fifty Tv ads that made history

Equally any fan of AMC's acclaimed television series "Mad Men" knows, advertising is an art form, equally well equally a high-stakes game. A 30-2d 2019 Super Bowl spot toll $5.25 million, or $175,000 per 2d. Sure it'south a lot of cash, but a worthwhile investment considering the spot reached an audience of about 110 meg.

The all-time commercials are fresh and innovative. They may employ witty repartee, a heart-melting narrative, or a pitch from loftier-contour spokesperson. Whatever the formula, the goal is the aforementioned: disarming people to part with their difficult-earned cash—whether through the purchase of a item product, a political donation, or a charitable contribution.

Advertising has evolved over the years, notably with respect to the representation of women. In the early on days of television, perky housewives peddled convenience foods and detergents. With the appearance of feminism in the 1960s and '70s, advertisers targeted a new demographic: women with children to raise and careers to advance. More recently, gender stereotypes have been put nether a particularly critical lens, resulting in Procter & Gamble's groundbreaking "Like a Girl" campaign, as well as Gillette's reinvention of its familiar catchphrase, "The all-time a man tin can go" in light of the "Me Too" movement.

Technology also has changed how advertisers target potential audiences. As opposed to gathering around the television subsequently dinner like their parents and grandparents, millennials and members of Generation Z tend to consume content on demand, often on computers and handheld devices. Consequently, digital advertising has experienced double-digit growth in recent years while the traditional television market has declined.

Stacker tuned into the video archives and consulted newspaper and magazine manufactures to compile this slideshow of fifty ads that made television set history. Whorl through the list to find out which politicians launched the nastiest entrada ads, which advertisers came up with the nearly infectious taglines, and which commercials were then brilliant they put even Don Draper to shame.

You may also similar: Famous commercials from the year you were born

i / 50

Bulova: "America runs on Bulova time."

On July 1, 1941, WNBT in New York aired a spot for Bulova watches merely before a Brooklyn Dodgers game—the first legal commercial in boob tube history. The blackness-and-white advertizement ran for just nine seconds and featured the image of a watch face superimposed over Northward America while a vocalism-over informed viewers, "America runs on Bulova fourth dimension."

two / 50

Kool-Aid

The larger-than-life, anthropomorphic pitcher of Carmine Dye #40 made its debut on national television in 1954 and has been the face up of Kool-Help e'er since. The spot featured a perky, June Cleaver-esque mom serving the drink to a posse of enthusiastic kids while extolling its many virtues—literally and metaphorically encouraging viewers to "drink the Kool-Assistance."

3 / 50

Fred Flintstone for Winston Cigarettes

Smoking was commonplace in the 1960s, and even Fred Flintstone and Barney Rubble indulged now and then. The pop cartoon characters shilled a number of products over the years—including Kentucky Fried Craven, Dove soap, and Winston cigarettes. Spots showing the prehistoric pals lighting upward went up in smoke when tobacco advertising was banned on telly in 1970.

4 / l

Veg-o-Matic: The original infomercial

Samuel Popeil introduced a slew of simple, inexpensive machines designed to revolutionize nutrient preparation; his greatest invention, however, may exist the infomercial. Introduced to late-dark television viewers in the early 1960s, Popeil's company, Ronco, aired a series of commercials demonstrating the Veg-O-Matic, the showtime of many items Ronco would advertise using this method over the next 50 years.

5 / 50

Palmolive: Madge the manicurist

Starting in the tardily 1960s, downwardly-to-earth manicurist Madge dished out advice—in the form of Palmolive dish soap—to clients, as well millions of goggle box viewers throughout the country. Before Madge, who was portrayed by Jan Miner for more than 27 years, household products were generally pitched by actresses posing as housewives. Madge'south intimate tone and no-nonsense attitude broke with tradition, ushering in an era of new female voices in advertizement.

half dozen / fifty

Mr. Whipple: "Delight don't squeeze the Charmin."

Type A grocer George Whipple ran a tight ship. Introduced to telly audiences in 1964, Mr. Whipple admonished customers for 30 years non to squeeze the Charmin. The comical ads distinguished the toilet paper from its competitors, with manufacturers Procter & Gamble crediting the character for much of the product's success.

seven / 50

Lyndon B. Johnson: Daisy

The infamous "Daisy" commercial, which aired during the 1964 presidential entrada, is one of the virtually startling and constructive television ads ever produced. The spot focuses on a young girl picking the petals off a daisy equally she counts to 10; when she finishes plucking the final petal, the frame zooms into the girl'due south eye, and the countdown reverses itself, culminating in the detonation of a nuclear bomb. Commissioned equally part of President Lyndon B. Johnson'south re-election campaign, the advertizement played into Cold War America'southward greatest fears and was aimed squarely at Johnson's unnamed Republican rival, unapologetic war militarist Barry Goldwater.

8 / l

Marlboro Country

The Marlboro Man, accompanied by theme music from the classic Western "The Magnificent Seven," first galloped across the open range and into homes around the state in 1957. Originally a filtered cigarette aimed at women, the renowned Leo Burnett Agency created the rugged Marlboro Man to target a more masculine demographic and combat lackluster sales. Revered as an American expression of liberty and individuality, the Marlboro Homo did only that, catapulting Philip Morris to the meridian of the tobacco industry. Four actors who portrayed the mysterious cowboy died of tobacco related-illness, including anti-smoking activist Wayne McLaren.

9 / 50

Tootsie Pop: "How many licks?"

How many licks does it take to get to the Tootsie Coil middle of a Tootsie Pop? In the classic 1968 advertisement, a immature boy sets out to detect the answer. Wise One-time Owl thinks he can solve the riddle—but even he gives in to temptation after just three licks, chomping downwards on the confection. Created by the Detroit-based Doner agency, the animated clip charmed audiences with its catchy concept and gentle sense of humour. So, just how many licks does it accept to get to the centre of a Tootsie Pop? In 2015, a team of researchers from NYU and Florida State put their heads together to observe out the respond. Afterward hours of exhausting inquiry, it was determined that it takes approximately 997.

x / fifty

Juan Valdez: National Federation of Coffee Growers

Coffee farmer Juan Valdez, much like the iconic Marlboro Man, was the confront of the National Federation of Coffee Growers for about fifty years. In 1969, Carlos Sanchez brought the graphic symbol to life in a seemingly endless series of idiot box commercials. The ads depicted hardworking Valdez lovingly tending his crop: the antithesis of the Colombian drug lords who loomed large in the pop imagination.

11 / 50

Coca-Cola: it's the real thing.

A ocean of people of all ages and ethnicities bring together in vocal on an Italian hilltop, bound past their love of Coca-Cola and one another. The infectious lyrics were written past McCann Erickson'southward Neb Backer on a napkin while killing time at an Irish airdrome. The resulting melody eventually reached #vii on the Billboard Hot 100, paving the way for the 1971 television commercial. With a budget of $250,000, it was the most expensive ever produced at the time. Considered to be ane of the most vivid commercials in advertising history, the ad'south message of peace and harmony struck a chord with Americans growing increasingly weary of the Vietnam State of war. "Mad Men" showrunner Max Weiner credited his antihero, ad exec Don Draper, with cosmos of the spot, thereby resurrecting Draper'south troubled career.

12 / 50

The Crying Indian: Go along America Cute

Distraught over the countless carpeting of litter roofing his native country, America'south most famous Native American stared straight into the camera and shed a unmarried tear in the highly effective 1971 public service annunciation. Created by the Marsteller agency and the Ad Council for the nonprofit system "Keep America Cute," the ad was launched on Earth 24-hour interval and contributed to the reduction of litter in the U.S. by a reported 88%. In 1996, information technology was revealed that the spot's star, actor Atomic number 26 Eyes Cody, was not actually a Native American, but the offspring of Italian immigrants. Despite the ensuing scandal, Advert Age mag hailed the commercial as one of the well-nigh successful advertisement campaigns of the 20th century.

13 / l

Life cereal: Mikey likes it!

Picky-eater Mikey became an overnight awareness afterward downing a basin of Life cereal in front of his incredulous big brothers in this 30-second spot from 1971. The ad spawned an enduring urban myth that child actor John Gilchrist died of a ruptured stomach subsequently consuming exploding Popular Rocks processed followed past a Coca-Cola chaser. The ubiquitous catchphrase, "Mikey likes information technology," has weathered decades of employ, and is currently the name of an artisanal ice-foam parlor in New York City'southward trendy East Village.

xiv / 50

McDonald'southward: "You deserve a intermission today."

A chorus line of uniformed employees delivers McDonald's most famous tagline with all the bravado of a big Broadway musical in the 1971 ad developed by Chicago agency Needham, Harper & Steers. Penned by crooner Barry Manilow for the burger giant's first national television campaign, McDonald's employed the catchy jingle for more xl years before retiring it in 2014.

15 / l

Kellog'south: "Leggo My Eggo!"

Kellogg'southward showtime Eggo commercial, which aired in a plum spot during the "Brady Bunch," celebrated the eternal boxing of wills between parents and children. Created past the Leo Burnett agency, "Leggo my Eggo!" remained Eggo's catchphrase from its inception in 1972 through 2011, when it was replaced past the "Simply Delicious," entrada. When that slogan failed to excite customers, Burnett brought dorsum the old tagline in 2014.

16 / l

Alka Seltzer: "I can't believe I ate the whole thing."

In 1972, Alka Seltzer launched a commercial every bit unglamorous as indigestion itself. The spot featured a married, middle-aged couple hitting the hay. When hubby, played by character role player Manus Moss, is overcome by a gluttony fueled attack of heartburn, he utters Alka Seltzer'south unforgettable catchphrase: "I tin't believe I ate the whole thing." An advertising classic, the commercial was admitted in 1977 to the Clio Awards Hall of Fame.

17 / 50

Joe Namath: Noxzema Shave Cream

In this suggestive 1973 Super Basin spot for Noxzema shave cream, Pro Football Hall of Famer Joe Namath can't wait to have shaving foam practical by future Charlie'southward Affections, Farrah Fawcett. The thirty-second glory endorsement, which toll $42,000 to produce, was an instant hit with fans who couldn't get plenty of the pair's flirtatious interaction.

xviii / fifty

"Calgon, take me abroad!"

"The traffic. The boss. The baby. The dog!" The feminist movement brought greater opportunity to American women, only "having it all" was often a hard juggling act. Calgon made an appeal to this emerging demographic with this 1977 ad, encouraging working women to escape the stresses of modern life with a relaxing Calgon bath. The pop tagline firmly imprinted itself on the national consciousness and has provided forage for endless memes.

xix / 50

Chiffon margarine: "When you think it'due south butter..."

In 1977, Chiffon launched the first of a number of commercials featuring actress Dena Dietrich equally a vengeful Mother Nature. Taken in past the buttery gustation of Chiffon margarine, Dietrich threatens, "Information technology's not nice to fool Mother Nature," and summons an ominous thunderclap. Created past the D'Arcy Masius Benton & Bowles agency, Dietrich's acidic commitment of the snappy catchphrase was a hit with consumers.

xx / fifty

Bounty: The quicker-picker-upper

Earlier she was Rhoda's mom, pint-sized powerhouse Nancy Walker lit up television screens as Bounty's Rosie, the wise-keen waitress. The first commercial launched in 1971 and was so successful, Walker reprised the role for twenty years.

21 / 50

James Garner and Mariette Hartley for Polaroid

In 1977, Kodak turned to "The Rockford Files" star James Garner for its Polaroid camera entrada, pairing him with lesser-known actress Mariette Hartley in a series of charming and witty idiot box spots. The chemistry between the two stars was so authentic, audiences were convinced the pair were a real-life couple. Although the rapport was nothing more than stellar acting, many Americans believed Hartley was to arraign for Garner's divorce. The ads proved to be and so popular, Kodak would continue to brand 250 more than commercials in the following decade.

22 / 50

Dannon: "In Soviet Georgia..."

The Soviet Wedlock may no longer be, but Dannon yogurt is still going potent and tin give thanks an innovative 1977 commercial ready in what is now the independent country of Georgia. The ad plays like a documentary, depicting a number of exceptionally spry Georgian centenarians engaged in activities such as chopping wood and horseback riding. A voiceover informs viewers that Georgians frequently live to a ripe old age, and, coincidentally, eat a lot of yogurt. American audiences drew the connexion, and Dannon's failing sales of a sudden skyrocketed.

23 / 50

ALCU: "Await for the Wedlock Label."

One of the virtually memorable jingles in advertisement history wasn't part of a high concept ad campaign and didn't advertise an innovative production. The "Look for the Union Label" song, written by Paula Green for the 1976 International Ladies' Garment Matrimony spot sold America on a progressive vision of worker solidarity back when the United States was still a middle for manufacturing jobs.

24 / 50

Hateful Joe Dark-green for Coke

Pittsburgh Steeler Charles Edward Greene, aka "Mean Joe Greene," marketed himself, also as Coke, in the classic 1979 McCann-Erickson ad, which showcased the football star's softer side. One of the first blackness men to appear in a commercial for a national brand, Greene gruffly accepts a post-game Coke from a young fan and takes a swig, then flashes a winning smile and tosses the boy his game jersey. The advertisement premiered during the 1979 Monday night football flavour and figured prominently during the 1980 Super Basin.

25 / 50

Enjoli perfume

The capable heroine of Enjoli perfume'south early 1980s commercial didn't need a Calgon bath to relieve the stress of mod life—she could "bring dwelling house the bacon, fry it up in a pan, and never permit you forget you're a man." An ode to female empowerment, Enjoli tapped into the free energy of the women's motion to target their female demographic.

26 / fifty

Fabergé Organics

Before the television set show "Dynasty," Heather Locklear—more accurately, multiple Heather Locklears—peddled Fabergé Organics shampoo via an infectious ad that used the ability of Television to promote the production through a traditional word-of-mouth campaign. Later extolling the shampoo's virtues, Locklear told consumers that she told 2 friends, who in turn told two friends, as her paradigm multiplied on the screen.

27 / 50

Brooke Shields for Calvin Klein Jeans

A 15-year-old Brooke Shields, dressed in a pair of jeans and a half-buttoned blouse, informed viewers that nothing came between her and her Calvins in the infamous 1981 jeans commercial. Shot by legendary fashion lensman Richard Avedon, the overtly sexual ad was banned by both ABC and CBS. Designer Calvin Klein, even so, was unphased, remarking "Jeans are similar sex. The tighter they are, the better they sell."

28 / 50

At&T: "Reach out and touch someone."

I of the biggest tearjerkers in commercial history, Bell Telephone'due south 1981 "Joey called" ad played on traditional family dynamics and the popular conception that long distance meant bad news. Created by N.W. Ayer & Partners, the spot featured a heart-anile couple discussing a recent phone call from their son. Dad assumes at that place'due south trouble in paradise until Mom informs him that she'due south crying tears of Joy—Joey called simply to say "I dearest you." The commercial came at a disquisitional fourth dimension for AT&T, a monopoly on the brink of divestiture facing competition from new kids on the block such as Sprint and MCI.

29 / 50

Dunkin' Donuts: "Time to make the donuts."

In Dunkin' Donuts' 1981 ad, defended baker Fred awakens at a terribly early 60 minutes every morn, grumbling, "Time to make the donuts"—one of the most famous catch phrases in the annals of advertising history. The face up of Dunkin' for xv years, classically trained actor Michael Vale appeared in more than 100 Dunkin' commercials. When Vale retired in 1997, his send-off included a political party and a parade, with nearly 6 million free donuts distributed to Dunkin' customers.

thirty / 50

The Apple revolution

Hailed by some as the greatest ad of all time, the 1984 Apple commercial created by the Chiat/Twenty-four hour period agency bombed initial market place testing and was almost scrapped. The innovative spot depicted a gray, Orwellian dystopia smashed by a female athlete wielding a mallet, followed past an official proclamation regarding the imminent release of the Macintosh personal computer. A revolutionary advertizement inspired by a revolutionary product, it first aired during the 1984 Super Bowl and sparked $155 1000000 in sales inside iii months of its airing.

31 / 50

Wendy's: "Where'due south the Beefiness?"

The 1984 Super Bowl was a standout year for telly commercials and included Wendy's "fluffy bun" ad, which proved that it isn't the question but who's request information technology that counts. The original pitch, featuring a middle-anile man request the perennial question "Where'southward the beefiness?" failed to impress—only when disgruntled octogenarian Clara Peller demanded accountability for a competitor'south skimpy patty, the catch phrase was presently on everyone's lips. Created by the Dancer Fitzgerald Sample bureau, "Where'due south the beef?" is cited by Advertising Age as one of the top ten slogans of the 20th century.

32 / 50

Michael Jackson for Pepsi

A year after Michael Jackson'due south smash anthology "Thriller," was released, the star signed a $five million bargain with Pepsi, making him the face of its "New Generation" entrada. Pepsi launched the first of iii ads featuring Jackson in 1984. Although the singer himself graced the spot for simply a few fleeting seconds, Jackson did suffer serious burns while filming when pyrotechnics defenseless his pilus on fire—an accident that may have sparked his fatal pain-killer addiction. The ad's premise—a young fan imitating the pop idol—hasn't aged well in light of the sexual abuse allegations levied against Jackson in contempo years.

33 / fifty

The California Raisins

Commissioned past the California Raisins Advisory Board to gainsay slumping sales, San Francisco-based agency Foote, Cone & Belding brilliantly paired a group of Motown-inspired Claymation raisins with the 1960s hit, "I Heard It Through the Grapevine." The ad showtime aired in 1986 and was an overnight sensation, reportedly increasing sales by twenty%. The California Raisins' accept on the tune reached #84 on the Billboard Hot 100, and spawned iv albums, two of which went platinum.

34 / fifty

Calvin Klein's Obsession

In the mid-1980s, Calvin Klein launched a series of highly stylized commercials for his latest fragrance, "Obsession." Never 1 to shy abroad from controversy, the ads featured an elusive immature woman and her iv fascinated suitors—an older admirer, a younger man, a boy, and a woman. Klein turned to acclaimed photographer Richard Avedon to write and direct the overtly sensual ads, which were then filmed by legendary cinematographer Nestor Almendros. "Saturday Night Live" parodied the advertizement with a spot-on skit for fictional Compulsion perfume.

35 / 50

Partnership for a Drug-Free America: "This is your encephalon on drugs"

Named ane of Fourth dimension Magazine's most influential commercials of all fourth dimension, Partnership for a Drug-Free America's 1987 ad depicted the powerful image of an egg—continuing in for the human brain—sizzling in a hot pan. The disturbing metaphor was so successful, it was brought back for a 1997 spot with actress Rachael Leigh Melt targeting heroin.

36 / 50

Michael Dukakis: The Revolving Door

Produced by Roger Ailes of Trick News fame, the 1988 Bush entrada's infamous "Revolving Door" commercial targeted the furlough programme promoted past his opponent, former Massachusetts Gov. Michael Dukakis, pegging him as soft on crime. The stark, black-and-white spot depicted an endless parade of men exiting and then re-entering a prison house. Although the advertising was considered by many Americans to exist the most influential spot of the 1988 election run-up, it has been criticized for being racially charged and stoking prejudice.

37 / 50

The Energizer Bunny

In 1989, the American public was introduced to the iconic Analeptic Bunny, the pink, battery-operated toy rabbit that routinely outlasted his posse of manically drumming rabbits. Hailed as the "ultimate product demo" by Advert Age, the Energizer Bunny has appeared in over 100 ads over the past xxx years.

38 / l

Got milk?

San Francisco-based ad agency Goodby, Silverstein & Partners took an innovative approach to the legendary "Got milk?" campaign, asking a focus group to refrain from drinking milk and and then assessing how a lack of it afflicted their everyday lives. The answer? Profoundly. The 1993 "Aaron Burr" ad for the California Milk Processor Board focused on the hazards of running out of milk and featured an eccentric collector who fails to respond a $10,000 question about Alexander Hamilton'southward nemesis, despite conspicuously knowing the answer. The poor wretch can't get the words out—he's run out of milk and tin can't launder downwardly his peanut butter sandwich. The clever spot ended with the famous "Got milk?" tagline.

39 / 50

Ikea: the first openly gay couple in a boob tube commercial

In 1994, Ikea introduced the first openly gay couple in a television commercial. Limited to major East Coast markets, the advertizing took a homespun documentary approach to the featured partners' search for the perfect sofa, casually highlighting their backstory and loving, committed relationship. Ikea was inundated with letters of support, too as angry protests and even an empty bomb threat.

40 / fifty

Budweiser: "Whaassup!"

Budweiser's quirky 1990 ad celebrated bro civilisation with the breakout catchphrase, "Whaassup!" The brainchild of 28-year-old Justin Reardon, higher-ups at DDB Chicago initially resisted his claim that the concept would resonate with the youth market. Later on greenlighting a limited campaign targeting urban markets, sales spiked and Reardon became a gold boy when the spot took home the Grand Prix at the 2000 Cannes Lions International Festival of Inventiveness.

41 / fifty

Geico's Gecko

Geico's mascot, the little green cadger named Martin, made his television debut in 1999. A relatively new motorcar insurance outfit at the fourth dimension, Geico was eager to launch its first TV advertising campaign and compete with industry players. The Screen Actors Social club strike, however, quashed whatever plans to hire alive actors, and the Geico Gecko was born out of necessity.

42 / 50

John Kerry: Swiftboated

In one of the nastiest political commercials in modern times, the 2004 George W. Bush presidential re-election campaign targeted opponent John Kerry'southward armed services record in an advertisement spot known as "Swift Boat Veterans for Truth." The ad depicted actual veterans accusing Kerry, who adopted an anti-war stance after serving in Vietnam, of lying about his experiences as a swift boat commander. Although the commercial played fast and loose with the facts, information technology did irreparable harm to Kerry's shot at the Oval Function. The ads were so effective, the term "swiftboating" entered the lexicon to describe any fell personal attack confronting a public figure.

43 / 50

Dos Equis: "Stay thirsty, my friends"

Since 2006, player Jonathan Goldsmith has been billed equally "the most interesting man in the world." In a series of unusually dry out ads created by EuroRSCG, Goldsmith can be seen jet-setting around the world with a bevy of beautiful women, arm-wrestling dictators, engaging in daring adventures, and, of course, drinking the occasional Dos Equis beer. The campaign went viral, driving Dos Equis sales up by 22% and insulating the Heineken make from the threat of the arts and crafts beer movement.

44 / 50

Progressive's Flo

Endearingly abrasive Flo has been the face of Progressive insurance for the past 11 years. The first ad aired in January 2008 and used a mixture of humor, visual props, and a modernist setting to demystify the insurance industry and thereby win the trust of consumers.

45 / 50

Barack Obama: "Yes We Can."

Barack Obama promised voters a new approach for the land and his 2008 campaign didn't disappoint, harnessing the power of the internet to convey his bulletin to potential voters. The nearly four-minute spot intertwined Obama's ain words with a star-studded, upbeat music video created by the Black-Eyed Peas' will.i.am. The viral video broke from the confines of conventional television, reinventing the political ad for a new generation of voters.

46 / fifty

Volkswagen: The Force

There are few things more than monumental than a child'due south imagination, save for peradventure a parent's love. The Deutsch bureau nailed information technology with "The Force", an advertisement chronicling the adventures of a pint-sized Darth Vader and his enterprising dad. In an unprecedented move, Volkswagen released the commercial on YouTube the Wednesday before the 2011 Super Bowl, racking up 17 1000000 views before kick-off. According to Deutsch, the advert paid for itself before it even hitting national television receiver.

47 / 50

Thai Life Insurance: Silence of Honey

Asia is famous for "sadvertising:" mini-melodramas that pull at the consumer's heartstrings. Ogilvy & Mather Bangkok's 2011 "Silence of Love" ad kicked the formula up a notch, telling the tear-jerking tale of an ungrateful teen girl and the sacrifices fabricated for her by her deaf father. The life insurance commercial went viral, reaching an international audience far larger than its intended Thai market.

48 / l

Cheerios and the all-American family

In General Mills' 2013 advertizement, a little girl adorably asks her female parent well-nigh the nutritional value of their breakfast cereal. When mom responds that information technology'southward practiced for your centre, the concerned tyke promptly places a handful of Cheerios on her sleeping male parent'southward chest. What distinguished the middle-warming, family-friendly commercial was its use of a mixed-race family. The ad's official YouTube video was hijacked by bigots, forcing General Mills to disable the comment section, although the company refused to pull the ad.

49 / fifty

Procter & Gamble: "Like a Girl"

Procter & Gamble smashed the patriarchy with its groundbreaking "Similar a Girl" advert. Created past acclaimed documentary filmmaker Lauren Greenfield, the commercial cross-examined traditional female person stereotypes, asking both boys and girls questions such as "What does it mean to throw like a girl?" The 2015 Super Basin spot may take been peddling Ever feminine hygiene products (a Super Bowl start), but what information technology was really selling was female empowerment.

50 / 50

Gillette: "The all-time a man can be."

Non to be outdone by Procter & Gamble, razor giant Gillette responded to the MeToo movement by turning its familiar tagline "The best a man can become" on its head. Presented as an ironic question rather than a statement of fact, the 2019 Super Bowl spot put toxic masculinity under the microscope—and consequently generated both praise and condemnation. Despite a boycott, Gillette stuck by its bulletin—donating a total of $three million to nonprofits working to raise the consciousness of American males.

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