Before my time, players like Charlie Christian, Chet Atkins, and Les Paul had some big projects going and hits with their signature models. Santana had Supernatural and some other things hit with the PRS named for him.
David Grissom has done some pretty big sessions and tours with the DGT. And there's Tremonti.
But of course, you had to have made some of the iconic music in order to get the sig model in the first place.
Now...just be a YouTube person with self-produced videos. I kinda don't get it, but then, I don't get much of anything any more!