Helmut Krone (July 16, 1925 – April 12, 1996) was an art director and is considered to be a pioneer of modern advertising.
He was the art director for the popular 1960s campaign for the Volkswagen Beetle, which featured a large unadorned photo of the car with the tiny word "Lemon" underneath it; the series of "When you're only No.
2, you try harder" advertisements for Avis, and the creation of Juan Valdez, who personified Colombian coffee.
He followed naval service in World War II with postwar classes with Alexey Brodovitch and stints at Esquire and Sudler & Hennessey.
Krone retired as executive vice president-creative director at DDB Needham, as the agency became known after a merger in 1988.