The advertising figure known as the “Marlboro Man” became famous after Marlboro shifted toward a rugged masculine image. Philip Morris and its advertising agencies used cowboy imagery especially strongly from the 1950s onward.
Marlboro had originally been marketed as a cigarette for women, with a red tip intended to conceal lipstick marks. The brand changed direction by presenting smoking as an expression of independence, outdoor toughness, and the American West. Several men served as Marlboro models; there was not one single permanent actor behind the character.
The campaign made Marlboro one of the world’s most recognizable cigarette brands. Its historical importance is also controversial because the imagery associated smoking with health, freedom, and masculinity despite the serious medical risks of tobacco use.