Frank Perdue’s legacy to marketing is undeniable.

Not only did he show the world how to turn a commodity product (chicken) into a brand, he also ushered in the era of the CEO as spokesperson.

By doing so, he gave the company a face and a voice.

If you ever heard Perdue’s commercials and saw his face or heard his voice, you’d know that his ad people probably tried everything possible to talk him out of this strategy.

But it worked.

The sight of a real person (who resembled a chicken) gave the company a face and a personality that was unique at the time.

He was followed by many other CEOs touting their products on the national and local TV cameras. These people became celebrities in their local markets and built amazing brands by following Perdue’s tracks.

That’s something to squawk about!