American Express Company: Portraits campaign (1987-1991)

Rebecca Stanfel

This article discusses the "Portraits" campaign run by American Express in 1987, in an attempt to bolster their market position in relation to their main competitors, Visa and MasterCard.

American Express Company: Portraits campaign

Rebecca Stanfel

Overview

The American Express Company (AmEx) launched a striking print advertising campaign in 1987. The ads, which featured photographs of celebrities by renowned photographer Annie Leibovitz, quickly won the attention and praise of consumers and ad critics. Like most of AmEx's prior advertising, the "Portraits" campaign emphasized the credit card company's elite status. While its rivals touted their universal acceptance, AmEx consistently billed its card less as a spending device and more as a membership ticket to a privileged existence. AmEx's competitors, however, began to emulate this strategy. Shortly before the inception of...

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