Profile: A Leader in Sports Advertising

Albert Leonard is a 92-year old MVES client who lives in Melrose. A recent visit to Leonard’s house found him watching a baseball game on television. He even watched the commercials. But, for a reason.

Raised in Roxbury, Leonard attended Boston Latin High School. After graduation, he attended Bentley College at night, which at the time had a Boston location. All of 17 years old, Leonard worked at the Gillette Company during the day. Although Leonard started his career at Gillette in accounting, he soon began working in advertising for the company. By 19 he was the assistant advertising manager.

Beginning in 1910, Gillette used professional athletes to promote their line of razors. However, it wasn’t until 1939 that Gillette fully immersed itself in sports advertising.

Albert Leonard watches an afternoon baseball game.

“We were the original sponsor for the World Series,” said Leonard. “The exclusive rights cost us $203,000.”

Over the course of his career, Leonard worked with professional athletes like Warren Spahn, Roy Campanella, Willie Mays, and Elston Howard. Advertising in sporting events was new, but it worked. Over the next several decades, using both radio and television advertising, Gillette saw its share of the razor blade market increase from 18 to over 60 percent. Sporting personalities and advertising had begun a relationship that endures today.

In 1973, Leonard retired as public relations director for the Gillette Company’s safety razor division. He worked for the company for 44 years.

Leonard has lived in Melrose for forty years. He receives some personal care assistance from MVES and enjoys home-delivered meals while watching afternoon baseball games.