# Bob Bernstein

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{{short description|American businessman and entrepreneur|bot=PearBOT 5}}
{{Distinguish|Robert A. Bernstein}}

{{Infobox person
| name        = Bob Bernstein
| image       = 
| birth_name  = Robert A. Bernstein
| birth_date  = {{Birth year and age|1939}}
| birth_place = 
| nationality = 
| other_names = 
| alma_mater  = [University of Oklahoma](/source/University_of_Oklahoma)
| occupation  = Co-founder of Bernstein-Rein<br>Founder of [Beauty Brands](/source/Beauty_Brands)
| spouse      = Dr. Phyliss Bernstein
| children   = 3
}}

'''Robert "Bob" Bernstein''' is an American businessman and entrepreneur. He is the co-founder of the advertising company Bernstein-Rein and the founder of [Beauty Brands](/source/Beauty_Brands).

==Bernstein-Rein==
In 1964, Bernstein and Skip Rein opened Bernstein-Rein, a marketing and communications firm located in [Kansas City, Missouri](/source/Kansas_City%2C_Missouri). At the time the business was opened, Bernstein had $100 in the bank and took out a $2,500 loan.<ref name=pitch/>
[[File:HappyMeal3.jpg|alt=Award for creation of Happy Meal packaging|thumb|Golden Happy Meal presented to Robert Bernstein crediting him with creation of the [Happy Meal](/source/Happy_Meal)]]
Bernstein-Rein was retained by [McDonald's](/source/McDonald's) in 1967.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Baar|first1=Aaron|title=Bernstein-Rein, Big Mac Reunited|url=http://www.adweek.com/news/advertising/bernstein-rein-big-mac-reunited-29184|accessdate=29 September 2016|publisher=AdWeek|date=August 10, 1998}}</ref> In 1969, the agency created a series of illustrated glasses for McDonald's called the "Happy Cup." In 1977, Bernstein developed the [Happy Meal](/source/Happy_Meal) packaging for McDonald's.<ref>{{cite book|title=Madison Avenue|date=1986|publisher=Madison Avenue Magazine Publishing Corporation|pages=52–56|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Q0EqAQAAMAAJ&q=%22Bernstein-Rein%22|accessdate=29 September 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Hawley|first1=Amy|title=Creator of the Happy Meal says KC makes him happy|url=http://www.kshb.com/about-us/community-affairs/creator-of-the-happy-meal-says-kc-makes-him-happy|accessdate=29 September 2016|publisher=KSHB|date=August 18, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150719080725/http://www.kshb.com/about-us/community-affairs/creator-of-the-happy-meal-says-kc-makes-him-happy|archive-date=19 July 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Borrelli|first1=Christopher|title=Who created the McDonald's Happy Meal? 40 years later, the answer is complicated.|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/ct-ent-happy-meal-anniversary-0707-20190703-4c7xooiaubdlddo2qsbsuny3me-4c7xooiaubdlddo2qsbsuny3me-story.html|accessdate=23 September 2019|publisher=The Chicago Tribune|date=5 July 2019}}</ref> The Happy Meal was tested in four cities before being released nationally in 1979.<ref>{{cite news|title=K.C. marketer behind Happy Meals' success|url=http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2004/aug/14/kc_marketer_behind/|accessdate=29 September 2016|agency=Associated Press|publisher=Lawrence Journal-World|date=August 14, 2004}}</ref>

In 1974, Bernstein-Rein was hired by [Sam Walton](/source/Sam_Walton) to do advertising for [Walmart](/source/Walmart). The agency worked with Walmart through early 2007.<ref name=walmart>{{cite news|title=Bernstein-Rein loses Wal-Mart account|url=http://www.bizjournals.com/kansascity/stories/2006/08/07/daily12.html|accessdate=19 September 2016|publisher=Kansas City Business Journal|date=August 8, 2006}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Elliott|first1=Stuart|title=Why an Agency Said No to Wal-Mart|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/15/business/media/15adco.html|accessdate=29 September 2016|work=The New York Times|date=December 15, 2006}}</ref> The agency developed the "Buy American" ad campaign for Walmart in the 1980s, and in the 1990s developed the smiley face frequently used in Walmart's television and in-store marketing.<ref name=pitch>{{cite news|last1=Barton|first1=Eric|title=Life Without Wal-Mart|url=http://www.pitch.com/news/article/20604504/life-without-walmart|accessdate=29 September 2016|publisher=The Pitch|date=December 7, 2006}}</ref> The "Buy American" campaign came under scrutiny after a ''[Dateline NBC](/source/Dateline_NBC)'' episode in December 1992 charged that Walmart "imports a number of its private-label clothes while playing up its ambitious 'Buy America' campaign."<ref>{{cite news|title=Wal-Mart Takes a Hit: Retailer's 'Buy America' Campaign Shaken by NBC News Program|url=http://www.adweek.com/news/advertising/wal-mart-takes-hit-retailers-buy-america-campaign-shaken-nbc-news-program-41229|accessdate=29 September 2016|publisher=AdWeek|date=January 4, 1993}}</ref>

Before losing its [Walmart](/source/Walmart) account in early 2007, BR was one of the six largest independent ad agencies in the United States (36th largest overall),<ref name=pitch/> with 350 employees and annual billings of more than $550 million.<ref name=walmart/> In 2008, after losing accounts with Walmart and USAA, its gross income was $45.1 million.<ref name="kansas">{{cite web | url=http://www.bizjournals.com/kansascity/stories/2009/04/06/story5.html | title=Bernstein-Rein lays off staff, warns of more | publisher=Kansas City Business Journal | date=2009-04-05 | accessdate=2013-04-19 | author=Vockrodt, Steve}}</ref>

In the 1990s, Bernstein-Rein developed its own retail business, [Beauty Brands](/source/Beauty_Brands), creating a retail approach it described as "InsideOut Retailing".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.adweek.com/brand-marketing/qa-steve-bernstein-98953/ |title=Q&A: Steve Bernstein |publisher=Adweek.com |date=2009-04-15 |accessdate=2010-04-01}}</ref> The agency, which had the entire [Blockbuster LLC](/source/Blockbuster_LLC) account until early 1994, came up with the slogan "Make It a Blockbuster Night".<ref name=pitch/><ref>{{cite news|last1=Lazarus|first1=George|title=Shiara Kicks Off 2nd Men's Cologne|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/1996/09/30/shiara-kicks-off-2nd-mens-cologne/|access-date=29 September 2016|publisher=Chicago Tribune|date=September 30, 1996}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Goll Beatty|first1=Sally|title=Blockbuster Puts Agencies In a Permanent Shootout|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB844213480561605500|accessdate=29 September 2016|publisher=Wall Street Journal|date=October 2, 1996}}</ref>

May 21, 2003 was declared “Bob Bernstein Day” by the mayor of [Kansas City](/source/Kansas_City%2C_Missouri).<ref name=AIM>{{cite web|title=Robert A. Bernstein|url=http://advertisingiconmuseum.org/news/bob-bernstein.html|publisher=Advertising Icon Museum|accessdate=18 April 2013}}</ref>

==Personal life==
Bernstein is married to Dr. Phyliss (née Wolkoff) Bernstein, a clinical [psychologist](/source/psychologist). They have three children: Steven Bernstein, Susan Bernstein Luetje, and David Bernstein.<ref name=AIM /><ref>{{Cite web|first= |last= |authorlink=   |title=Ronald McDonald House renamed to recognize Bernsteins' support   |publisher=[The Kansas City Jewish Chronicle](/source/The_Kansas_City_Jewish_Chronicle)|date=November 29, 2018 |url=http://www.kcjc.com/index.php/current-news/latest-news/5220-ronald-mcdonald-house-renamed-to-recognize-bernsteins-support  |accessdate=}}</ref> The Bernsteins are [Jewish](/source/American_Jews).<ref>{{Cite web|first= |last= |authorlink=   |title=Ronald McDonald House renamed to recognize Bernsteins' support   |publisher=Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Kansas City|date=|url=https://bookoflifekc.org/phyliss-bernstein-ph-d/ |quote=My decision to endow my Lion of Judah gift to the Jewish Federation through the Jewish Community Foundation was made for several reasons. }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|first= |last= |authorlink=   |title= Bob and Phyliss Bernstein will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary on June 7.  |publisher=[The Kansas City Jewish Chronicle](/source/The_Kansas_City_Jewish_Chronicle)|date= June 12, 2014|url=http://www.kcjc.com/index.php/community/celebrations/2577-bernstein-50th-anniversary  |accessdate=}}</ref> They are members of [Temple B'nai Jehudah](/source/Temple_B'nai_Jehudah) in [Overland Park](/source/Overland_Park), [Kansas](/source/Kansas). The Phyliss and Bob Bernstein Humanitarian Award at Jewish Family Services (JFS) is granted yearly.

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* {{official|http://www.b-r.com}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bernstein, Bob}}
Category:American businesspeople in retailing
Category:University of Oklahoma alumni
Category:20th-century American Jews
Category:1939 births
Category:Living people
Category:21st-century American Jews

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Bob Bernstein](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Bernstein) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Bernstein?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.