If anyone embodies the last time capitalism was really working on a peak “synergistic” level, it’s Britney Spears. In fact, for all this convenient repurposing of Spears into “Comrade Britney” after she arbitrarily posted Mimi Zhu’s socialist-leaning message (a.k.a. meme) in early 2020 as coronavirus derailed everyone’s life (for the first round of variants, that is), Spears has made a great deal of her living out of product endorsements. Beyond just that, however, there are many other instances of how Britney has become an emblem of what can now be categorized as “the millennial experience” (complete with having her finances arbitrarily ripped from her–granted, that had nothing to do with the 2008 financial crisis, so much as her 2008 entrance into a conservatorship). To honor the major milestone for both Britney–once synonymous with “teenhood” (and kind of still is, sorry Billie and Olivia…who are themselves soon to “age out” of the teen girl demographic they’ve come to represent)–and millennials everywhere, let us reflect on forty instances (in non-chronological order) of Brit being the spokesperson for a generation.
1) Skechers: Not just the ordinary kind of Skechers, the “4-wheelers.” A.k.a. shoes as skates a.k.a. a partial genesis for where millennials were instilled with a sense that life should always be fun. And “practical” things should always have a gimmick. After signing the deal with Skechers in 2001, Spears dipped out on the contract after claiming the company did not “properly promote her line of roller skates and other products.” Skechers, in turn, lobbied their own accusations, including Spears’ failure to honor her three-year contract. But all anyone really remembers is that iconic ad of Britney in her usual denim and her image repeated in those signature 4-wheelers. Ah, what capitalism can’t sell.
2) Including the likes of that blow-up chair. Because yes, the late 90s were still rife for inflatable furniture to appear in rooms across America (is it any wonder the U.S. is the biggest producer of plastic waste?). And with millennials supposedly “growing up” and moving into homes of their own (granted, many were forced to move out of them amid the latest economic setback), it was only “good business” for Target to cater to the demographic by re-popularizing the phenomenon circa 2018 so that “echo boomers” could live out their dreams of finally “Coolin’ like Britney” in an inflatable chair. Other adjectives on the box brought to us by Britney Brands Inc. in 2000 included “Stylin’” and “Groovin’.” That Britney was…until K-Fed came along.
3) While Herbal Essences may forever be remembered for those “orgasming” in the shower commercials, Britney had her own place in the sun with the famed shampoo and conditioner circa 2002. And again, because the keyword with Britney is always “synergy,” one of the tailored-to-Crossroads promotion ads even declares, “We urge you to see it.” Incidentally, Brit seemed to take the helm for the brand when *NSYNC was eclipsed by her, their own ad featuring the tagline, “*NTENSE, *NCREDIBLE” growing increasingly stale by the day.
4) Crossroads: Although it’s Britney’s only movie (or at least her only movie where she’s in the starring role), it remains a key piece of millennial ephemera, neck and neck only with that other one-word movie title, Glitter. What’s more, it offered the ultimate track in highlighting the millennial existential crisis (that lingers to this day): “I’m Not A Girl, Not Yet A Woman” (which Billie Eilish then ostensibly decided to go ahead and use as a visual inspiration for “Your Power”).
5) Being the Queen of TRL: Sure, there were other music videos on TRL…but did anyone ever care as much about getting someone to number one as they did about it being Britney?
6) “Inventing” the selfie with Paris Hilton: In November of 2006, Paris Hilton snapped a photo of herself and Britney, each in Playboy Bunny ears. Along with the notorious LiLo “trio photo” snapped by the paparazzi while they were driving together, it would be the most legendary Hollywood photo of the year. And Hilton would later “jokingly” remark with a throwback photo from the night in question that it was when the selfie was truly invented (even though we know, if anyone invented it, it was Madonna in Desperately Seeking Susan).
7) Partying with Paris Hilton: Anyone who was everyone partied with Paris at some point in the 00s at places like Nacional, Ivar, Les Deux and Hyde. In truth, however, it was Brit who lent more cachet to Paris’ “brand” rather than vice versa. And it was probably Lindsay Lohan who took away from both women’s “integrity.”
8) Getting in a vehicle with Lindsay Lohan: Although Hilton would later debunk the myth that Lindsay was actually invited, at the time of the infamous “Bimbo Summit,” everyone wanted to believe in the real Charmed “Power of Three”: Britney, Paris and Lindsay. Alas, if you were in L.A. in the 00s, ending up in a car with Lohan seemed somehow inevitable no matter who you were, so long as you stayed out late enough.
9) Being in a supposed feud with Christina Aguilera: Other “teen pop” feuds would come and go, but the one that has forever seemed to stick (even in 2021) is the Xtina vs. Britney phenomenon (made more dramatic by both women being former Mouseketeers) that sold so many teen mags and tabloid covers in the 00s.
10) Dating Justin Timberlake: In the early 00s, this pairing was more hallowed than any royalty Britain had to offer. In fact, it’s been argued that Britney and Justin were America’s only answer to having a princess and prince. But, as we saw with Diana, it’s always the princess who gets the fuzzy end of the lollipop when things go toe-up.
11) Wearing flat caps and fedoras: Indeed, Flat Caps and Fedoras could be a Broadway musical title about the 00s. Britney wore many integral pieces of the millennial wardrobe in her day, but two main constants were the flat cap and fedora (most likely copped from then-boyfriend Timberlake himself being an ardent wearer of the trend–or was it actually Justin who stole the look from Brit?).
12) Refusing to make music videos without elaborate choreogaphy: Although choreo has only fairly recently made a major comeback thanks to TikTok and Megan Thee Stallion, it was dormant for quite some time after Spears showed everyone up in the 00s with her infamous high kicks, chair dancing, shimmying and otherwise stripper envy-inducing moves.
13) Crop tops: In addition to her hat game, no one had crop tops on lock like Britney (who continues to rock them to this day regardless of her [lack of a] six-pack status). She was the girl who launched a thousand trips to Charlotte Russe.
14) Supporting George W. Bush post-9/11 and beyond: Although most millennials of the present would be hard-pressed to admit to being a Republican, back in the 00s, for whatever reason, it wasn’t as much of a source of shame. Rather, it was “patriotic…” and to voice otherwise was to disrespect “the troops.” Spears herself was a registered Republican in Louisiana during this period (hopefully, she’s amended that affiliation since then).
15) The Polaroid I-Zone camera: When taking into account Brit’s fraught (one-sided) relationship with the paparazzi in the mid-00s, it seems retrospectively ironic that one of her earliest endorsements was for the Polaroid I-Zone. Somewhat emulating the type of photography that comes out of a photo booth via its strip-like square size, the ad of Spears “inventing” the selfie (sorry Paris) touted, “The real Britney. In five photos or less.” These photos included a picture of her feet, belly button and a trio of expressions ranging from “seductive” to “goofy.” To further elicit teen engagement, the ad also tantalized, “Tell us where you’d put a Polaroid I-Zone mini-photo sticker of Britney Spears and you could win a trip to meet Britney before her concert in West Palm Beach on September 10.” Polaroid was a co-sponsor (along with Got Milk? another staple of millennial childhood) of the (You Drive Me) Crazy Tour, hence their vested interest in ardent cross-promotion. Still, Polaroid couldn’t be outdone on smarmy factor when the media director of Got Milk? was quoted as saying, “Britney is magic with teenage girls, and that’s an absolutely crucial target for milk.” Maybe that’s why Spears seemed more partial to pushing for I-Zone on that tour, using the camera onstage so she could snap photos of the audience. Making it officially the official camera of the tour.
16) Pepsi commercials…including the one with Bob Dole at the end: Back to the icky topic of how Spears was a rather unapologetic Republican (providing even more conservative catnip than Taylor Swift before she took a stand against Marsha Blackburn), there was a version of one of her many Pepsi commercials that aired from ‘01 to ‘04 which featured Bob Dole at the end, himself a spokesperson for the brand (for whatever reason… maybe it seemed like a natural progression from shilling Viagra). Of course, the most 00s of them all was the epic Colosseum-set one that also featured Pink, Beyoncé and Enrique Iglesias (as, what else, the Roman emperor).
17) Candie’s: The phrase, “Britney Spears for Candies only at Kohl’s” is another apex of 00s-era advertising synergy. And that’s precisely what Spears provided us with, in addition to the twentieth century attempt at making advertising like “art” by bringing photographers Annie Leibovitz, Mark Seliger and Terry Richardson (the image of Spears taken by the latter is, tellingly, perverse, featuring her in nothing but bra and underwear while holding a pink teddy bear like it’s the David LaChapelle shoot from ‘99 all over again) into the mix for one of the campaigns.
18) Plenty of Fish: Like seemingly everyone in 2011 (including Kesha, then Ke$ha), Britney was all too down to give a plug for dating website Plenty of Fish in her “Hold It Against Me” video. Not one to skimp on promoting things, Spears also allows her perfume, Radiance, Make Up Forever and various Sony screens to be prominently featured with close-ups.
19) Twister Dance: Before a Gen Zer was promoting a baby boomer-era game, an echo boomer was doing it back in 2012 as part of a cross-promotion for “Till the World Ends.” Ergo, an edition from Hasbro called Twister Dance that also offered up the opportunity for Spears to shoot a commercial for it. One that definitely made the “game” look much more enticing than it actually was (we all know bopping around on some multi-colored spots to a jank speaker playing a bootleg version of “Circus” isn’t exactly the music video experience Spears has while dancing). That Britney could presage the comeback of old school games (including the likes of Monopoly) among millennials was yet another testament to her gift of trend forecasting.
20) Tommy Hilfiger: As the sole sponsor of the ...Baby One More Time Tour in 1999, Tommy Hilfiger played a huge part in Spears’ early iconic “girl next door” looks espousing the aesthetic of a new kind of Americana. Apparently one that Nestlé, originally signing on to be a secondary sponsor, could not get on board with when they saw those LaChapelle photos for Rolling Stone.
21) Appearing on Sabrina, the Teenage Witch: It doesn’t get more millennial in terms of programming than Sabrina, the Teenage Witch, airing on ABC’s T.G.I.F. lineup every Friday night. Although the show commenced in 1996, its clout was not truly boosted until Spears appeared as herself in a 1999 episode called “No Place Like Home,” the premiere episode of season four.
22) Being a Mouseketeer: Beginning what would become the trend for most female Disney stars-turned-pop stars, Spears got her big break on The All-New Mickey Mouse Club. Quickly shedding any wholesomeness that might be attributed to her just because she was an ex-Disney brat, Spears established the mold for those who would follow a similar trajectory, including Lindsay Lohan, Miley Cyrus and Demi Lovato–all going their own respective “trainwreck” routes usually pertaining to drugs more than an oversexed image.
23) Getting her start on Star Search: Star Search, in addition to The All-New Mickey Mouse Club, was another quintessential 90s show (even if the Ed McMahon-hosted edition began in ‘83)–and Spears’ performance on it now a requisite part of revisiting the lore that made her into the star she would become (along with the Girls Tyme episode serving the same purpose for Beyoncé and Destiny’s Child; in other words, Star Search wasn’t very good at finding stars, just rejecting them).
24) Appearing on All That and Kenan & Kel: All That was another pinnacle of 90s childhood. And the only thing more important than the T.G.I.F. lineup was the Snick one that aired on Saturday, and included the likes of Are You Afraid of the Dark?, Clarissa Explains It All, The Secret World of Alex Mack and, of course, All That. Britney chose to grace the Good Burger with her presence, in addition to Kenan & Kel in 1999, when Kel tried to give her green highlights in her dressing room.
25) Appearing on Punk’d: As Spears and her generation said goodbye to the innocence of the 90s, with it came the 00s’ own unique flair. Complete with reality TV programming like Punk’d, “hosted” by Ashton Kutcher doing the pranks before he hung up his trucker hat for other things (though the show would continue without him). Apart from memorably making Justin Timberlake cry as he feigned that the tax man was repossessing all of his items, Kutcher instead decided to include Spears on his own punking of his crew after they thought they were punking him with Spears’ bodyguard. it was all very “They don’t know that we know they know we know!”
26) Appearing on Glee: Now considered a more “unrefined” era of Ryan Murphy’s career (though nothing will ever top Popular in terms of demarcating decidedly early Murphy work), Glee remains a mainstay of 00s/10s television. So retro at this point that it actually aired on a network instead of a streaming service. For the second season, Murphy crafted a tribute episode to Brit called “Brittany/Britney” that racked up the ratings, even if the episode was criticized for Spears’ lackluster cameo and a largely incongruous plot. But most knew that viewers were not watching it with a focus on plot holes.
27) 2002 Toyota Vios commercial: Olivia Rodrigo might currently be the poster child for driving, but, for the girl who has always loved getting behind the wheel for the sense of freedom and “agency” it represents (ignoring, of course, the fossil fuels it emits just as most popular girls in 00s movies), endorsing a vehicle of some sort was a no-brainer for Spears. Continuing her jag with appealing to the Asian market (after that ultra-campy candy commercial), Toyota was the Japanese brand she settled on as she claimed of the Vios model, “It’s everything.” The ad, while not as prominent in the U.S., was well-timed for her audience to turn of “driving age”… just as she recently had.
28) Another cross-promo with an “it” company of 2004, Starburst: To boost awareness about The Onyx Hotel Tour (as though it needed more publicity, what with Britney’s knee injury and K-Fed in the mix), the ads offered one lucky winner the chance for two tickets to a show beneath the image of Brit suggestively sucking on a Starburst lolli. Such is the Britney “I’m innocent/I’m not that innocent” dichotomy.
29) Apple Music commercial with Kevin Bacon: Designed for the British set (what with Spears unable to ignore her ancestry), this 2016 commercial would also echo the tone of Austin Powers dressing like Britney (in the “…Baby One More Time” hairstyle) during their short movie scene together. Here, Bacon puts on the famed red catsuit while jaunting down the street. Spears then appears to berate him for going through her wardrobe again. “That song is so 2000,” she mocks Kevin, finding her “in” to say afterward, “Put on my new one.” At which time he riffs, “Make me.” Get it, ‘cause her new single was “Make Me” at the time?
30) Doing an ad with Mike Meyers as Austin Powers and making a cameo in Goldmember: Glomming onto the final Austin Powers movie in 2002’s Austin Powers in Goldmember, Spears appears in an initial scene performing “Boys” (featured on the soundtrack) as she tries to seduce Powers in that usual fembot way. Because, yes, obviously, Spears reveals herself to be a bot with those “machine gun jubblies.” Iterating once again that Ariana Grande’s “34+35” video concept was totally inane. And as you should know by now, Britney didn’t lose a chance to ramp up the synergy by also joining Austin Powers (Meyers) in a 2002 commercial for Pepsi Twist during which he tries to “unmask” her as a man after unmasking regular Pepsi as Pepsi Twist. “Why won’t this wig come off?” he demands. Maybe because it’s Britney who snatches wigs from people, not the other way around.
31) “Everyone has been doing emails”: One of many underrated jams from Britney on the ballad front, this was the classic sound bite delivered by Spears when she explained the inspiration behind “Email My Heart.” She seemed to know well ahead of time that this was an electronic world, and millennials the first truly electronic generation (and, as is often called out, the last generation to remember a life without all of these accoutrements, bridging the gap, if you will, between Empire and post-Empire existence).
32) Participating in Sbarro’s LidRock: Another zenith of millennial-tailored gimmicks involving CDs (as was the case with Pizza Hut’s The Big New Yorker coming with a mix CD option the customer could choose from to make a six-track disc–not exactly long enough for a road trip, or even a trip to the nearby grocery store), Sbarro furnished drinks with lids that acted as CDs touting Brit’s new single, “Me Against the Music.” These were also CDs specifically to be played in your computer’s drive only. Released during the In the Zone period, LidRock also teased a chance to see Britney at The Onyx Hotel Tour.
33) “…Baby One More Time” video: Although essentially every video Britney has ever released was instantly tailor-made for being considered “pop culture canon,” few pop stars have ever been able to make such an impression with their debut video. Even Madonna took longer to hit such “instant icon” status, not truly entering the collective public consciousness until 1984’s “Like A Virgin” video (boosted by her controversial performance at the VMAs). For Britney, however, all it took was the donning of a Catholic schoolgirl uniform to confirm that everyone’s a Lolita fetishist.
34) “The Kiss”: While MTV might often be laid claim to by Gen X, few moments were as seared in the millennial mind as the kiss shared between Madonna and Britney Spears (oh yeah, and Madonna and Christina Aguilera) at the 2003 VMAs. Transpiring at the end of a remix of Madonna’s then-new single, “Hollywood,” the audience foolishly thought it was going to be suggestive enough with Brit and Xtina appearing in “Like A Virgin” garb to sing the song. Little did they know, there would be same-sex kissing and a Missy Elliott appearance.
35) Doing a “duet” with the Ying Yang Twins: Can anything with the Ying Yang Twins really be called a “duet”? Spears would argue yes, as she gave another memorable track (that ought to have been an official single) from In the Zone, the inimitably titled “(I Got That) Boom Boom.”
36) Having “a thing” with Colin Farrell: As one of several mid-00s heartthrobs (right up there with Orlando Bloom, another bloke from the island), Britney seemed to enlist the millennial rite of passage for girls everywhere who fantasized about Farrell. Even though, in some sense, his romantic links of the day channel what Pete Davidson seems to be for most women in the present.
37) Being on one of the 00s’ germinal reality TV shows: Reality TV as we’ve come to know and expect it might have originated with The Osbournes, but as the years of the early to mid-00s went by, there was no shortage of other celebs (or sometimes just “celebs”) willing to throw their Ed Hardy trucker hat in. Including Spears when she got the bright idea to turn her camcorder confessions with K-Fed into Britney and Kevin: Chaotic.
38) Going on tour with *NSYNC: In the earliest phase of her Jive Records period, Spears was “given the opportunity” to go on tour with another talisman of millennial youth, *NSYNC, with few of these “men”–both the suits at the label and the ones in the boy band–likely aware that she was about to rapidly eclipse them in celebrity status. In short, Britney proved that girls would always be more interested in seeing someone they could “look up to” as opposed to someone they “got wet over” (thanks, in part, to the many posters in a millennial girl’s room).
39) Rocking the Control Freak tank top: In the 00s, one of many “essential” products was Bed Head, particularly their Control Freak line. Although it still exists today, it was never so sought after as when Brit sanctioned it with a black cropped tank featuring the emblazoned logo.
40) The word tees: From “Dump Him” to “I Am the American Dream,” Britney was the essence of the millennial obsession with statement t-shirts made to convey “attitude.” But most of all, that the millennial fashion sense is one that favors irreverence over full-stop “style.”
Of course, there are countless other ways Britney was (and is) the apotheosis of Being Millennial. These are just forty to start with, and forty that exemplify the ways in which baby boomers passed down their own capitalistic values to their progeny. Britney may have been ephemerally “rebranded” when she posted Zhu’s words, “During this time of isolation, we need connection now more than ever. Call you loved ones, write virtual love letters. Technologies like virtual communication, streaming and broadcasting are part of our community collaboration. We will learn to kiss and hold each other through the ways of the web. We will feed each other, redistribute wealth, strike. We must stay. Communion moves beyond walls. We can still be together.” But this girl is one capitalist who will never change when it comes to collecting the cash (especially now that it’s all hers, and no longer being stolen by her shady family). Just as most other millennials likely won’t change when it comes to deprogramming themselves from this mindset. Blame it on Britney, if you must.
