Aretha Franklin Was a Pioneer of Pop Culture and an Advertising Icon for 50 Years

Remembering the Queen of Soul, who has died at 76

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Aretha Franklin was one of those very few talents who elevated everything she touched, bringing her signature blend of passion, dignity and joy not only to decades of music but also to Hollywood and Madison Avenue.

Whether it was a duet with Ray Charles about Coca-Cola or her unforgettable cameo in The Blues Brothers, Franklin never once phoned it in for a paycheck. She owned every moment she was on camera or on the mic, yet also conveyed the confidence to have fun on screen without taking herself too seriously, rocking a hospital P.A.

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