Maytag Repairman
The Maytag Repairman has spent 50 years doing a whole lot of nothing. Unlike many brand icons who primarily function as a charming mascot, Maytag's guy is unique in that he acts as a rather explicit representation of the company's effort to promote product dependability. By either luck or design that dependability has extended to the actors who portray the character. Until recently, only three men had donned the trademark blue suit.
Maytag just completed a national search for a new actor to portray its brand icon. Visitors to Maytag.com are currently directed to the contest page for an introduction to contest winner Clay Earl Jackson. Over the course of the contest, people were invited to check the site regularly for updates, and the focus is now on Jackson.
According to the site, Jackson is a married, 33-year-old BBQ-loving juggler from Richmond, Va. What does any of that have to do with marketing major appliances online? Very little, but, from Maytag's perspective, at least we're still talking about its brand icon and its specific message of dependability.
The search for a new face gave Maytag a great way of generating new interest in the company and the Repairman character. Providing updates on new Repairman Jackson helps to keep some of that momentum going.
