DOWN from Cornell, where he drew and wrote for the college papers while earning an engineering degree, came J. K. Fraser. "No one wanted an advertising man like me. Had to eat so made a deal with the mate and cook of a ship who had opened up a restaurant on 23rd Street. Every week I put a poster in the window inviting people to come in and eat. In payment, whenever I felt hungry I went in myself and ate on the house. I got the posters back. With these samples I landed a job with Ward & Gow who controlled street car advertising space. Mr. Ward also managed Sapolio advertising. One day I told Mr. Ward that I would like to try my hand at some Sapolio car cards. When I showed him the Spotless Town series he said: 'Fine! I am going to keep that series in the cars so long people will get sick and tired of seeing it, and when it makes you famous don't forget to give me some of the credit.' I wrote the jingles and drew the pictures. I was 24."
Spotless Town deserves a place in any collection of great ads, and Mr. Ward in any charting of farsightedness. For Spotless Town (while selling Sapolio by the ton) was parodied in many papers and one syndicated political series ran all over the country. At one time four theatrical road companies booked shows called Spotless Town ... and one community changed its name permanently thereto. Out of the Spotless Town success, rose J. K. Fraser to head the old Blackman Company (now Compton Advertising), to retire a wealthy, healthy and respected man, to take up golf and "I can still put them out beyond the 200-yards marker." And this person doesn't doubt it. JK could always call his shots. Love that man!
