One of the greatest and most recognizable voices in TV commercials has been let go by the company that he founded in 1973.

Executive chairman and founder of Men’s Wearhouse George Zimmer has been fired by the company’s board of directors.  He's the man with the gravely voice known for the line  “You’re going to like the way you look, I guarantee it."

At one time, Zimmer claimed that one out of every three tuxedos in the country was rented at one of his stores. After a long run in charge of the company, Zimmer’s responsibilities had recently been cut back, and that may have been what led to his being let go.

I'll have the TV on and I might not be paying attention to the commercial. Suddenly I'll hear that voice and the line and I'll stop and look.  I've gone to the store to check out the suits just because of him. I always thought if I were to buy a suit, I would check out the Men's Wearhouse.

It doesn't seem possible that the company you founded would or could do that. But that's what happens when you take your company public with shareholders and a Board of Governors who have authority over you.  Once again proving that you have to get along with "the suits" and they showed him who wears the pants in the business.

Even though the company has let him go, we probably will still see him in their commercials. The company has legal rights to his image and has at least 500 hours of unused footage of him (that's 30,000 commercials).  Don't feel too bad for George though, he'll get 2.7 million in termination pay and another cool million for the company licensing his image.

One final thing that I've wondered about.  Is George and "The most interesting man in the world" related?

 

 

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