Streisand Blackglama Mink Ad
1968
Blackglama mink is a naturally dark fur which is not dyed black.
In 1968, the Great Lakes Mink Growers wanted to promote the dark mink, so they hired New York advertising executive Jane Trahey.
Peter Rogers, who also worked on the advertising campaign, said “the luster of the fur doesn’t show up in a photograph, so Jane thought up a gimmick.”
Trahey suggested photographing famous people in black and white wearing a Blackglama coat with the tagline: “What Becomes A Legend Most?”
Famed photographer Richard Avedon shot the legends wearing the coat. Working with super-agent David Begelman at the William Morris agency, Trahey managed to get Judy Garland, Bette Davis, Lauren Bacall and Barbra Streisand to pose for the first ads. Trahey, it's said, offered the stars a Richard Avedon photo plus a coat of their choice by the furrier of their choice for appearing in the ad.
The ads were simple and brilliant: Streisand's name was not used and the coat was not featured prominently. “It wasn't necessary,” Trahey explained. “You didn't have to [use the stars names] . . . Here were marvelously recognizable faces looking out at you,” she said.
End.
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