchise Reports, June 1964 to August 1964 and November 1964 provide franchise news and a list of services. Also included in this file is printed material from the Paper Cup and Container Institute, Inc., on Central Kitchens and Paper Service Newest Idea in School Feeding. The publications include a variety of writing on business by Wood and others, about the ownership of a franchise and franchising in general. Select titles include Franchising Around the World, Modern Franchising, and Quickservice Operations Management.

Subseries 2, Design work, undated, consists of a notebook, a scrapbook, drawings and sketches. The design notebook was assembled and presumably used by Wood as a reference tool. It contains artwork for potential ads for several different companies--;Johnson Wax, McDonald's, Coca-Cola, Whirlpool, and Studebaker--and there is no accompanying text. Additional design work includes loose drawings and sketches for a portable 3D-Stereo and unidentified logo development on mat board; artwork for Vigoro Complete Plant Food, also on mat board; and pencil holiday sketches of wreathes, holly, reindeer, stars, trees, snowmen and crèche scenes. There is one Christmas point-of-purchase ad developed by Wood for Hallmark [Mob Tall?] which was intended to be used in place of mistletoe. The Lettering Scrapbook was assembled, created and presumably referred to by Wood during his design work. Wood developed a lettering classification system which is listed at the beginning of the scrapbook. All of the lettering examples were clipped from magazines or newspapers.

Subseries 3, Reference materials, 1959-1972, consists of publications about franchising, mobiles celebrating the Christmas season and one depicting "Elmer the elephant," and magazine advertisements, circa 1950s. The advertisements consist of black-and-white and color advertisements clipped from magazines and newspapers and assembled and used by Wood as a reference tool. The ads are arranged alphabetically by company name with the product name noted parenthetically. For example, Crown Jewel Ware, Inc., (cookware). A variety of products are represented from candy to washing machines.

Series 2, McDonald's Corporation, 1960-1985, is divided into eight subseries: Subseries 1, Background, 1963, 1985, undated; Subseries 2, Corporate materials, 1960-1984; Subseries 3, McDonald's System, Inc., 1964; Subseries 4, Newsletters, 1960-1964, 1983; Subseries 5, Advertising and Marketing; Subseries 6, Packaging, 1964, undated; Subseries 7, Sales, 1963, 1964, [1972?], undated; Subseries 8, Miscellaneous, 1960s, 1979, undated. This series is one of the largest and most significant. It represents the bulk of Wood's client work for McDonald's in the early 1960s.

Subseries 1, Background materials, 1963, 1985, undated, contains a booklet in memory of Ray Kroc (1952-1984), founder of the McDonald's Corporation in 1955. The booklet provides an overview of the birth of McDonald's and its success. There is also a Method of Operation booklet for new employees detailing the "formula" and "principles" for the foundation of the McDonald's method. There are also newspaper clippings, 1960-1984 about Ray Kroc and McDonald's in general.

Subseries 2, Corporate materials, 1960-1984, consists of correspondence primarily from Don Conley, Vice President, to other staff about Bernie Wood's services, international franchising issues, and area franchise agreements. The McDonald's trademark information consists of memos from Ray Kroc to John Horn, Advertising Manager, about the use of the McDonald's trademark on various items, including an ashtray. The materials also include a status report on trademarks and service marks of the McDonald's Corporation from December 1962. Service marks are a type of trademark used to identify a service rather than a product. A service mark is federally registered and the standard registration symbol ® or "Reg U.S. Pat & TM Off" is used. A service mark is used on the advertising of the service rather than on the packaging. Some of the corporate identity pieces include letterhead, envelopes and examples of diplomas bestowing a bachelor of "Hamburgerology" from Hamburger University on an employee for completing the basic operator's course.

The three press kits contain different types of materials including: printed product literature, press release sheets with anecdotes about McDonald's, fact sheets, McDonald's success story, the history of the hamburger, what McDonald's means to the local community, and information on how best to use the McDonald's press kit. Cooper Golin, Inc., a public relations, marketing, and sales promotion firm, generated the press information sheets.

Subseries 3, Newsletters, 1960-1964, 1983, contains an incomplete run and consists of two types--those intended for employees and others intended for customers. McDonald's the Drive-in with the Arches Newsletter and On the Go with McOPCO (McDonald's Operating Company) were created for employees while the Adams and Wells Street Journal was for customers of the Adams and Wells Street McDonald's in Chicago, Illinois.

Subseries 4, Advertising and marketing materials, 1971-1978, undated, contains specialty pieces for specific McDonald's products such as the Bopper Balloon or the All American Advertising Campaign. The campaign materials include product differentiation flyers, yet all the pieces were intended to influence demand. This series demonstrates the wide variety of advertising pieces Wood created--balloons, matchbooks, puzzles, coupons, placemats, paper bags, and a calendar--to convey the McDonald's message and image.

Subseries 5, Packaging, 1964 and undated, contains items collected or created by Wood such as the Neatrae. The packaging represents a container that was formed to hold food or in the instance of the McDonald's Bank, coins.

Subseries 6, Sales, 1963, 1964, [1972?], undated, consists of a property checklist and a lease. The property checklist was to be completed by real estate personnel, and it detailed traffic, distance to business activities, land information, zoning data, and general site information such as water, sewer, natural gas and wiring lines. The lease is an example of what terms were agreed to between the "lessor" and McDonald's System, Inc. The bulk of the sales materials include proposals developed by Wood in five areas: System of Success, Public Relations, Sales Areas, Sales Promotions, and Miscellaneous. The "System of Success Communication Within and Without" is a proposal that addresses the issue of troubleshooting and training personnel. Wood's method is based on check chart comparisons and communication ideas. This proposal contains a McDonald's organizational chart. The second proposal is "Public Relations" and contains Wood's outline for "nostalgic paraphernalia" or a "longing for the good times." The "Sales Area" proposal details the sales success system for certain sales territories in the United States and for how McDonald's can succeed. Sales Promotion defines the objective and a plan for approaching it in very general terms. Lastly, the miscellaneous file holds a drive-in restaurant industry consumer survey conducted by the Consumer Research Section at WCOL radio in Cincinnati, Ohio. This survey also contains three articles from operators of coffee houses and drive-in restaurants discussing the services, food and coffee quality, and associated costs and profits. There are some examples of "tests" given to window men to check their speed and accuracy in calculating the cost of food and in making correct change.

There is one black, plastic vinyl briefcase emblazoned with the McDonald's logo.

Subseries 7, Drawings, 1960s-1970s, contains line drawings, photocopies of drawings, and plans for interior and exterior elements associated with McDonald's as well as equipment and products. Many of the drawings are photocopies that depict exterior and interior features at a McDonald's restaurant. These include the drive-through window, lighting and heating, window equipment, and a site plan for the Wheeling, Illinois, McDonald's. There are mock-up line drawings for McDonald's products and accessories (garbage cans, mustard dispensers, litter scoops, fish timers, and spatulas) available from Prince Castle Company, a subsidiary of the Martin Brower Company.

Series 4, Client Files, 1958-1984, is arranged alphabetically by client or project name. In most instances, it is noted what type of material exists for each file such as a license agreement or promotional literature. The majority of documentation in this series consists
of artwork and promotional materials Wood designed for the client. He performed a variety of activities and services for his clients and the documentation for each client/project is uneven. Overall characteristics for these files include: artwork, articles, logos, newsletters, packaging such as bags, postcard ads, promotional literature, paper dolls, stationery and corporate image and identity, newsletters such as the Bell News for Illinois Bell Telephone, brochures, and handwritten notes by Wood on operations, training, and sales issues.

Series 5, Patent and Trademark Materials, 1962-1976, is divided into two subseries Subseries 1, Patents and patent applications, 1962-1969, 1975-1976 and Subseries 2, Trademarks, 1964-1970.

The patents and patent application materials are arranged chronologically by issue date. Some of the patents did not issue, and therefore only the serial application number or relevant information is provided. Overall, the patent files contain originals and copies of correspondence, drawings, application forms, and in some instances, examples of Wood's inventions such as the beverage cup holder or the carton forming pattern in cardboard pattern form. An example of the carton forming pattern (US Patent Serial No., 455,463) as Wood envisioned it as a Golden Arches Dessert box is in Series 4, McDonald's, box 12. Wood's photocomposition font storage device invention relates generally to improvements in photographic compositors, and it relates particularly to an improved character (storage devices and optical retrieval) and projection system. Wood worked with the Varitype Division of Addressograph Multigraph Corporation to prepare and prosecute his patent application. Documentation includes correspondence, pencil drawings on tracing paper, and product literature from Varitype.

The trademark materials, 1964-1970, include some Food and Drug Administration (FDA) materials and specific trademark information for Chick'n-2-Go, Ma and Pa's Country Candy Store, McDonald's, and Neatrae Containers. The FDA information includes printed material such as Facts for Consumers, Food Standards, 1964; How the FDA Works for You, 1966; Read the Label on Food, Drugs, Devices, Cosmetics and Household Chemicals, 1965.

The trademark documentation is arranged alphabetically by company name and contains memos, correspondence, trademark search reports, and the published trademark if issued. In some instances there is evidence of foreign trademark materials, especially for the NEATRAE. The Neatrae Container Association documentation consists of licensing patent applications, trademark assignments, and other correspondence detailing a partnership between Daniel Greenwood, Elgin Milk Corporation, Bernie Wood, and Dan Conelly for trademark use of "NEATRAE." NEATRAE was trademarked to be used in conjunction with a finger-grip food container (US Patent No., 3,355,082) that Wood patented.

Series 6, Photographs, Slides and Negatives, 1953-1975, is divided into three subseries: Subseries 1, Biographical, 1964, 1975, undated; Subseries 2, Client Files, 1963-1968; and Subseries 3, Slide presentations, 1953-1969, undated and includes slides, negatives, transparencies, black-and-white prints and color prints. The majority of documentation consists of slides created and assembled by Wood for presentations he presumably gave to prospective clients highlighting his work and promoting the idea of "franchising." The slide presentations depict interior and exterior shots of various restaurants, restaurant employees, signage, and staged images of food products and packaging. This series also contains Minox film--strips of film 9.2mm wide, or less--of McDonald's billboards, other signage, food products, and packaging. Minox is both a type of camera and the name of a company. The camera associated with the Minox name is the sub-miniature series using the 8 x 11mm film format, first designed by Walter Zapp in the 1930s. The film is held in a small cartridge, and the strips can be up to 50 frames in length.

System of arrangement

Series 1, Personal Materials, 1942-1986, undated

Series 2, Business Materials, 1959-2001, undated

Subseries 1, Franchise information, 1961-2001

Subseries 2, Design work, undated

Subseries 3, Reference materials, 1959-1972

Series 3, McDonald's Corporation, 1957-1985

Subseries 1, Background materials, 1963, 1985, undated

Subseries 2, Corporate materials, 1960-1984

Subseries 3, Newsletters, 1960-1964, 1983

Subseries 4, Advertising and marketing materials, 1957-1978, undated

Subseries 5, Packaging, 1964, undated

Subseries 6, Sales materials, 1963, 1964, [1972?], undated

Subseries 7, Drawings, 1960s-1970s

Series 4, Client Files, 1958-1984

Series 5, Patent and Trademark Materials, 1962-1976

Subseries 1, Patents and patent applications, 1962-1969, 1975-1976

Subseries 2, Trademarks, 1964-1970

Series 6, Photographs, Slides and Negatives, 1963-1975, undated

Subseries 1, Biographical, 1964, 1975, undated

Subseries 2, Client Work, 1963-1968

Subseries 3, Slide Presentations, 1963-1969, undated

Series 7, Audio and Moving Image Materials, 1963, 1964, 1968

Subseries 1, Audio Materials, 1963, 1964, 1968

Subseries 2, Moving Image Materials, undated

Languages

Some materials in Japanese and Spanish.

Acquisition information

This collection was donated by Rayne Ann Wood, daughter of A. Bernie Wood, on February 25, 2007.

Access points

Subject/Topical:
Advertising
Advertisements
Franchises (Retail trade)
Patents
Trademarks
Restaurants, lunch rooms, etc.

Subject/Name:
Antique Airmen, Inc.
B & M Corporation
Cheesery's, Inc.
Coca Cola
Conley, Donald
Freedom Train
Friar Fish's Fish and Chips
Illinois Bell Telephone
Kroc, Ray
Ma & Pa's Country Candy Store
Marlboro
McDonald's
Mulligan's
Neba Roast Beef Restaurant's, Inc.
Odorite of America, Inc.
Orange Crush
Pig-N-Go Bar-B-Q
Prince Castle, Inc.
Texaco, Inc.
Williams Jr., Harrison A.

Form/Genre:
Advertisements--20th Century
Business cards
Business records--1950-2000
Clippings
Design drawings--1950-2000
Drawings
Films
Greeting Cards
Matchcovers
Minox film
Mobiles
Negatives
Packaging
Photographs--1950-2000
Placemats
Posters
Slides
Stationery
Transparencies

Container listing