Samuel Dobbs was an illiterate farm boy who rose to become one of the great and dynamic forces in the advertising profession and president of the Coca-Cola Company. At the age of 41, having already established a distinguished reputation for himself in advertising and sales for Coca-Cola, he was named president of the Associated Advertising Clubs of America in 1909. He served for two terms, and saw great changes take place in the policies and organization of advertising in the U.S.
Dobbs believed that advertising was valuable only when it was true. It was in his acceptance speech as president of the National Group of Advertising Clubs in Louisville, Ken., that he inaugurated a campaign for truth in advertising. From then on, he and the association waged an unrelenting war against wildcat advertising schemes and crooked promoters. He and his organization drew up rules of ethics, barred misleading ads and generally raised advertising to a position of honesty and good taste. His work won him the title of "founding father of organized advertising in America."
During his career, he traveled 45,000 miles at his own expense and spread the doctrine of truth in advertising. He retired from office recognized as an internationally known figure in the advertising world.