Maurice Drake | |
|---|---|
 Drake holding a can of Heinz Baked Beans in 2018 | |
| Born | Maurice Drake 20 May 1928 Bromley-by-Bow, London, England |
| Died | 22 August 2021 (aged 93) |
| Occupation | Advertising executive |
| Known for | Producing the slogan "Beanz Meanz Heinz" for Heinz Baked Beans |
| Spouse |
Georgina Taylor
(m. 1952, died) |
| Children | 4 |
Maurice Drake (20 May 1928 – 22 August 2021) was a British advertising executive. He missed several years of education due to the Second World War and left school at the age of 14. Drake found work as a filing clerk at an advertising agency before carrying out national service with the Royal Air Force. Upon completion of his military service, he joined public relations firm Armstrong Warden.
Drake left the industry briefly in the 1950s to become a jokewriter, working closely with Bob Monkhouse. He returned to advertising in 1959 and enjoyed success at Young & Rubicam. Drake used his connections in the entertainment industry to convince celebrities, including Bruce Forsyth and Frank Muir, to front his advertisements. He was behind campaigns for Maxwell House, Cadbury, Flora and Wall's (for whom he developed the "Just One Cornetto" campaign). His most successful slogan was "Beanz Meanz Heinz" which he devised in 1967 and remained in use almost continually for 30 years. He retired in the mid-1980s but continued to lecture in advertising.