Before I knew it, I had become the toast of the soft drink and advertising world. Schwippes requested that I appear in grocery stores to sign autographs for those who were fans of my ad persona. Every time I walked through Times Square, millions, or so it seemed cheered because of my presence on the humongous television there. I never stopped to think that they would show these ads in movie theatres. I found that out the hard way when Johnny and I went to see the latest Godzilla movie, only to leave before it even started. This was due to at least a thousand of my new fans rushing to get my autograph, and to tell me that I was simply smashing in those ads. Two weeks after the ad's premier, the latest fashion in all of Manhattan was the style of dress I wore in the ad. It was rather startling to wake up one morning, and see at least 25 women and girls wearing the exact style of dress that you wore. And the funny thing was, I thought I was the only one to enjoy wearing plain, casual dresses. I could not believe that just because I wore a particular fashion in an ad, that I would become a trendsetter. But, it would not be until that evening that I would find out just how out of hand it was becoming. I was watching with Sue her "must-see" annual fashion show on the television, when the highlight of the whole event came on.
"And our judges have voted on what the best fashion of the year is, the Richards Dress named after Marilyn Richards, who wore it in the classic Schwippes Ginger Ale commercial. Right after the announcers said that, they showed my advertisement for the zillionth time that month.
"Sue, would you please mute it?" I asked, almost pleadingly.
"Why yes Mary, what's wrong?"
"Sue, these ads I did for Schwippes... They have caused me and all of you much more trouble than happiness. Not only do they have all the females in America entering Marilyn Richards look-alike contests in the fashion department. But, they have also made it so that I can't even go out to eat with all of you without a mob running after me just for my autograph. I realize that this was just like when we debuted in the media a couple of years ago, but to me, I think this has gotten more out of hand than that."
"I can understand your feelings Mary. You should have thought about this before you did those commercials." Sue replied.
"I did think about it, these are JUST commercials. People normally do not go crazy over ads. I'm willing to bet that the if the people at Schwippes had hired an unknown, people would not go nuts over him or her." I said.
"I would like to think the madness would die down after another week or two Mary. I'm sure that by then, people would treat the ads you have appeared in as any other ordinary ad." Sue responded.
"Perhaps you are right Sue. Maybe it will be just like most fads, they only last a few weeks or months, but then die out just like that." I said as I snapped my fingers.
"Right Mary." Answered Sue.
The acme of all things the ads caused did not rear its ugly head until the morning after me and Sue's conversation. When I awoke, I turned the television in my room on to find this being the topic of a talk show.
"Is Marilyn Richards becoming an ignorant, sleazy snob?"
I never watched talk shows, but that really got to me. I flipped around the other channels. It was almost as if on cue that all of these kinds of shows, along with a few morning shows were talking about me in someway.
"What do you think of the most popular soft drink ad as of now?"
"I HATE THEM! EVERYTIME I SEE THAT ANNOYING SNOT OF A GIRL, I JUST WANT TO CRUSH MY TV SET LIKE IT IS HER!"
I shuddered at the thought of that muscular thug on the Kiki Lee Show as I turned to another channel. On that channel was the very ad that had caused all of my troubles the past few weeks. As I paid closer attention to the ad, it came to me how much I did sound like a snob in that. I realized that this person on television was not who I was. She was extremely too clean cut, too prim and proper, and not to mention just too perfect throughout. Yes, I had lived in a mansion, I occasionally wore fine silk clothes, and except for a few times, Father and I had plenty of money. But unlike this person, we never flaunted it about; we poured it into worthy causes, or inventions that would help many. I felt soiled by that ad. Suddenly, Father came into my room, and said.
"Good morning Mary. I just got a phone call from Mr. Edwards. And, he is requesting your appearance at the Forsyth Building here in Manhattan in a couple of hours, so get ready."
"Father, didn't Mr. Peterson and Mr. Edwards say we would shoot every three to four months? Not three to four WEEKS."
"Well Mary, Mr. Edwards told me that due to the huge popularity of the ads, they feel it would be better to produce new ones every month."
I could not take this anymore. If what I had been through was the price of having to be someone I was not, this was as better a time to end my career in advertising as any.
"Father, how do you think Mr. Peterson and Mr. Edwards would react if I was to tell them that I quit?"
"They probably would not take it well since you're very much their way of making money."
"I see. Well Father, let me tell you a little something about what I saw on the television this morning."
I told Father about the human gorilla who said he had urges to destroy his television as if it was me every time he saw the ads, the talk shows, the latest fashion trend, how I could not eat out or go to the movies with my friends, and how the cause of it all was just being someone I truly was not. When I was finished, Father said.
"My, you have been through quiet a lot. All this because of the ads?"
"Yes, just because of advertisements. Crazy, isn't it?"
"Yes it is Mary. Tell you what, you do have my permission to quit. I just request of you to tell them in a gentle way."
"I will Father, I will."
Please note how I did not promise Father that I would tell Mr. Edwards and Mr. Peterson I quit in a calm way. What I was going to do would not be much, but would be what I felt was the best way to make those two sleazes pay for what I had been through.
"And our judges have voted on what the best fashion of the year is, the Richards Dress named after Marilyn Richards, who wore it in the classic Schwippes Ginger Ale commercial. Right after the announcers said that, they showed my advertisement for the zillionth time that month.
"Sue, would you please mute it?" I asked, almost pleadingly.
"Why yes Mary, what's wrong?"
"Sue, these ads I did for Schwippes... They have caused me and all of you much more trouble than happiness. Not only do they have all the females in America entering Marilyn Richards look-alike contests in the fashion department. But, they have also made it so that I can't even go out to eat with all of you without a mob running after me just for my autograph. I realize that this was just like when we debuted in the media a couple of years ago, but to me, I think this has gotten more out of hand than that."
"I can understand your feelings Mary. You should have thought about this before you did those commercials." Sue replied.
"I did think about it, these are JUST commercials. People normally do not go crazy over ads. I'm willing to bet that the if the people at Schwippes had hired an unknown, people would not go nuts over him or her." I said.
"I would like to think the madness would die down after another week or two Mary. I'm sure that by then, people would treat the ads you have appeared in as any other ordinary ad." Sue responded.
"Perhaps you are right Sue. Maybe it will be just like most fads, they only last a few weeks or months, but then die out just like that." I said as I snapped my fingers.
"Right Mary." Answered Sue.
The acme of all things the ads caused did not rear its ugly head until the morning after me and Sue's conversation. When I awoke, I turned the television in my room on to find this being the topic of a talk show.
"Is Marilyn Richards becoming an ignorant, sleazy snob?"
I never watched talk shows, but that really got to me. I flipped around the other channels. It was almost as if on cue that all of these kinds of shows, along with a few morning shows were talking about me in someway.
"What do you think of the most popular soft drink ad as of now?"
"I HATE THEM! EVERYTIME I SEE THAT ANNOYING SNOT OF A GIRL, I JUST WANT TO CRUSH MY TV SET LIKE IT IS HER!"
I shuddered at the thought of that muscular thug on the Kiki Lee Show as I turned to another channel. On that channel was the very ad that had caused all of my troubles the past few weeks. As I paid closer attention to the ad, it came to me how much I did sound like a snob in that. I realized that this person on television was not who I was. She was extremely too clean cut, too prim and proper, and not to mention just too perfect throughout. Yes, I had lived in a mansion, I occasionally wore fine silk clothes, and except for a few times, Father and I had plenty of money. But unlike this person, we never flaunted it about; we poured it into worthy causes, or inventions that would help many. I felt soiled by that ad. Suddenly, Father came into my room, and said.
"Good morning Mary. I just got a phone call from Mr. Edwards. And, he is requesting your appearance at the Forsyth Building here in Manhattan in a couple of hours, so get ready."
"Father, didn't Mr. Peterson and Mr. Edwards say we would shoot every three to four months? Not three to four WEEKS."
"Well Mary, Mr. Edwards told me that due to the huge popularity of the ads, they feel it would be better to produce new ones every month."
I could not take this anymore. If what I had been through was the price of having to be someone I was not, this was as better a time to end my career in advertising as any.
"Father, how do you think Mr. Peterson and Mr. Edwards would react if I was to tell them that I quit?"
"They probably would not take it well since you're very much their way of making money."
"I see. Well Father, let me tell you a little something about what I saw on the television this morning."
I told Father about the human gorilla who said he had urges to destroy his television as if it was me every time he saw the ads, the talk shows, the latest fashion trend, how I could not eat out or go to the movies with my friends, and how the cause of it all was just being someone I truly was not. When I was finished, Father said.
"My, you have been through quiet a lot. All this because of the ads?"
"Yes, just because of advertisements. Crazy, isn't it?"
"Yes it is Mary. Tell you what, you do have my permission to quit. I just request of you to tell them in a gentle way."
"I will Father, I will."
Please note how I did not promise Father that I would tell Mr. Edwards and Mr. Peterson I quit in a calm way. What I was going to do would not be much, but would be what I felt was the best way to make those two sleazes pay for what I had been through.