Facial hair, ripped abs, horseback riding, gunplay. A new ad for Old Spice?
Not exactly.
It's an old commercial for the Japanese men's toiletry brand "Mandom" which — unlike Old Spice — is not a parody.
The ad in question stars the late Charles Bronson, who starred in the "Death Wish" franchise.
The seventies mega-hunk channels several leading men in the two-minute epic: Humphrey Bogart in "Play It Again Sam", Sean Connery in just about any Bond film, and himself in many of his tough-guy, vigilante roles.
Mandom recruited Bronson to promote the fragrance line after his film, "Once Upon A Time In The West" became a hit in Japan. He was perceived as the quintessential 'Western Man.'
The actor was paid $100,000 to star in the commercial which took Japanese director, Nobuhiko Ohbayashi, four days to shoot. Apparently, the sum exceeded the fees Bronson made for his memorable roles in both "The Magnificent Seven" and "The Great Escape" together.
The ad turned out to be as successful in Japan as Bronson's films. Within weeks of airing the commercial, Mandom become the No.1 selling male toiletry brand in the country.
“Facts are stubborn things; and whatever may be our wishes, our inclinations, or the dictates of our passions, they cannot alter the state of facts and evidence.” - John Adams
December 17, 2019, 10:29 PM
Il Cattivo
Amazing. I was going to ask some snide question about his marinating himself in the stuff at the end of the day, but that $100,000 Bronson got for four days of work in 1968 equals over $739,000 in present day dollars. Whatever you say, Obayashi-san.
December 17, 2019, 10:48 PM
hjs157
Then
Now
December 17, 2019, 11:17 PM
kkina
It's a big thing for western movie stars to make commercials for the Japan market. It avoids dilution of their "branding" in the US by appearing in commercials that nobody in America would ever see. You still rake in the big bucks (or would it be yen). You'd be amazed at the big stars you see in Japanese ads.
The movie Lost in Translation with Bill Murray is a great depiction of this phenomenon.
I wonder how much Percy Helton was paid. Always liked him.
December 18, 2019, 07:26 AM
Fredward
I watched those while serving in Korea. They were a hoot.
December 18, 2019, 07:38 AM
kz1000
Charles Bronson used an entire styptic pencil every time he shaved.
------------------------------------------------------------------------ "Yidn, shreibt un fershreibt"
"The Nazis entered this war under the rather childish delusion that they were going to bomb everyone else, and nobody was going to bomb them. At Rotterdam, London, Warsaw and half a hundred other places, they put their rather naive theory into operation. They sowed the wind, and now they are going to reap the whirlwind." -Bomber Harris
December 18, 2019, 07:44 AM
Sig209
quote:
Originally posted by kkina:
The movie Lost in Translation with Bill Murray is a great depiction of this phenomenon.
first thing i thought of
excellent movie
if you've ever been to Japan it will make more sense
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Proverbs 27:17 - As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.
December 18, 2019, 10:48 AM
Dzozer
Reminds me of this Japanese commercial with Arnie... Not even close to being as cool as Bronson though
'veritas non verba magistri'
December 18, 2019, 10:56 AM
sigspecops
I'm pretty sure that Mandom is an excellent gun lubricant, guaranteed to make you’re pistol go bang every time.
No one's life, liberty or property is safe while the legislature is in session.- Mark Twain
Apparently the stuff was very dilute, 'cause he had to spray a buttload of it on. Either that, or he uses the same application volume as my mom does on her perfume....
________________________________________________
"You cannot legislate the poor into freedom by legislating the wealthy out of freedom. What one person receives without working for, another person must work for without receiving." -Dr. Adrian Rogers
December 19, 2019, 05:06 PM
Graniteguy
Well - it certainly seems to work well for him as he hangs out in his apartment alone.....
Man he poured that on like he was taking a shower.
Situation awareness is defined as a continuous extraction of environmental information, integration of this information with previous knowledge to form a coherent mental picture in directing further perception and anticipating future events. Simply put, situational awareness mean knowing what is going on around you.
December 19, 2019, 05:51 PM
Blume9mm
That's exactly what I thought.. you probably could smell him from a mile away... must never actually wash....
My Native American Name: "Runs with Scissors"
December 19, 2019, 06:05 PM
recoatlift
Yeah, after a dousing like that, I’d sure hate to be trapped in an elevator with him.
