The Marlboro Man
He's a symbol of rugged individualism, masculinity, and the American West. In the history of advertising images, he stands alone at the top. How big is the Marlboro Man? Bigger than anybody ever dreamed up to promote a product. He was ranked number one on the top then list of icons of the 20th century, according to a special issue of Advertising Age magazine (Wilson 1). Though the choice of the Marlboro Man as the most significant icon of the century has enraged the anti-smoking brigade, the cowboy's role in establishing Marlboro as the world's top selling cigarette is without a doubt. This paper will explore the appeal of the top advertising icon of the century, as well as provide a glimpse into the history of its creation, sale and advertising statistics, and anti-smoking opposition. For decades, Philip Morris pitched its filtered cigarette to women, even coloring the tips rose to hide lipstick stains. The product failed, and marketing a filtered cigarette for men seemed impossible. Then advertising executive Leo Burnett took over. On a Saturday morning in December 1954, Burnett called his top creative people to his country farmhouse outside of Chicago to change the image from a ladies' cigarette to a man's. Ph
Though the beautiful ads disappeared from television in 1971 with a broadcast ban on tobacco products, the cowboy image translated well to billboards and magazine ads. The outdoor ads offered a large canvas and a bold impact. Billboards, such as the one featuring the Marlboro Man on the Sunset Strip gradually became part of the American landscape (Carrier 1). The cowboy, so embedded in America's self-image, was the perfect, positive icon. The Marlboro Man is finally dying, not from lung cancer, but rather government regulation. Fed up with the deaths the Marlboro Man had caused riding across the American West, President Clinton announced rules to hide the cowboy icon from children in 1996. Forty-two years after his creation, the Marlboro Man came down from his billboards, scoreboards, doorways, and double-page spreads in Sports Illustrated (Carrier 2). Nonetheless, the successful image and appeal of the Marlboro Man had made him the top advertising icon of the century. What will the West, or America, be like without his image? Marshall McLuhan called advertising "the cave art of the 20th century." He said ads were reflections of society. The success of the Marlboro ads speaks to how image-conscious our society has become (Wilson 2). For many, the image of oneself or what others think becomes more important than anything, even health. This is especially true for kids who are searching for identity. They like being connected to the Marlboro Man and are drawn to the pictures of the confident, handsome cowboy riding the range, his own boss, having a cigarette. As for the health warnings, most teens think they are immortal (Wilson 2). No one can dispute that the Marlboro Man is a brilliant creation and a powerful icon. The question is what harm has this done? The anti-smoking brigade believes that it has caused much harm, and they argue that this symbol of rugged independence is just a hopeless addict. The wholesome image with attributes of freedom and individuality was used to addict million of Americans. A handful of some of the hundreds of those who posed as Marlboro Men in the early ad campaign have died of cigarette related illnesses (Carrier 1). William Novelli, president of the National Center for Tobacco-Free Kids in Washi
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Approximate Word count = 1528
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page double spaced)
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