Donald R. Wilde, 1951
B.A., Denison University
Citation awarded May, 1991
Donald Wilde has combined a career as a writer and producer of stage plays with a career in advertising.
He began in 1951 on tour with The Patsy and followed with a Denison U.S.O. tour in 1953. In 1960, he became a copy writer for the advertising firm of Bolten, Barton, Dustine & Osborne. He moved to the Thompson Agency for Ford Motor Company in 1961; in 1966 became vice president and creative director with Grey Advertising; in 1972 was senior vice president with SSC & B, Inc.; and since 1989 Don has been creative consultant for Lintas: Worldwide Advertising in New York City.
Don has been a creative force in New York advertising for nearly 30 years, having garnered many creative awards and been the architect of numerous successful advertising campaigns: Cover Girl Cosmetics, featuring Cheryl Tiegs; Lipton Tea, starring Don Meredith; First National City Traveler’s Cheques, starring David Niven; Lipton Iced Tea, starring Chris Evert; Johnson & Johnson, starring Juliette Mills; and from 1988 to 1989, he was the creative director on all Sterling Drug advertising (Bayer aspirin, Panadol, etc.) around the world.
He has written and produced, in this country and abroad, numerous stage plays: “What Are We Going To Do With Jenny?”, starring at different times – Phyllis Diller, Hannah Maron (in Tel Aviv), Josephine Von Esteren (in Amsterdam), Ida Ehre (in Germany), and Billy Bird; “Now You See Me”, produced in New York, Kansas City, Germany, and Vienna; “Queen of the Road” starring Billy Bird; and “Marry Me, Marry Me”.
A much sought-after speaker on the subject of advertising and theatre, he has been listed in the Marquis Who’s Who and in the Financial Who’s Who.
