Revisionist History

Inspiration meets innovation at Brandweek, the ultimate marketing experience. Join industry luminaries, rising talent and strategic experts in Phoenix, Arizona this September 23–26 to assess challenges, develop solutions and create new pathways for growth. Register early to save.

Picasso assembles a Mercedes. Fred Astaire dances with a Dirt Devil vacuum cleaner. Apple salutes the likes of Gandhi, Albert Einstein and John Lennon.

Dead actors, icons and pop stars litter the commercial landscape these days. So why am I so upset about spots that use images of Martin Luther King Jr. and Lou Gehrig?

The ads, the first of several in Arnold’s “Speeches” campaign for French telco Alcatel, use archival footage of King’s “I have a dream” speech in 1963 and Gehrig’s heart-wrenching farewell at Yankee Sta dium in 1939.



AW+

WORK SMARTER - LEARN, GROW AND BE INSPIRED.

Spring Special

Save 30% Off an ADWEEK Subscription Today!

View Your Options

Already a member? Sign in