Leo Burnett (1891-1971) founded the advertising agency that carried his name as well as the "Chicago School" of advertising. In Burnett's ads, visual, meaningful images were emphasized over text-filled explanations of the product's features. Burnett and his agency were responsible for the creation of such famous product icons as the Pillsbury Dough Boy and the Marlboro Man.

Burnett was born on October 21, 1891, in St. Johns, Michigan. He was the oldest child of Noble and Rose Clark Burnett, who ran a dry goods store. Burnett worked in the store as a youth, where he watched his father design ads to promote his business. He also lettered advertising signs for his father. But Burnett felt he was at a disadvantage. In The Mirror Makers: A History of American Advertising and Its Creators, author Stephen Fox quoted Burnett as saying "I always figured that I was less smart than some people...