Advertising Age magazine picked the Top 10 Female Ad Icons of all time. Chronologically, they include:
- The Morton Salt Umbrella Girl (1914).
- Betty Crocker (1921).
- Miss Chiquita (Chiquita bananas, 1914).
- Rosie the Riveter (1943).
- Josephine the Plumber (Comet Cleanser, 1963).
- Mrs. Olson (Folgers, 1963).
- Madge the Manicurist (Palmolive, 1966).
- Rosie the Waitress (Bounty, 1970s).
- The incomparable Clara Peller (Wendy’s, 1984).
But I am most excited to see, on this prestigious Top Ten list, one of my personal all-time favorites: Flo the Progressive girl.
Are they missing anyone? All I can think of is Aunt Jemima and Mrs. Buttersworth. I think Aunt Jemima deserves to be in the Top Ten.
Back in 1999, Advertising Age did a list of the Top Ten Advertising Icons of the Century--man, woman, or animal. Aunt Jemima DID make that list. So she definitely should have been among the top women. That list was:
- The Marlboro Man
- Ronald McDonald
- Green Giant
- Betty Crocker
- Energizer Bunny
- Pillsbury Doughboy
- Aunt Jemima
- Michelin Man
- Tony the Tiger
- Elsie (Borden dairy products)