Before the days of the online influencer, Angelyne created a career for herself using billboard advertising. M&M Global caught up with the mysterious blonde bombshell to find out what tips she has on building a brand through out-of-home.
In the city of angels, one has gazed down on the population since the mid-80s. Angelyne sprang to prominence in 1984, when billboards featuring her signature curves and curls started appearing all over the city.
Intrigued by the mysterious poster girl, local media started offering her interviews and television show appearances, referring to her as being “famous for being famous”. However, over 30 years later, Angelyne is still popping up in movies and television series, from Futurama and Bojack Horseman to Terminator Genisys and Get Shorty – most recently appearing in Seth Rogen and James Franco’s latest project, The Disaster Artist, a movie about the making of the “worst film ever”.
When Angelyne takes M&M Global’s call, she is cruising the California sun in her iconic pink Corvette, generating whispers of recognition from onlookers.
“I was in a punk rock band and the band wasn’t getting very much attention, even though it was really good, so my guitar player, who was my boyfriend at the time, put pictures of me all over the city on posters,” she says, her girly voice dripping bubblegum cuteness.
“I don’t think anyone had done it before and if they had, they weren’t successful like I was at it, because the first time my billboard went up it was ‘boom!’ just like that.
“You know how sometimes something just works? I just felt like it was happening, it was such a high so we just went to the next level and got bigger pictures all over the city.”
While Angelyne might not have been the first to employ billboards to promote her cause, she believes she was the most successful. Why? “Because I’m gorgeous!” she retorts with a giggle.
“It was my niche, you know people have their niche? It was my territory. I’m sort of the princess of the sky with the billboards, the LA skyline was my territory – is my territory,” she adds quickly.
Angelyne’s ‘famous silhouette’ can still be found around Sunset Boulevard. “I sort of step in to that silhouette that was meant for me,” she says, explaining how her notoriety has impacted her life. “I look at it like the silhouette was already there and I just stepped in to it – I made it come alive!”
The sky is not the limit
Not content with stationary billboards, she has graced a range of out of home advertising platforms – from trucks to a 50-feet balloon that would sit on top of buildings. However, Angelyne believes that physical advertising will never be replaced by the encroaching threat of digital.
“We do need to by physiologically active, we can’t just be sitting on our tush!” she says. “We’ve got to go out and eat and sleep and maybe have sex and mingle with people. We have to go outside so there are still tonnes of billboards everywhere.”
However, Angelyne feels that some modern billboards aren’t up to scratch. “How do you get a great billboard? You get Angelyne to design it!
“Seriously, I know how to use space well, there are some billboards that don’t use the space well enough. What makes a great billboard is actually those four seconds a person has to look at it and be impressed with it. It’s got to be as simple and bold as possible to convey the message, a lot of writing is not good and the image should be big,” she adds.
Aside from getting the design right, she feels that the best advertising comes from the heart – from the advertiser doing what they love.
“A person has to love what they do, they have to love it and they have to be happy with it, and then they have to take the chance of putting it out in the world, if that’s what they want to do,” she says. “Now, do you love what you do?”
Mystery blonde
Another key ingredient to a successful campaign, according to Angelyne, is an air of intrigue and ambiguity.
“Obviously, mystery has a very salacious impact on people,” she comments. “For some reason, people project their own scenario on to me, that’s what makes the mystery so interesting. A porn star will think ‘I’m a porn star’, an entrepreneur will think ‘I’m an entrepreneur’.”
However, unlike many modern influencers, Angelyne has never engaged in brand partnerships. “I don’t sell out to major corporations, that’s why my fans support me and different studios who want to hire my billboards for their films support me.
“All sorts of different avenues support me, but I will not sell out and become part of somebody else’s corporation,” she adds, “I’ve sacrificed billions of dollars, but I’m not driven by money – obviously I like lots and lots so I can do what I want, but I am driven by my rebellious spirit to be who I am and to do what I want when I want.
“I want to inspire people. Once I become pure energy and spirit and leave here, I would like to be an inspiration for people to be who they want and evolve into a great, better, good existence, that’s my greatest hope.”
But before she leaves us to become pure energy, Angelyne has plenty yet to do, with a forthcoming biopic, ‘The Angelyne Movie’, in the works – “a glorified pseudo-documentary full feature film” using footage from “tens of thousands of TV shows from the 80s and 90s”.
“I’m in it, of course – I don’t want anybody playing me because nobody else has my energy. I’m not really an actress – I inspire people and I’m a rebel and I do what I want. To be an actress would almost be counterproductive for me because I’d be playing something else – I have to be me.”
Being herself has served Angelyne well, giving her legendary status in the city of angels. Angelyne abides, I don’t know about you – but I take comfort in that.
