Andrew Pears enlisted the help of Thomas J Barrett to devise a marketing strategy, he was a relative of the creator, albeit a few generations younger. He pioneered systematic brand advertising combining distinctive imagery with frequently repeatedly slogans like “Good morning. Have you used Pears Soap?”. The most iconic advert, “Bubbles” is still well known today, it has been reproduced on a plethora of merchandise over the years and is synonymous with British nostalgia. Barrett had a keen eye for art and often bought rights to pieces of art work in order to subtlety modify them into commercial advertisements. This was at a time when art was very inaccessible for ordinary people, Pears Soap gave way for art to be in ordinary people’s houses, and reproductions of the advert were even hung on walls which are a marvel even by today’s standards.
Bubbles, originally titled A Child's World, is a painting by Sir John Everett Millias that became famous when it was used over many generations in advertisements for Pears soap. During Millais's lifetime it led to widespread debate about the relationship between art and advertising.
The painting was one of many child pictures for which Millais had become well known in his later years. It was modelled by his five year old grandson William Milbourne James
The painting portrays a young golden-haired boy looking up at a bubble, symbolising the beauty and fragility of life. On one side of him is a young plant growing in a pot, and on the other is a fallen broken pot, emblematic of death. He is spot-lit against a gloomy background.
The painting was first exhibited in 1886 under the title A Child's World at the Grosevenor Gallery in London, and was acquired by Sir William Ingram of the Illustrated London News. The painting was reproduced and presented in the weekly newspaper as a colour plate, where it was seen by Thomas J. Barratt, Managing director of A&F Pears. Barratt purchased the original painting from Ingram for £2,200 which gave him exclusive copyright on the picture. Millais' permission was sought in order to alter the picture by the addition of a bar of Pears Soap, so that it could be used for the purposes of advertising. At the time Millais was one of the most popular artists in Britain and he was initially apprehensive the prospect of his work and his grandson, being the subject of commercial exploitation. However when he was shown the proofs of the proposed advertisements he grew to appreciate the idea, which portrayed the soap as if the child had used it to make the bubbles.
Following the success of this advertisement Millais was attacked in print by the novelist Marie Corelli who accused him in her novel The Sorrows of Satan of prostituting his talent to sell soap. Millais wrote to her pointing out that he had sold the copyright of the painting and so was unable to stop the company from altering it in reproduction. Millais's son later claimed that he had tried to stop the advertisement being made, but had been advised that he had no legal power to do so. Corelli retracted her comments in a later edition of the book.
The advertisement became so well known that William Milburne James who later rose to the rank of Admiral in the British navy, was known as "Bubbles" for the rest of his life.
The painting was one of many child pictures for which Millais had become well known in his later years. It was modelled by his five year old grandson William Milbourne James
The painting portrays a young golden-haired boy looking up at a bubble, symbolising the beauty and fragility of life. On one side of him is a young plant growing in a pot, and on the other is a fallen broken pot, emblematic of death. He is spot-lit against a gloomy background.
The painting was first exhibited in 1886 under the title A Child's World at the Grosevenor Gallery in London, and was acquired by Sir William Ingram of the Illustrated London News. The painting was reproduced and presented in the weekly newspaper as a colour plate, where it was seen by Thomas J. Barratt, Managing director of A&F Pears. Barratt purchased the original painting from Ingram for £2,200 which gave him exclusive copyright on the picture. Millais' permission was sought in order to alter the picture by the addition of a bar of Pears Soap, so that it could be used for the purposes of advertising. At the time Millais was one of the most popular artists in Britain and he was initially apprehensive the prospect of his work and his grandson, being the subject of commercial exploitation. However when he was shown the proofs of the proposed advertisements he grew to appreciate the idea, which portrayed the soap as if the child had used it to make the bubbles.
Following the success of this advertisement Millais was attacked in print by the novelist Marie Corelli who accused him in her novel The Sorrows of Satan of prostituting his talent to sell soap. Millais wrote to her pointing out that he had sold the copyright of the painting and so was unable to stop the company from altering it in reproduction. Millais's son later claimed that he had tried to stop the advertisement being made, but had been advised that he had no legal power to do so. Corelli retracted her comments in a later edition of the book.
The advertisement became so well known that William Milburne James who later rose to the rank of Admiral in the British navy, was known as "Bubbles" for the rest of his life.
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