ZZ Top almost starred in one of the biggest advertising campaigns in history. In a recent interview on the Mohr Stories , guitarist Billy Gibbons confirmed that he and the late bassist
Dusty Hill – who died in July 2021 at the age of 72 – received an offer of US$1 million each (R$5.5 million reais at the current exchange rate) to shave their famous beards for a Gillette commercial . And they promptly refused.
According to Gibbons, the offer came at the height of the group's popularity, when long beards had already become a trademark of ZZ Top [transcription via Blabbermouth ]. “It’s true. Gillette denies it. It was a million dollars each. But we called Mr. Merlis [music industry veteran Bob Merlis ]. I said, ‘Bob, we’ve got an offer.’ ‘What?’ I said, ‘They offered us a million dollars each to shave on TV.’ He said, ‘Well,’ he said, ‘The money’s good.’ He said, ‘You might consider doing it, but I’m not sure if you—none of you—know what’s down there.’ So we refused. We refused, and our fans loved it. The news spread.”
In previous interviews, Gibbons humorously explained that the idea of seeing himself without a beard was almost unthinkable. “No way. Even adjusting for inflation, it’s not going to work. The prospect of seeing yourself in the mirror without a beard is very much like a Vincent Price —a prospect that shouldn’t be considered, no matter the compensation.”
The refusal of the million-dollar offer wasn't just a matter of aesthetics. For ZZ Top, the beard and sunglasses became inseparable symbols of their public image, associated with both the sound and the style of the group since the 1970s. According to them, losing that look for an advertising campaign could dilute the identity that built their fan base over decades.
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