The Marlboro Man

The Marlboro Man




The Marlboro man was the most powerful image of brand of the 20. Centry, that stands worldwide as the ultimate American cowboy and masculine trademark, helping establish Marlboro as the best – selling cigarette in the world. Marlboro man has unprecedented success as a global marketing tool for selling Philip Morris brand.



In the beginning back in the 1950, a time when cigarettes were accepted in even the politest society, Burnett created the macho icon as a way to reposition Marlboro from a woman “mild as May” ladies cigarette to a product with broader appeal. The original newspaper ad from Burnett carried the slogan “delivers the goods on flavor” and it immediately sent sales skyrocketing.

The brilliantly designed campaign, the strong image of the mythical American hero, the cowboy has created an immediately and universally recognized icon representing an idealized and appealing American lifestyle.
The phenomenon is extraordinary, a fast unknown brand in 1950, has steadily increased sales for the past forty years. In 1955 top selling brand in the world. Marlboro remains today the most profitable brand of non – durable consumer good in the world.

The red and white geometric packaging of Marlboro is the foremost display on retail counters of Marlboros firm advertising grasp on the public and media is the visceral American response to the Marlboro cowboy and the draw to his uniquely American paradise of the West, Marlboro country. Aesthetically, the fresh, healthy natural attitude portrayed in this cigarette advertisements appeal to everyone, makers, nonsmokers, men, ladies, old and young.

As a commercial icon he is the most universally recognized, consistently profitable an aesthetically appealing image in the advertising world.

Thus despite the adds, the rugged cowboy with or with out the western landscape and red flip – top box immediately calls to mind the brand Marlboro and has become an icon to more than one generation and zeitgeist, building Marlboro into the top selling brand since the late fifties.