Maytag Ads Ditch That Old, Bored Repairman for a Younger Model

The aged and very bored Maytag Repairman has gotten a facelift—and a new job. In an advertising overhaul that begins this month in Canada, Maytag parent Whirlpool has ditched the 46-year-old repairman motif for Maytag Man, a human representation of all the things the company’s appliances can do, from roasting a turkey to washing clothes.

The idea is to use the traditional character, remembered by millions of Americans from ads that featured the same dour actor over more than two decades, in a new fashion. Out is the concept of stressing reliability, in favor of pitching consumers on just how much Maytag appliances can accomplish. The marketing transition is also possibly a tacit admission that fewer people still repair appliances when there’s a significant problem, looking instead for a replacement.