3 by 3. That is, 3 icons from 3 art worlds in 3 anecdotes from the advertising field

The presence of more or less recognizable personalities in advertising is a common phenomenon. To the ranks of singers, actors and people famous for a particular activity or achievement, celebrities have joined, i.e. figures endowed with a treasure trove of audience attention, their (somewhat unstable in the long run) interest.

One can sometimes get the impression that the era of icons in pop culture is passing (or has already passed), and the void left by celebrities is trying to be filled by fireworks, lighting up the firmament of the sky only for a moment.

A long introduction about celebrities, or famous people in advertising

The very term “celebrity” does not necessarily mean an “unjustifiably” famous person.

Sociologist Henrik Vejlgaard made an interesting proposal to distinguish celebrities (in the sense of famous people), without dividing them by the reason for fame, but by the possibility of the scale of the power of influence on the audience and the duration of this influence. Thus, he listed six hierarchical statuses of celebrities: Wannabes – who enjoy attention for as little as a dozen minutes, followed by Minor celebrities, Stars, Superstars, Megastars, and those who can influence others most powerfully and for the longest time – Icons. This distinction seems to be extremely useful in matters of marketing and advertising.

There are people who, representing a completely different field of activity and creativity, appeared in advertising for a moment and as if from behind the scenes, but managed to become part of its history. Does this mean that Osiecka, Lagerfeld or Dali can be talked about in terms of a “celebrity” in advertising  .

An icon of song – Osiecka – that’s it!

Agnieszka Osiecka made her mark not only in the history of Polish song – creating lyrics for songs that can certainly be described as “ever green” – she also made her mark in the history of advertising – and not only Polish.

When “liquid imperialism,” or the iconic Coca-Cola beverage, entered the native land with impetus, a contest was announced for its first advertising slogan in Poland. Osiecka, who explored life and creative spaces, decided to participate. With the slogan “Coca-cola, that’s it!”, she reportedly beat Melchior Wańkowicz, among others. The slogan, which is still recognizable today, accompanied the brand for 10 years, and was only replaced by the global “Always Coca-Cola” (“Always Coca-Cola”). It may also be interesting to note that Coca-Cola’s presence on the Polish market is associated with a certain symbol – in the early 1990s, the “icon brand” opened its first headquarters in Poland – in the “icon building” of the – Palace of Culture.

Surrealistic Chupa Chups? – Advertisement

The first lollipops (as such) appeared in 1958 in Spain and were originally called “Gol,” which was replaced over time by the term “Chups” (from chupar – from Spanish to lick, suck). Eventually, however, it resounded with the mass customer and the name “Chupa Chups” was widely adopted, including officially.

Several times rebranding also shaped the logo and logos of the most famous lollipops. The late 1960s saw a breakthrough in the visual representation of the brand. The logo was designed by Salvador Dali – one of the most recognizable visual artists of the 20th century.

The simplified shape of the daisy has accompanied the Chupa Chups brand to this day, although its outline has been refreshed several times. Minor changes to the logo since 1969, however, can be described as hardly invasive and not intrusive to the overall concept. Undoubtedly, Dali’s idea not to place the logo on the side of the packaging – as is usually done – was also significant. Instead, the logo was to be placed on top of the lollipop, so as not to distort the mark and to be visible from any perspective. This innovative solution was decided upon – this is how lollipops are still packaged today.

Karl Lagerfeld – an icon of the fashion world – a chic singer of beauty and security.

The world said goodbye in 2019 to one of the greatest fashion designers of the 20th century – Karl Lagerfeld. Although for most people the elegant figure with the distinctive bun will always be associated with the Chanel brand, for which the designer created for more than 30 years, Lagerfeld has had many activities outside the fashion world. More than once he entered the world of advertising, and in two ways. Either he designed and then stood behind the lens photographing or directing spots (such as for the Chanel fashion house), or he lent his image to various brands (such as Volkswagen). He also took part in a social commercial raising awareness of the need to stay safe on the road. And it is this commercial that we want to recall here.

Karl Lagerfeld had his own distinctive style – often black, always perfectly tailored jackets, a white shirt with a stand-up collar or stiffened collar, dark glasses, leather gloves and silver hair tied up in a bun. A peculiar nimbus was added to the icon’s ironic humor (including self-deprecating), which, like the best perfume, complemented everyday creations. All these features, in a more or less visible way, were shown in a social advertisement promoting reflective vests.

Standing on the side of the road in front of the damaged vehicle, Karl, serious and dressed as hyper-elegant as ever, is additionally clad in a yellow reflective vest. The photo is accompanied by the slogan: “It’s yellow, it’s ugly, it doesn’t fit anything, but it can save lives.”