Making of ‘Marlboro Man’ (by Hannes Schmid, 1993), 2016

The story behind the photograph…

The Marlboro Man served as a prominent figure in the advertising campaigns for Marlboro cigarettes, originating in the United States and running from 1954 to 1999. Conceived by Leo Burnett in 1954, the campaign initially featured rugged men in various roles but eventually became synonymous with a rugged cowboy or cowboys set against picturesque wild landscapes. Originally designed to popularize filtered cigarettes, which were perceived as feminine at the time, the ads underwent a transformative shift from a feminine campaign with the slogan "Mild as May" to a distinctly masculine one within a matter of months. Leo Burnett Worldwide, the creator of the campaign, is recognized for crafting one of the most brilliant advertising campaigns in history. The campaign's success lies in its ability to swiftly shift the perception of Marlboro from a product associated with femininity to one epitomizing masculinity. Ellen Merlo, the vice president of marketing services at Philip Morris, emphasized this evolution in a 1989 Marlboro advertisement, stating, "We perceive Formula One and Indy car racing as adding, if you will, a modern-day dimension to the Marlboro Man. The image of Marlboro is very rugged, individualistic, heroic. And so is this style of auto racing. From an image standpoint, the fit is good."