Idols of the Past in Today's Ad Campaigns

Iconic celebrities from the past still have a huge cultural draw in today's society. Take for example Elvis Presley, the King of Rock n'Roll, who according to Forbes still earns around $50 million a year. He died in 1977.

Many of the earlist stars of stage, screen and music, died long before the age of social media, mass marketing and widespread celebrity obsession had set in. So despite their outstanding success, some would argue that in terms of advertising, they never had the opportunity to achieve their full potential.

In the name of nostalgia, we asked our designers to show us what our favorite pop culture icons of the past could have been up to if they'd still be around in today's world. The incredible responses, which have already been raved about in the Daily Mail, take inspiration from legends of music, art and film, and imagine what they might have chosen to endorse nowadays.

The King rocking out with brand new headphones


Two of the most stylish people in history surely would be a catch for any label


It's no secret Marilyn Monroe was a fan of luxury and fashion


An off-beat artist like Warhol would be the perfect choice for an off-beat campaign such as this


The Billy shelving system may have come close, but IKEA has yet to come up with a design to inspire (and confuse) through the ages


The sophisticated vintage feel of this ad seems perfect


Who else but Jimi could rock jeans (and briefs) like this?


You'd never think so, but it's an obvious coupling once you see it


A flawless Judy Garland is peering through flawless Google Glasses into a distant future


Monroe always did rock a smashing red lip, so it's no surprise Coca-Cola would want in on that


Want More?

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Written by Jane Murray on Friday, September 25, 2015

Jane Murray is a freelance copywriter based in Sydney. Apart from writing up a storm for the DesignCrowd blog on anything from logo design to Michael Jackson's shoes, she enjoys reading literary science fiction and hanging out with most animals except wasps. Get in touch via LinkedIn.