G.D. Crain Jr.

Notable work and positions

Crain Communications (formerly Crain Publishing Company) - Founder
Advertising Age - Founder
Louisville Herald - Former City Editor

Biography

Gustavus Dedman Crain Jr. (1885-1973), known as G.D. Crain, was a business publisher who founded what became Crain Communications. Born in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky, and raised in Louisville, he sold newspapers as a boy, attended Centre College in Danville, Kentucky, on scholarship, and began his career at age 19 on the staff of the Louisville Herald, becoming city editor two years later and later sports editor. He went on to organize a business news service producing content for nearly 100 business publications. In February 1916, Crain launched Hospital Management, his first publication, followed shortly by Class, a business-to-business digest covering industrial advertising; the operation relocated to Chicago later that year. On January 11, 1930, days before the stock market crash, Crain launched Advertising Age as the 'national newspaper of advertising,' which went on to become the industry's publication of record after its rival, Printer's Ink, folded in 1967. For 35 years, Crain wrote a column in Advertising Age titled 'Rough Proofs' under the pen name Copy Cub. He served as president, editor, and publisher of the company from its founding until 1964, when he became chairman of the board, a position he held until his death in 1973. His company, renamed Crain Communications in 1969, later added titles including Automotive News, Business Insurance, and Pensions & Investments, and continues today under his descendants.

Career highlights

• Founded Advertising Age 1930 · Launched days before the 1929 stock market crash's effects fully hit; became the advertising industry's publication of record.
• Founded Crain Publishing Company (now Crain Communications) 1916 · Began with Hospital Management and Class, grew into a multi-title business media company.
• Named one of the 20th century's most important business journalists By the TJFR Group.