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
The first Marlboro Men weren't professional pretty boys like today's male models, just rugged looking men that seemed to typify the ideal for young men during that time period. These Marlboro Men came from all walks of life, from garage mechanics to white collar businessmen. Each had one thing in common: they were tough looking with a worldly, successful air about them. The first was a US Navy Lieutenant; later, Burnett's own art director was used. However, the most successful were pilots. Their faces showed a character and intensity that made them particularly appealing to both men and women. The advertising campaign first opened in New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles. Marlboro became a sponsor of the National Football League in 1956. Television commercials were produced which featured the Marlboro Man tinkering with his sports car, flying his airplane, or working on a ranch. In 1960 a series of commercials and magazine ads were used featuring former football stars, g! ," and the most successful advertising campaign in history went underway (Carrier 1-2). Sales took off. Marlboro sales soared 3,241 percent the next year, and by 1972 it outsold every other brand in the world (Madison Avenue's Marlboro Man 1). ilip Morris wanted to create a filter cigarette to deal with the rising problem of smoker's cough and lung disease, but they had to overcome the early image of filters as being for sissies. Sitting around a blank flip chart, with only days before an ad deadline, Burnett asked his men, "What is the most masculine image in the US today?" The answer resulted in the creation of the cowboy Marlboro Man. In the days to follow, Burnett's crew came up with the famous Marlboro jingle, "You get a lot to like with Marlboro: Filter, Flavor, Flip top Box! The Marlboro Man never gave any information about tobacco. He never once offered a fact based argument in favor of tobacco. Yet, he's the advertising icon of the century. Why? Is it the machismo and rugged persona? Possibly. Is it the idea of healthy men working in wholesome, scenic locales with fresh clean air? Possibly. Whatever the reasons, today's men smoke long, filter-tipped cigarettes without fear of being labeled prissy. Several other tobacco companies tried using cowboy a
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Approximate Word count = 1528
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page double spaced)
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