The ads were designed to create a feeling of success, sophistication, and masculine virility in customers.ДЇrom 1905 to 1931, the Arrow Collar Man was an American cultural icon. The men always had very squared-off, masculine jaw lines with perfectly coiffed hair. His unique artistic style gave the Arrow Collar Man a very angular, modern, and American look. Leyendecker was the artist behind the ads. Created in 1905, the Arrow Collar Man was the name given to various male models who appeared in magazine and billboard advertisements for Arrow collars and shirts. If you were a man living in the early part of 20th century America, you probably knew who the Arrow Collar Man was. If you want to see all of the Most Interesting Man in the World commercials in one place, go here. If you havenвЂ™t seen the commercials, hereвЂ™s an example:

His mother has a tattoo that reads вЂњson.вЂќ.

His words carry weight that would break a less interesting manвЂ™s jaw.

The copy on these commercials is some of the best and most clever in ad history: The commercials mix together grainy, vintage footage showcasing the Most Interesting ManвЂ™s manly feats while a narrator describes our ManвЂ™s over-the-top exploits. HeвЂ™s an older, bearded man, with leathery suntanned skin, and a handsome Spanish accent who takes part inВ adventurousВ and manly pursuits likeВ AcapulcoВ cliff diving, jai alai, and falconry. The Dos Equis Most Interesting Man in the World has become an a cult hero since the launch of this campaign back in 2006. Dos Equis Most Interesting Man in the World With that attitude, today we take a look at 11 of the most famous and manly brand icons ever created.

Of course, smart men have always known that manliness canвЂ™t be bought, but even when advertisers donвЂ™t convince you to spend money, the best ads can simply be enjoyed as examples of effective, fun, and creative storytelling.

From dapper dudes who evoked the desire to be sophisticated and upper-class to rugged men who symbolized a virility feared to be long lost, to our modern day, when advertisers rarely feel comfortable using masculinity in a earnest way and invariably present it with wink-wink irony. They become cultural icons that both influence (for better or for worse) what manliness means in our culture, while also holding a mirror to the cultureвЂ™s ideals of manliness at a given time. Most of these brand mascots slip into the abyss of history, forever forgotten.Д«ut a few transcend merely selling products. Women will want you and men will want to be you.вЂќ So we see commercials showcasing successful, rugged, and debonaire dudes pitching products to men who are looking for some simple talisman that will magically imbue them with the manliness they feel they lack.ДЇor the past 100 years, Madison Avenue has rolled out dozens upon dozens of brand icons that were designed to evoke this feeling of supreme manliness in consumers. They infuse a brand with aspirational imagery and attempt to convey the message of вЂњIf you buy this product, then youвЂ™ll obtain the pinnacle of manliness. When men are the target audience, advertisers often take a different approach. Remember that Diet Coke commercial from the 90s? The one with the gals taking a вЂњDiet Coke breakвЂќ to scope out some brawny, good looking, and shirtless construction worker from their office window? Perfect example of using a masculine image to sell to women. When selling to women, advertisers hope to lure the fairer sex into opening their pocketbooks by using masculinity to symbolize the strength of their products or by associating their brands with virile sex appeal. For over a century, companies have used masculinity and manliness (or idealized versions of it) to sell their wares to both men and women.

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