Maxwell Dane, 98; Co-Founded Innovative New York Ad Agency

Maxwell Dane, 98, the last surviving founder of Doyle Dane Bernbach, the innovative New York City ad agency, died Aug. 8 at his home in Manhattan. The cause of death was not reported.

Dane opened the agency with James E. Doyle and William Bernbach on June 1, 1949. He was the firm’s vice president and general manager. Doyle was executive vice president and Bernbach president.

The agency became famous for the low-key, sophisticated style of its advertising, a marked departure from the shrill hard sell of previous decades. The firm created noted campaigns for Alka-Seltzer, Avis and Mobil.

Born in Cincinnati, Dane went to New York as a teenager and found work for a company that handled newspaper advertising sales. He later worked for Stern Brothers department store, the New York Evening Post and a variety of other firms in retail promotion, copywriting and advertising before starting his own ad agency, Maxwell Dane Inc., in 1944. He closed the firm when he started Doyle Dane Bernbach.

Dane was among the original 20 politicians, journalists and businessmen on President Nixon’s “enemies list” in 1971.