Revlon Charlie Year: 1973
The Concept: Revlon released their Charlie fragrance in 1973, during a time when female empowerment and self-sufficiency were on the rise. The ads starring models Shelley Hack and Charly Stember were the first fragrance advertisements in history to feature women wearing pants. (We know, crazy town). Also a Charlie model was Naomi Sims, the first-ever African American woman to be featured in any cosmetics campaign. (Much crazier).
The Impact: Women worshipped the Charlie ads for their playful representations of female independence. And within the next few years, Charlie became the top-selling perfume in the world.
Though some people found the brand's advertising distasteful -- particularly one image of a female model patting a male model's bum (sounds cute to us!) -- the Charlie ads inspired a new generation of young, working females. Even Oprah Winfrey was quoted as saying she always wanted to be just as "confident and fabulous" as the "Charlie girls."
Ready to unleash your inner beauty junkie?
Enter your email and check the boxes below to get
free samples, exclusive deals, discounts at Total Beauty Shops,
and expert beauty tips delivered straight to your inbox!