Charles Atlas and the Birth of Masculinity Marketing

Charles Atlas emerged as a significant figure in the early marketing of masculinity during the 1930s, catering to insecurities among young men. He debuted a series of ads targeting fragile male self-esteem, notably through his 97-pound weakling campaign, which effectively shamed boys into believing they needed to bulk up to be worthy. By moving his advertising from adult magazines to comic books, Atlas cleverly reached a youthful audience by framing body transformation as a remedy to social ridicule, particularly from bullies. His success established a template for future masculinity influencers who would use similar tactics to exploit self-doubt for profit.