Lydia
Pinkham’s kind face shone on the pages of the papers, which advertised the
medicine to cure the disease of women. She combined her business with social
service. She advertised not only her product but she also supported women’s
rights, temperance, and economic reform. She encouraged women to consult female
doctors and advised them on the diet, exercise, hygiene, and her own medicine.
She used traditional feminine fears to sell her product. She printed the report
that women were able to correct physical problems, infertility, nervousness,
hysteria, and even marital conflict. She earned a lot and was very popular. She
had held a special place in the history of American business and of women. She
was a model to be followed by other businesswomen later. Similarly, other women
also followed her in introducing the feminine role in the masculine world of
commerce. Like Pinkham, her followers also used their images as women to sell
their products. But they emphasized their glamorous role. Helena and Elizabeth
sold cosmetics and attracted the attention of the people by their marriages to
European aristocrats. Some other women gave special attention to the role of
mother or grandmother. Grossinger ran a resort hotel that was famous for good
and entertainment. In the eyes of her customers, she was a Jewish grandmother.
Women
used traditional women’s skills in their businesses and fulfilled the desires
of women. Lydia Pinkham had collected and used folk remedies to her family and
later she began to sell herbal medicines for women. Margaret Rudkin helped her
husband by selling additive-free bread, which she would prepare for her
asthmatic son. To change their skill into a successful business, hey introduced
new methods and took a risk. Elizabeth Arden introduced new methods and took a
risk. Elizabeth Arden introduced a line of makeup, which was not widely used
then. In the beauty market, she was always ahead of demand. Apart from skincare
and cosmetics, her salons paid attention to hairstyling, ready-made clothes,
yoga, and nutrition. Helena Rubinstein sold a book on the advantage of eating
raw food.
Few
of them were able to combine marketing efforts with a campaign for economic and
social change as Lydia had done. But other American businesswomen paid equal
attention to profit and their products’ social effectiveness. Gertrude Muller
invented a lot of child care products. She also distributed pamphlets and
booklets about child-rearing. Doctors and home economics instructors supported
her. Annie Turnbo-Malone established a hairdressing business. She developed a
new marketing skill. She had a network of authorized sales agents. She
established a school for training agents. She thought that it would uplift the
black people and women. Apart from hair care, she supported good hygiene,
thrift, and other good qualities. She and her sisters believed that their products
and services were useful. Many of the businesswomen used their profits in good
works. Annie, Helena, and Jennie contributed to hospitals, schools, and
cultural organizations.
Although
they aimed to sell and to serve, they earned more than they served. Their
advertising claims were wrong, so later they were controlled by the government.
Lydia Pinkham successfully combined the profit motive with the social service.
She supported temperance and also sold alcoholic drinks.
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