Marlboro Man
The use of the Marlboro Man campaign had very significant and immediate effects on sales. In 1955, when the Marlboro Man campaign was started, sales were at $5 billion. By 1957, sales were at $20 billion, representing a 300% increase within two years. Philip Morris easily overcame growing health concerns through the Marlboro Man campaign, highlighting the success as well as the tobacco industry’s strong ability to use mass marketing to influence the public.
William Thourlby
Compared to colleagues who were also the faces of Marlboro during that time, Thourlby claimed that he never smoked cigarettes or consumed alcohol. He was friends with the athlete Jim Thorpe when they partnered to open up a restaurant in Los Angeles. Thourlby said of his relationship with Thorpe, “Jim adopted me as his son in an Indian ceremony — I called him Dad and he called me 'my boy.'" Thorpe helped Thourlby land several roles in movies before his Marlboro campaign.
Thourlby owned and operated a men's clothing store on Peachtree St. in Atlanta in the 1970s where he personally consulted with each customer on style, fit and tailoring of each suit.
Until his death, Thourlby lived alone in the New York Athletic Club for 40 years and was one of its three permanent tenants.