1. Hector Boiardi, 1929
Boiardi (boy-ar-dee), a Cleveland chef, sold take-home meal kits of his dishes due to customer demand. During World War II, he canned his pasta meals for servicemen, popularizing Italian food.
The impact: That’s Boiardi’s face in the Chef Boyardee logo, making him godfather to celebrity chefs like Wolfgang Puck and Rachael Ray.
2. Andy Warhol, 1962
The painter turned Campbell’s Soup into art and brand-ified celebrities with silk-screen portraits of Marilyn Monroe, Elvis Presley, and others.
The impact: Warhol’s 1968 observation that “in the future, everyone will be world-famous for 15 minutes” has become the rallying cry for aspiring social media influencers and reality-TV stars.
Recognize your brand’s excellence by applying to this year’s Brands That Matter Awards before the early-rate deadline, May 3.
