Jack Beddington

John Louis "Jack" Beddington (1893–1959) was a United Kingdom advertising executive, best known for his work as publicity director for Shell in the 1930s and as head of the Ministry of Information Films Division during the Second World War.

Jack Beddington was born in South Kensington, London in 1893 to Charles Lindsay Beddington and Stella Goldschmidt de Libantia. He was educated at Wellington College and Balliol College, Oxford.

During World War I he served with the King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry. In January 1918 he married Olivia Margaret Streatfeild.

After a period working for the Asiatic Petroleum Company in Shanghai, Beddington became publicity manager for Shell UK in 1928. During the 1930s, Beddington worked as assistant general manager and director of publicity for Shell-Mex and BP Ltd, a joint marketing venture started in 1932 between Shell and British Petroleum. He employed a number of artists such as Paul Nash, John Piper, James Gardner and Graham Sutherland to produce artwork for Shell.

During this time, he spent a significant amount of money on producing films through the Shell Film Unit, on various topics. This unit was established by Edgar Anstey in 1934 as a result of a report written by documentary film-maker John Grierson about how Shell could make better use of film publicity. Rather than being direct advertising, the films produced served to promote a more positive image of Shell as existing for the public good rather than merely for profit. He also established, with John Betjeman, the 'Shell Guides' to English counties.

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