On Broke Boy Propaganda and the New Rom-Com
Lucy (Dakota Johnson) is a professional matchmaker in New York City, constantly quantifying people by their “market value” — anything from age, height, ethnicity, income, and education. In her own private life, she stands between two men — a “unicorn” millionaire (Pedro Pascal) and her broke struggling actor ex (Chris Evans).
The film shows a culture that appraises partners like assets and investment portfolios, yet affirms love as something irreducible. Some have called it broke boy propaganda for romanticizing choosing love over money in a way that’s naive in today’s economy, while others argue it’s an anti-capitalist rom-com that tries to show how dating has become a marketplace.
If broke boy propaganda says “Love is all that matters,” its polar opposite gold-digger propaganda says “Love is a luxury.” These binaries we inherited perpetuate an either/or narrative leaving us unsatisfied and hungry for more — or rather for something else.
Enter — the high value man.
If broke boy propaganda denies reality and gold-digger propaganda denies the heart, high value man propaganda would attempt to reconcile romance with reality. The story could no longer be about which one we pick, but about which self we choose to become — the high value man indeed demands a high value woman.
The high value romance invites us to confront our own romantic propaganda so that we may retire old scripts and upgrade them with fresh, new ones.
The new rom-com begins where our old fantasies end.
Why Does Human Design Strategy Matter?
In Human Design, Strategy describes how you are designed to engage with life, enter situations, opportunities, relationships, and work in a way that is correct for you. When you follow your Strategy, life meets you with less resistance.
If you’re a Manifestor
Inform others
Before taking action, inform those who will be impacted. This isn't asking permission—it helps you create alignment and reduces resistance. The result is more peace and less pushback.
If you’re a Generator
Wait to respond
Rather than initiating, you are designed to wait for something external to respond to—a question, an opportunity, a request. Note that it is not you that is responding, but your gut by giving you a clear yes/no gut feeling moment-to-moment. This is your compass toward satisfaction.
If you’re a Manifesting-Generator
Wait to respond, then inform
Like Generators, you are designed to wait to respond to life. Once you respond and receive a clear yes/no gut feeling, inform others — like Manifestors — before taking action. This creates a smoother, faster path to your goals.
If you’re a Projector
Wait for the invitation
You are designed to wait for recognition and invitation, especially for major life decisions (career, relationships, location). When invited, it means your guidance is valued. Without invitation, you may experience resistance, feeling unseen, and out of place.
If you’re a Reflector
Wait a lunar cycle of 28 days
For major decisions, you are designed to wait through a complete 28-day lunar cycle. This exposes you to the full spectrum of influences you are designed to sample. During that time, moving through all the variations and nuances of an experience will give you clarity beyond the influence of any single day's conditioning.
When you follow your Strategy:
Decisions unfold with less friction
Interactions feel more natural
Outcomes are more sustainable
You experience your Type’s signature state
When you ignore your Strategy:
Life feels pushy, chaotic, or exhausting
You meet repeated resistance
You fall into your Type’s not-self theme
Strategy is not a mindset, motivation, or personality trait. It is a mechanical rule of engagement based on how your nervous system and body are wired.
The 5 Human Design Types: Which One Are You?
Human Design is a revolutionary system that combines astrology, the I Ching, Kabbalah, and the chakra system to reveal your unique energetic blueprint. At its core are five distinct energy types, each with its own strategy for navigating life with less resistance and more flow.
What Is Human Design?
Created by Ra Uru Hu in 1987, Human Design is sometimes called "the science of differentiation". Unlike astrology, which focuses on planetary influences and archetypal energies, Human Design maps your unique energetic mechanics and decision-making strategy.
Your Human Design type is determined by your birth data (date, time, and location) and reveals:
How you're designed to interact with the world
Your natural decision-making process (Authority)
Your life strategy for success and fulfillment
Your energetic aura and how others experience you
The 5 Human Design Types
Approximately 70% of the world's population are Generators or Manifesting Generators, while the remaining 30% are split between Manifestors, Projectors, and Reflectors. Each type has a unique role in the collective.
1. Manifestors (~9% of population)
The Initiators
Aura: Closed and repelling
Strategy: Inform before acting
Signature: Peace
Not-Self Theme: Anger
Overview
Manifestors are the only type designed to initiate action without waiting for external cues. They have a powerful, impactful energy that can make things happen and create change in the world.
Characteristics
Natural leaders and trailblazers
Independent and self-sufficient
Can work in powerful bursts of energy
Don't need permission to act
Often misunderstood or met with resistance
Strategy: Inform
Before taking action, Manifestors should inform those who will be impacted. This isn't asking permission—it's creating energetic alignment and reducing resistance. When Manifestors inform, they experience more peace and less pushback.
Common Challenges
Feeling controlled or restricted by others
Encountering unexpected resistance
Burning out from unsustainable pace
Feeling isolated or misunderstood
2. Generators (~37% of population)
The Builders
Aura: Open and enveloping
Strategy: Wait to respond
Signature: Satisfaction
Not-Self Theme: Frustration
Overview
Generators are the life force of the planet. They have sustainable energy for work they love and are designed to respond to life rather than initiate. When aligned with their passion, they have seemingly endless stamina.
Characteristics
Consistent, sustainable energy when engaged
Masters of what they love
Deeply satisfying presence
Need to feel lit up by their work
Regenerate energy through sleep
Strategy: Wait to Respond
Rather than initiating, Generators are designed to wait for something external to respond to—a question, an opportunity, a request. Their gut (sacral center) gives a clear yes/no response that guides them toward satisfaction.
Common Challenges
Feeling frustrated when initiating instead of responding
Saying yes to things that don't light them up
Not knowing when to quit unsatisfying work
Feeling guilty about needing work they love
3. Manifesting Generators (~33% of population)
The Multi-Passionate Expressers
Aura: Open and enveloping
Strategy: Wait to respond, then inform before acting
Signature: Satisfaction and peace
Not-Self Theme: Frustration and anger
Overview
Manifesting Generators are a hybrid of Manifestors and Generators. They're multi-passionate, fast-moving, and efficient. They're designed to do many things at once and often skip steps to get to the end result faster.
Characteristics
Quick, energetic, multi-tasking
Many interests and talents
Can pivot and change direction quickly
Learn by doing and making mistakes
Master of efficiency and shortcuts
Strategy: Respond, Then Inform
Like Generators, MGs wait to respond to life. But once they respond, they should inform (like Manifestors) before taking action. This creates a smoother, faster path to their goals.
Common Challenges
Feeling like they should stick to one thing
Frustration with people who move slowly
Starting too many projects at once
Impatience with step-by-step processes
4. Projectors (~20% of population)
The Guides
Aura: Focused and absorbing
Strategy: Wait for the invitation
Signature: Success
Not-Self Theme: Bitterness
Overview
Projectors are natural guides, managers, and advisors. They're here to see others deeply and guide energy efficiently. Unlike Generators, Projectors don't have consistent access to life force energy and need regular rest.
Characteristics
Natural coaches and consultants
See what others can't see
Designed to guide, not do
Absorb and amplify others' energy
Need recognition and invitation
Strategy: Wait for the Invitation
Projectors are designed to wait for recognition and invitation, especially for major life decisions (career, relationships, location). When invited, their guidance is valued. Without invitation, they experience resistance and bitterness.
Common Challenges
Trying to keep up with Generator energy
Offering unsolicited advice
Feeling unseen or unrecognized
Burnout from working like a Generator
Waiting too long for the "perfect" invitation
5. Reflectors (~1% of population)
The Evaluators
Aura: Resistant and sampling
Strategy: Wait a lunar cycle (28 days)
Signature: Surprise
Not-Self Theme: Disappointment
Overview
Reflectors are the rarest type and the ultimate mirrors of their environment. They have all nine centers undefined, making them highly sensitive to the energy around them. They're designed to reflect the health of their community.
Characteristics
Deeply empathetic and sensitive
Chameleon-like, adaptable
Barometer for community health
Unique perspective on everything
Need the right environment to thrive
Strategy: Wait a Lunar Cycle
For major decisions, Reflectors are designed to wait through a complete 28-day lunar cycle. This allows them to experience all the energetic variations and gain clarity beyond the influence of any single day's conditioning.
Common Challenges
Feeling like they don't have a consistent identity
Being overwhelmed by others' energy
Difficulty making quick decisions
Feeling disappointed by people and environments
Not understanding why they're so different
Understanding Your Authority
In addition to your type, Human Design includes your Authority—your unique decision-making process. Common authorities include:
Sacral Authority: Gut yes/no responses (Generators and MGs)
Emotional Authority: Waiting through the emotional wave for clarity
Splenic Authority: In-the-moment intuitive hits
Ego Authority: Willpower and self-interest
Self-Projected Authority: Speaking your truth out loud
Environmental Authority: Finding the right place to decide
Lunar Authority: Waiting 28 days (Reflectors only)
How to Use Your Type in Daily Life
For Manifestors
Practice informing before acting. Notice how resistance decreases when you give others a heads-up. Embrace your need for independence and alone time.
For Generators
Pay attention to your gut responses. Notice what lights you up versus what drains you. Wait for things to respond to rather than forcing initiation.
For Manifesting Generators
Honor your multi-passionate nature. Allow yourself to pivot when something no longer lights you up. Inform after responding to reduce resistance.
For Projectors
Rest is productive for you. Study systems and people. Wait for recognition before offering guidance. Create visibility so invitations can find you.
For Reflectors
Protect your energy by being selective about your environment. Give yourself 28 days for major decisions. Find a community that appreciates your unique perspective.
Human Design and Other Systems
The Blueprint integrates Human Design with:
Astrology - Your sun sign and rising sign complement your Human Design type
Numerology - Your life path number aligns with your Human Design's life purpose
Together, these systems provide a 360-degree view of your cosmic blueprint.
Common Misconceptions
Myth: Your type is limiting
Your type isn't a box—it's a user manual. It shows you how to work with your natural energy, not against it.
Myth: Projectors can't work hard
Projectors can be incredibly successful, but they need to work smart, not just hard, and prioritize rest.
Myth: Manifestors are the "best" type
No type is better than another. Each has a unique role and gift. The goal is to be yourself, not to be a different type.
Conclusion
Understanding your Human Design type is like receiving an owner's manual for your energy. Instead of fighting your natural tendencies, you can work with them to create a life of less resistance and more flow.
Your type isn't about who you should be—it's about recognizing who you already are and how to navigate life in alignment with your unique design.
Merch, Emotional Recall, and the 1998 World Cup
“It’s 1998. The World Cup is taking place in Paris. Against all odds France is going to the final against Brazil.”
Brazil… the giant. The reigning world champion. A team full of global superstars, led by Ronaldo, the greatest striker in the world.
It was France’s first World Cup final in history and at the time analysts overwhelmingly predicted a Brazil win. Typical odds were roughly: Brazil win: ~1.7, Draw: ~3.0, France win: ~4.0. Brazil was expected to dominate, Ronaldo to score, and France to struggle. But reality took a completely different turn. Defying all expectations, France beat Brazil 3-0.
The nation went from shock and disbelief to a euphoric explosion of ecstatic joy and national pride. The final felt unbelievable at the time. It made the French people feel united, invincible, and profoundly connected — an iconic, historic moment in French and sports history
To every French person who lived through the 1998 World Cup, the electric experience of collective victory and glory, the transcendent feeling of belonging to something bigger — all still live in every cell of our bodies.
As I look at the new mascot plush toys for the 2026 World Cup, I remember my own and am transported back to 1998.
So I can’t help but think about the 8-year-old little girls who will be holding on to their Maple the Moose, Zayu the Jaguar, or Clutch the Bald Eagle next year and who will experience the magic of the World Cup for the first time.
These plush mascots can be so much more than just merchandise. They speak to the power of merch to bring the heart and essence of a brand like FIFA to life.
Because isn’t that what global sports is all about — a reminder of our shared humanity, a place where joy, heartbreak, unity, and pride all coexist in one collective breath.
Coca-Cola: the making of an icon
In 1886, in the bustling heart of Atlanta, Georgia, a pharmacist named Dr. John Stith Pemberton was tinkering with a formula that would accidentally shape modern culture. His creation wasn’t conceived as a soft drink, but as a medicinal tonic — an elixir to soothe headaches, calm the nerves, and invigorate the body. The ingredients were daring for the time: coca leaf extract (yes, the same plant that produces cocaine) and kola nut, a natural source of caffeine.
Pemberton mixed his syrup with carbonated water and began selling it at the soda fountain of Jacobs’ Pharmacy. On the first day, nine glasses were sold. Nine. There was no viral marketing moment. No overnight success. Just a modest start.
But behind the formula stood another mind — one not of chemistry, but of storytelling.
The Unsung Hero: Frank M. Robinson
Enter Frank M. Robinson, Pemberton’s bookkeeper. Robinson didn’t invent Coca-Cola, but he did something arguably just as important: he gave it an identity.
Robinson chose the name “Coca-Cola” to highlight its two main ingredients, the coca leaf and kola nut ingredients, and to make it memorable with a nice, catchy alliteration.
He penned it in the now-iconic Spencerian script, the same elegant logo we know today, giving Coca-Cola a face that people will recognize, and turning a simple tonic into a memorable brand.
At the time, Atlanta was rebuilding after the Civil War, an era of reinvention and optimism. Soda fountains were becoming social hubs, a place where people gathered to sip something refreshing and talk about the future. Robinson intuitively understood this cultural shift and gave Coca-Cola a name and look that felt inevitable, like it had always existed.
This moment is a lesson in branding: a product becomes iconic not just because of what it is, but because of the story it tells.
From Local Tonic to National Symbol: Asa Candler
When Pemberton died in 1888, businessman Asa Candler purchased the rights and transformed Coca-Cola from a local curiosity into a national phenomenon.
Candler’s genius? Distribution and visibility. He invested heavily in marketing: free samples, branded calendars, signage, and even merchandise — radical at the time. Coca-Cola was no longer just a syrup sold at a pharmacy; it became a lifestyle.
By 1899, the first bottling agreement had been signed, enabling Coca-Cola to reach beyond soda fountains and into homes. By the 1920s, it was everywhere.
World War II and Global Expansion
Coca-Cola became truly global during World War II. The company made a strategic promise: every U.S. soldier would get a bottle of Coke for five cents, anywhere in the world.
This did two things:
It created deep emotional loyalty among American troops.
It introduced Coca-Cola to international markets in one stroke.
After the war, Coca-Cola was no longer just an American drink — it had become a symbol of Western lifestyle. To love Coke was, in some places, to participate in the American dream.
The Power of Cultural Storytelling
Over the decades, Coca-Cola refined not just its product, but its mythology. From the creation of the modern image of Santa Claus in its 1931 ads, to the “I’d Like to Buy the World a Coke” jingle in the 1970s, to the now-iconic polar bear campaigns, Coca-Cola has always been less about what’s in the bottle and more about how the brand makes you feel.
It didn’t sell sweetness.
It sold togetherness, optimism, and possibility.
This is why Coca-Cola transcended being just a drink and became a cultural symbol.
The Lesson for Modern Brands
Coca-Cola’s story is a masterclass in how identity shapes perception. The formula mattered, yes — but thousands of other tonics came and went. What set Coca-Cola apart was the vision, the name, the logo, the feeling.
Frank M. Robinson saw that a product becomes immortal when people don’t just drink it — they believe in it.
Today, the opportunity for brands — especially in emerging spaces like hemp-derived THC beverages — is to create the next Coca-Cola moment. A name that sounds inevitable. A brand that tells a story larger than the product itself. Something timeless.
Final Sip
The world didn’t need another syrup in 1886.
It needed a story.
Coca-Cola gave it one — and in doing so, became one of the most enduring brands of all time.
The question isn’t just who’s making the next great beverage.
It’s who’s writing the next great myth.
Labubu: This Is Not a Toy
“All mythical figures correspond to inner psychic experiences.”
— Carl G. Jung
Disarming charm with a wink of danger… A new figure is moving through the collective and taking the world by storm. With their wide eyes and mischievous grin, the Labubu dolls are not quite innocent. They elicit a curious blend of delight and discomfort, inviting affection and tension.
Once cloaked in animal skins, mythic tales, or jester’s garb, now reimagined in plush, Labubu is a contemporary manifestation of the Trickster — a primordial archetypal force that lives in the depths of our collective unconscious, quietly inhabiting our myths and dreams for millennia.
Jung described the Trickster as a being who is God, man, and animal all at once—a figure that makes us feel “very queerly indeed,” because it mirrors a psyche that has hardly left the animal level.
Labubu lives in that paradox.
They disobey — but with charm. They’re small — but powerful. They’re lovable — but dangerous. They’re innocent — but they know what they’re doing. They mock authority without becoming villains, they express rage without ugliness, they undo the world with a giggle.
Their very design hints at a psyche both unconscious and mythic, as if they remember a time before civilization fully tamed the wildness of spirit. More beast than bunny, more grotesque than pretty, they look soft yet bring explosive chaos. Adorable and disturbing, soft and cunning, primitive and strangely divine. There is something pre-verbal, pre-rational about them—something of pre-adolescent children: unruly and delightful, monstrous and magical.
They are dangerously alive — what we’d be if we peeled back the social scripts and let chaos frolic.
From Loki to Kuromi, the Trickster has worn many forms and is now grinning from the collector’s shelf.
But make no mistake— this is not a toy.
Chaos still hums beneath the surface. Mischief is still the message. A taste of the old Trickster medicine made palatable for the modern consumer.
What could this all mean?
Perhaps this archetype is emerging again because we need it. Like a mirror showing us how to hold contradiction without breaking. To let disobedience be fun again. To giggle while we undo old systems. To rage adorably and reclaim softness as strength.
on personal branding
We’re living in a time of profound volatility. Economically, socially, politically — the terrain shifts by the day. One moment you’re steady in a career, the next the industry no longer exists. One week, your services are in high demand; the next, a new trend or tool has changed the game. This isn’t fear-mongering — it’s reality.
And within this unpredictable landscape, there is one constant you can shape, evolve, and truly own: your personal brand.
When I say “personal brand,” I’m not talking about slick logos or curated aesthetics. I am talking about building something so intrinsically rooted in who you are that it becomes your compass and your castle — your resilience in a world that won’t stop changing.
Here is why a personal brand is no longer optional — it’s foundational.
BECOME MORE RESILIENT
When systems fail, when careers collapse, when life surprises you with illness, grief, motherhood, relocation, burnout, reinvention — what remains? The answer: you.
Your personal brand is an evolving reflection of your essence. Not your job title, not your last role, not your degrees. But your perspective. Your values. Your approach. The way you see and shape the world.
In this way, your brand becomes a kind of shelter — a soft power that follows you no matter where you go or how the world changes. You can pivot, reframe, return, and rebuild with a center of gravity that is wholly yours.
Unlike platforms, titles, or algorithms, your personal brand isn’t at the mercy of shifting tides. It adapts with you. And that is its greatest strength.
CONTROL THE NARRATIVE
The internet has a long memory — but it’s not always accurate. Search your name, and you might find outdated bios, random content, or a fragmented patchwork that doesn’t reflect who you are.
Meanwhile, employers, clients, collaborators, and communities will Google you. AI tools will summarize you. And companies that exist solely to track your digital paper trail will background check you.
Without a consciously crafted narrative, you allow others to define you by default.
But with one, you become the author. A thoughtful digital presence becomes your living archive — a place where you define who you are, what you do, how you do it, and what matters to you. It’s where your aesthetic, your message, your values — you — come to life, on your own terms.
This is not about performance. It’s about precision. About claiming space in a digital world that will write your story for you if you don’t.
INVEST INTO AN ASSET
A powerful personal brand isn’t just visibility. It’s legacy.
Think of it like any other investment: your brand accrues value over time. The more consistently you build it, the more equity it holds. It attracts opportunities, builds community, generates income, and reflects a body of work that’s distinctly yours.
And here’s the deeper truth: your brand can outlive you. It can be passed down, referenced, revived, reinterpreted. It becomes part of your inheritance — an intellectual, creative, and energetic asset that holds value beyond your lifetime.
Whether you’re an artist, entrepreneur, healer, educator, or leader — your personal brand becomes your archive. Your soul’s thumbprint, preserved and shared.
HONOR YOUR MULTIDIMENSIONALITY
Perhaps the most liberating reason to build a personal brand: it gives you permission to be fully seen.
We’ve been conditioned to streamline ourselves. To be “specialists,” to fit categories, to tone down the parts that don’t make sense on paper. But the truth is, most of us are not just one thing. We’re multi-hyphenates. We hold paradoxes. We change and evolve. And we crave a space where all of it can live together, harmoniously.
A personal brand becomes that space.
It’s where your artistry can coexist with your strategy. Where your professional expertise doesn’t diminish your depth. Where your curiosities, your unconventional path, your hard-earned perspective are not liabilities, but become your superpower.
In a world that flattens nuance, your brand is your rebellion. A reclamation of your full spectrum.
IN CLOSING
If you’re working online in any capacity — coaching, consulting, creating, healing, leading — and you haven’t taken time to invest in your personal brand, you are leaving a massive opportunity untapped.
This isn’t about self-promotion. It’s about self-definition. It’s about crafting something enduring, sovereign, and true. Something no algorithm, no title, no trend can take from you.
Build your brand. Own your narrative. Now is the time — more than ever.
What Does Your Blueprint Reveal About Your Personal Brand?
A personal brand is the unique combination of your values, voice, personality, expertise, and presence that shapes how others perceive you — online and offline.
A personal brand is an asset — one you have the power to build or not. You can choose to build it to reflect who you are, what you stand for, and the value you offer to others. Just like a company brand, it builds trust, recognition, and credibility — but it’s entirely rooted in your personal identity.
A personal brand is more than a curated Instagram feed or a polished LinkedIn profile. At its core, a personal brand is the essence of how you show up in the world. It’s a living asset. One that evolves with you and protects you.
Why Build One?
Unlike titles or roles that can be taken away, your personal brand is resilient and deeply yours. It stays with you regardless of changing jobs, industries, or life circumstances. Whether you're fired, relocate, take a break, or pivot entirely — your personal brand evolves with you, and continues to speak on your behalf. It becomes a reputation you own, a platform for opportunities, and a form of professional sovereignty in uncertain times. It’s your unique calling card in the marketplace.
In the midst of it all, your personal brand becomes your compass. It enables you to remain visible, relevant, and rooted in who you are, no matter what changes externally.
How to Build One?
A personal brand must be built from the inside out—from a place that is true, real, and unshakable. This isn’t about mimicking trends or following aesthetics that aren’t yours. It’s about anchoring into your essence, your values, your vision of and for the world. The brands that last—the ones we admire and remember—are rooted in integrity. They’re expressions of a deeper knowing.
Building your personal brand is like building a house: a structure to shelter you through the storm, through career pivots, identity shifts, and reinventions. It must be something you can be proud of yesterday, today, and tomorrow. And it starts with self-awareness and deep, uncompromising self-knowledge.
What to Look For in Your Blueprint
Your Blueprint is drawn from your date, time, and place of birth. It gathers insightful clues on the essence of who you are meant to be. Not who the world told you to be or who you think you should be, but who you were born to become.
In my work with my clients on personal branding, I love to use it for creative direction. Here are key elements to look for when helping someone shape their personal brand:
Life Path Number
Your Life Path is the overall tone of your essence and presence. It sets the frequency of your personal brand and offers a guiding throughline for your message and role in the world.
Rising Sign (also known as Ascendant)
Your Rising sign is the first impression you leave. It governs your aura, your style, your tone. It’s how you enter a room—physically and energetically. It’s the visual and energetic signature of your personal brand.
First House
This is the house of self and individuality. It reveals how you express your identity and embody your presence. Branding starts here: with how you carry yourself, how you lead with your energy, and how others experience your personality.
Midheaven
Your Midheaven is the highest point in your chart—the pinnacle of your career and calling. It reflects the reputation you build, the legacy you shape, and the authority you’re here to embody. It is deeply tied to your public brand.
Tenth House
The 10th house governs career, status, and visibility. It reveals how you’re meant to be seen in the professional world and what success looks like for you. This house refines the outward form of your brand—what people recognize you for.
Sun
Your Sun is your core essence—where you radiate, where you’re meant to be seen. In personal branding, it’s your spotlight. It speaks to your vitality, your creative expression, and the heart of your message.
Mercury
Mercury is your communication style. How you speak. How you write. How you share. How you translate your internal world for others. It’s essential for content creation, storytelling, and relational branding.
Jupiter
Jupiter reveals where you naturally expand. It’s where things come effortlessly, where luck finds you, and where growth feels aligned. For branding, it highlights your brand magnetism and the arenas in which your voice can reach further.
In Closing
The journey of crafting a personal brand, one rooted in truth and guided by your essence, is a profound act of courage and self-respect. Should you feel called, I welcome you to book a complimentary private consultation, where we can explore your Blueprint together with care and intention. If you prefer to dive in solo, I invite you to order your Personal Brand Blueprint—a custom-made, bespoke guide designed to illuminate your essence and direction.
Wherever you are on the path, know this: your authenticity is your legacy.
The Marlboro Man: Advertising As Myth
How did one of the most successful advertising campaigns of all time reshape American culture? This case study is an exploration of how the Marlboro Man transformed a struggling women’s cigarette brand into a global empire.
Read on.
Marlboro: The Brand Before the Campaign (1920s-1950s)
Before it became a symbol of masculinity and freedom, Marlboro was a cigarette for women.
The brand was introduced in the US by Philip Morris Company in 1924. Philip Morris (1835-1873) was a British tobacconist and cigarette importer based in London. “Marlboro” gets its name from the factory on Great Marlborough Street, London. They were first marketed as "America's luxury cigarette" and were mainly sold in hotels and resorts.
Around the 1930s, it was starting to be advertised and positioned as a mild, refined cigarette for women. Early ads featured elegant women smoking, often accompanied by the tagline, “Mild as May.” The filters were a key selling point, designed to make smoking “cleaner” and more appealing to female consumers — some even had red filters to accommodate for red lips. Early packaging had a delicate, feminine touch, evoking luxury and sophistication.
In 1952, Reader’s Digest published an article titled “Cancer by the Carton,” which linked cigarette smoking to lung cancer. Public concern grew, and sales of unfiltered cigarettes started to drop. The tobacco industry needed a solution — filtered cigarettes were the answer. But they carried a problematic perception. Unfiltered cigarettes were seen as strong, raw, and masculine, while filters were perceived as delicate, refined, and feminine. Men didn’t want to be seen smoking a filtered cigarette, let alone one specifically marketed for women. For Philip Morris Co., this was a critical challenge and tremendous opportunity — if they could make filtered cigarettes acceptable to men, they could capture the entire market. The company needed to completely reposition Marlboro.
The Architects of the Rebrand
Filtered cigarettes were the future, but they had to be made desirable to men. The challenge wasn’t just marketing a product; it was reshaping perception, rewriting cultural codes, and making filters masculine.
From 1954 to 1957, the critical period when the Marlboro rebrand took off, Joseph F. Cullman III was the president of the Philip Morris Company. He became CEO in 1957, holding the position until 1978, overseeing Philip Morris as it grew into one of the most dominant tobacco companies in the world.
Cullman was a brilliant strategist and businessman. Under his leadership, the company aggressively expanded its reach, positioning Philip Morris as an international powerhouse, despite the emerging public health crisis.
For the Marlboro rebrand, he turned to Leo Burnett, one of the most influential advertising minds of the 20th century, and worked closely with him to ensure the marketing strategy aligned with Philip Morris’s long-term vision.
With an early career in journalism, Burnett’s foray into advertising began in earnest in the 1910s working for Cadillac and advertising firms in Indianapolis and Chicago before founding his own agency, Leo Burnett Company, in 1935 in the middle of the Great Depression.
"Make it simple. Make it memorable. Make it inviting to look at. Make it fun to read."
While other agencies focused on hard-sell tactics, Burnett had a different philosophy. He understood that people don’t just buy products—they buy status, identity, and aspiration.
His approach was character-driven branding, a technique that would define some of the most successful campaigns of all time. Burnett didn’t just create ads—he created icons. Some of his most famous creations include Tony the Tiger for Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes, the Jolly Green Giant for Green Giant, and the Pillsbury Doughboy for Pillsbury. Each of these characters transcended the status of brand mascots and became symbols embedded in the minds of consumers.
Burnett believed in advertising that connected to the core emotions of consumers—ads that didn’t just inform, but captivated, inspired, and resonated on a deeper level.
The Many Men of Marlboro (1950s-1962)
Burnett’s challenge with Marlboro was monumental: how do you make a filtered cigarette—the ultimate symbol of sophisticated femininity—into the toughest cigarette in America?
Marlboro needed to be stripped of its past.
In the 1950s, America was shaped by war, economic expansion, and a rapidly changing cultural landscape. According to the 1950 Census, approximately 89.5% of the total U.S. population identified as white.
Nearly half of adult American men were military veterans. Millions had served in World War II (1939–1945) and another wave had fought in the Korean War (1950–1953). This created a generation of men shaped by discipline, duty, and survival, returning to a country that expected them to embrace suburban domesticity and corporate stability.
The post-war economic boom fueled corporate expansion. Millions of men left farms and blue-collar jobs for office careers, climbing the corporate ladder in large bureaucratic companies. These suburban white-collar workers were described as conformist and risk-averse, defined by suits, commutes, and a growing sense of disconnection from the physical, hands-on work of previous generations
In addition, millions of working-class men worked in steel mills, coal mines, auto plants, railroads, and farms, forming the backbone of industrial America. Many belonged to tight-knit, male-dominated workplace cultures, where toughness, endurance, and camaraderie defined their identity.
By 1954, Marlboro needed to sell filtered cigarettes to veterans, working-class, and white-collar men.
The first ads that came out in 1955 all featured veterans with their distinctive military hand tattoos. During World War I, servicemen began tattooing their military ID numbers—and later social security numbers—on their bodies for identification in case of injury or death. By World War II, tattooing had grown as a symbolic ritual among soldiers, marking their commitment, courage, and sense of camaraderie.
In the 1950s, though the once vast frontier of the American West was becoming a relic of the past, cowboys were everywhere—on the big screen, in TV shows, in dime novels, and in the collective imagination of a nation that still saw the West as its ultimate myth of freedom and self-reliance.
John Wayne was one of the most prolific actors of the time and had established himself as Hollywood’s leading cowboy by the 1940s with movies like Stagecoach (1939, dir. John Ford) and Red River (1948, dir. Howard Hawks). His dominance continued into the 1950s with Rio Grande (1950, dir. John Ford) and Hondo (1953, dir. John Farrow). His deep voice, imposing presence, and no-nonsense approach to justice made him the quintessential American hero.
Still frames from Stagecoach (1939, dir. John Ford) and Hondo (1953, dir. John Farrow) below.
By 1954, there was no stronger, more aspirational, or culturally dominant figure than the cowboy. He embodied freedom, individuality, and rugged masculinity.
1955 Marlboro ad campaign
By 1955, Marlboro's sales had surged to $5 billion—a remarkable 3,241% increase over 1954's figures, making it the best-selling cigarette brand in the world. The Marlboro Man became a cultural icon, symbolizing not just the brand but an entire generation’s ideals. The filtered cigarette, once dismissed as delicate and weak, became the toughest cigarette on the market.
It will take eight years for Marlboro to cement the cowboy as the one and only Marlboro Man archetype.
The men featured in subsequent campaigns of the 1950s reflect mainstream White masculinity in post-war American society, showcasing a spectrum of manly identities — veterans, laborers, athletes, intellectuals, outdoorsmen, and the self-made men…
These campaigns are a fascinating snapshot of post-war masculinity in America and reinforce different forms of masculine ideals of the 1950s. And what all these men had in common was the Marlboro cigarette.
From top to bottom: Marlboro ad campaigns from 1958 to 1962
Marlboro Country and the Cowboy as Myth (1963–1990s)
In 1963, Marlboro made the definitive pivot that would etch the cowboy into the cultural imagination of the 20th century. This wasn’t merely a branding decision—it was a narrative shift. The cowboy, once one of many faces of Marlboro, became the only one.
He wasn’t selling a cigarette; he was selling a way of life.
Set against the sweeping backdrop of the American West, the Marlboro Man strode through vast, untamed landscapes—alone, unbothered, elemental. He was rugged and self-reliant, often pictured on horseback, rounding up cattle or lighting a cigarette at dusk. These images were carefully constructed to evoke not just masculinity, but myth.
The West in these campaigns wasn't just a place—it was a state of mind.
"Marlboro Country" was where men could be free, where nature ruled and man endured. The visual language borrowed heavily from Western cinema and classical Americana: warm tones, dust-swept plains, horizon lines that whispered of possibility.
Marlboro Country wasn’t about selling tobacco. It was about selling identity. The filtered cigarette had transformed from a symbol of femininity into the epitome of masculine freedom.
What Is a Brand?
To understand what a brand truly is, you have to go back to its roots. The word "brand" comes from the Old Norse brandr, meaning to burn. It began as a literal mark seared into wood, livestock, or metal, and was a sign of ownership, identity, and belonging.
Over time, it also came to mean "sword"—a tool of precision, forged in flame. A sword doesn’t waver—it stands for something. It slices through the noise, protects what matters most, and commands attention. It delivers its message with power.
In French, brand translates as “marque” or mark—a stamp of ownership, a declaration of identity, a symbol that speaks without words. Like a coat of arms or a flag, it is a bold declaration of our values and a rallying point that others recognize and follow. It says, “This is who I am. This is what I stand for.” It is the mark we leave on the world.
To create a brand is to take a stand. It’s to plant your flag and draw your sword. It is a way of being recognized without words.
During the Industrial Revolution, the concept of “brand” underwent a significant transformation. In a rapidly expanding marketplace filled with mass-produced goods, brands became essential for distinguishing products—soap, clothing, food—from their competitors. A brand was no longer just a physical mark; it became a symbol of quality and a badge of trust, signaling reliability and consistency to consumers navigating an increasingly crowded and impersonal economy.
This evolution laid the foundation for branding as we know it today: a promise that stands out in the noise.
If you are building, running, or marketing a brand — whether it’s a business brand or your own personal brand — how long does it take you to answer these questions:
What is the flame that fuels your purpose?
What is the sword that defines your stance?
What is the mark you want to leave on the world?
Because a brand isn’t just what you create—it’s who you are. And if it’s done right, it has the potential to last forever.
A personal brand is no different. Your name can carry the same weight. It can be a beacon for what you believe in, a banner that others rally behind.
To build a personal brand is to take ownership of your name—to imbue it with purpose and meaning. It’s not just about what you do, but what you stand for. A name that carries weight isn’t about chasing trends or fleeting recognition. It’s about crafting a legacy.