Mikhail Gorbachev moved towards social democracy in the late 80s.
He aimed to gradually introduce liberal reforms by incorporating elements from free-markets.
As part of these reforms, he initiated concepts like glasnost (increased transparency and freedom of speech) and perestroika (restructuring of the economy and political system).
The timeline of these reforms coincided with the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, which opened the door for many western companies to establish themselves in the USSR
Some notable examples are
Food and Consumer Goods: McDonald's, Coca-Cola, Nestlé, Unilever
Technology: IBM, Siemens
Clothing: Levi Strauss & Co.
Healthcare: Johnson & Johnson
Ogilvy's depiction of Gorbachev posing with Louis Vuitton in a limousine with the falling Berlin wall as backdrop transcends being simply symbolic of contrasting ideologies.
It stands as a powerful cultural moment, capturing a complex socio-political-economic juncture in world history.
#TBT 2007
Mikhail Gorbachev driving past the Berlin Wall.
Client: Louis Vuitton
Photographer: Annie Leibovitz
Team: Ogilvy Paris
Vice President Global Product Design, Research and Development at Carhartt
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