One of those little mysteries that has nagged us for some while has finally been solved. We refer to the story behind the naming of — and logo for — the Chicago ad agency Gertrude Inc.
As agencies go in Chicago, Gertrude Inc. is one of the most distinctively-named among those still in operation. For the time it was a creative hotbed, the now defunct Hadrian’s Wall was certainly catchy, too. And Tom, Dick & Harry Creative Co. has a definite ring to it. But unlike the others, Gertrude Inc. has that aura of mystery.
Now that Gertrude founder and chief creative Otis Gibson has filled in the back story for us, however, it all starts to makes sense. And before you rush there, let’s quickly put to rest the suspicion you might be harboring that the agency was named for one of Gibson’s relatives.
No. Gertrude isn’t an aunt or a grandmother of Gibson’s. Not at all. Rather it’s a name that Gibson chose because he believes it captures the spirit of the De Stijl movement. De Stijl? — we can hear you wondering. Not a word most of us bandy around much around the house.
A simple design aesthetic of the 1920s
But it happens to be an artistic movement that reached its zenith in the 1920s. Centered in the Netherlands, its members included the painter Piet Mondrian and the architect Gerrit Rietveld.
For the time it was in vogue, the De Stijl movement was all about a simple, pared-down aesthetic that emphasized strong horizontal and vertical lines and bold primary colors.
Gibson, it turns out, became a fan of the De Stijl movement while he was an architecture student in college in New York. Yes, Gibson at one time thought he would grow up to be an architect. But then he got a job at an ad agency after graduating, and well, he stuck with it.
Still, when it came time to name his own ad shop and design a logo for it, Gibson didn’t forget the De Stijl movement. He felt the name “Gertrude” exuded the sense of strength and sturdy backbone that was indicative of the movement he had grown to appreciate.
Perhaps the most unusual aspect of the Gertrude Inc. logo is the small images of four men with uplifted sledgehammers. They represent steelworkers, Gibson said, another symbol of simple, honest strength.
The agency’s tag line — “Building Stronger Brands for a Better Tomorrow” — is yet another homage to the De Stijl movement.
Contact Lewis Lazare at LewisL3@aol.com
