Landing the Account

From My Times, My Town by Walt Bodine
Kansas City Star Books, 2003

I also worked one year in the Fremerman-Papin advertising agency. There I learned that the advertising business was not quite what I expected from my previous vantage point as a newscaster. I thought ad people walked on thick rugs, hung fake Picassos on the wall and ran up and down halls saying, “Chief, I’ve got a great idea.” They were more serious then that, it turned out. Advertising people not only had to be creative, but also careful about detail. It was hard work and a perilous way to make a living. An agency could be riding high with a big account one week and lose it the next, without ever knowing quite what hit. Fremerman Papin certainly contributed to my education.

One incident I remember with pride. The agency was interested in landing political accounts, and we had our eye on the up-and-coming young congressman from northwest Missouri, Jerry Litton. In the middle 1970s he was laying plans to run for the Democratic nomination for the U.S. Senate. Many ad agencies vied for the account, and so did we. Marvin Fremerman, Bernie Papin and I took Litton to lunch at Bretton’s and made our pitch. Litton was impressed but thought our price was too high. He said he’d keep looking. As we were walking back to our office in the Kansas City Power and Light building -- Litton and I trailing the two partners by several paces -- I had an inspiration. Turning to Litton, “Jerry, you’re rich, aren’t you? I understand that you could probably afford an agency like ours where some could not. The thing we can do for you is begin work for you this afternoon. How many of your opponents could start that soon? And you would be in good hands.”

Just before we got to 14th Street, Litton said: “You know, you’re right, I’m going with you guys.”

I walked up to the partners and said, “Gentlemen, Jerry has changed his mind and is coming with us. I told him we could start working on his campaign this very day.” They both looked astonished, but go to work we did -- that afternoon.

“What happened?” Bernie Papin said after Litton had left. “What did you say to him?”

“I just decided since all was lost I might as well make a bold play,” I replied. It was exciting to land this account and it also told me something that I hadn’t known -- that I was a pretty fair salesman. I loved seeing the big smile on the face of my friend, Bernie Papin.