How Branding Launched Michael Jackson’s Solo Career (printmag.com)"For the past half-century Mike Salisbury has successfully branded magazines and motorcycles, perfumes and theme parks, Levi’s and Gotcha, Raiders of the Lost Ark and Jurassic Park. And, most notoriously, Joe Camel. Smokin’ Joe was actually the subject of my first Print interview with Mike, and was recently reprinted and deconstructed in Steven Heller’s Writing and Research for Graphic Designers.

Off the Wall was released in 1979, when Michael Jackson’s personal reputation had not yet been blemished. And since this year marks the 35th anniversary of Mike’s ushering in Michael’s coming out on his own, I got a behind-the-curtains account of Mike’s creative triumph over a variety of temperamental and logistical obstacles in order to produce his seminal image. And the man who branded the “King of Pop” wraps up the interview with an extended riff on his early career trajectory.: