Richard H. Leeds, the co-founder of Thomson-Leeds P-O-P advertising agency, died Christmas morning of heart failure at North Shore Hospital in Manhasset, NY. He was 82.
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| Richard Leeds |
In 1952, Leeds founded the agency, which specialized in in-store communications, with Chester L. Thomson. The agency was reportedly the first to employ interactive sound and aroma to enhance the in-store experience.
Its clients included Ford Motor, Kelloggs, Unilever, Coca Cola and Philip Morris. One of their best known campaigns was the Miss Rheingold beer contest. Another, for the Teledyne’s shower massage, invited consumers to test the product by putting their hands in a glove against pulsating water to simulate the effect of the new shower product.
In 1987, Thomson-Leeds was sold to Oglivy-Mather, which later became part of the WPP Group. In 1992, Douglas Leeds, Richard’s son, bought the company back but sold it to in-store marketing services company Array, Los Angeles, in 2000.
Leeds was born and raised in Westchester County, NY. He received a B.S. from Lehigh University. Following his discharge from the U.S. Army, he joined the Einson Freeman Co. As his death he was an associate member of the board of North Shore Hospital and VP of the board of trustees for Nassau County Museum of Art.
He is survived by his wife of 58 years, Nancy Brecker Leeds; a son, Douglas Leeds of New York City; a daughter Constance Bennett of Dedham, MA, and four grandchildren.
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