In January 1935 we ran a house ad asking advertisers if they'd waste time trying to sell high-priced automobiles to a man who has no money. The inference, of course, was clear: Why waste advertising dollars on people who cannot afford to buy your merchandise? We'd just had a survey done by the Harold Frazee Agency in New York City that determined that we reached 90 percent of the "worthwhile beauty shops throughout the country." In that same issue we ran another ad attesting to the fact that we reached more "progressive, Class A hairdressers than any other publication." What's more, we had the statistics to prove it. Nothing's changed in the last 72 years except our name—we're now American Salon, not The American Hairdresser.
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Take a look at some of the ads shown here. Don't you just love the one for Wrigley's Double Mint Gum? There's also an ad for Sanek Neck Strips from Graham Professional Beauty Products; they're still indispensable in salons today. Meanwhile, Zotos and Roux, both venerable companies, were advertising in 1935, and they still are today. In fact, Roux is celebrating its 75th anniversary this year. See page 40 for Executive Editor Kelley Donahue's story on the company's heritage. The point is, some of the industry's most successful companies have trusted us to help them build their businesses for 130 years. The tagline for one of our house ads in 1935 was, "Buy American, they say . . . do more than that, Buy The American Hairdresser." It was great advice then; it's great advice now: Buy American.
—Brett Vinovich, publisher, [email protected]
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2. An ad for Sanek Neck Strips, still a salon staple today.
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3. Wrigley's advertised its Double Mint Gum "for the beauty of your mouth and lips."
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4. Roux was advertising in the 1930s and still is today.
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You Must See This!
Zumanity, the Sensual Side of Cirque de Soleil, is one of the hottest shows in Las Vegas. Now you can see Kathleen Price, the "makeup gypsy" of Cirque de Soleil, who works on all five productions, and Roger J. Strickler, who is in charge of makeup and wigs, in person at the Las Vegas Hair & Nail Conference, June 2–4. During their 60-minute showcase, an artist from Zumanity will be transformed from the girl-next-door into a delicious diva. During her transformation, Price and Strickler will talk about different techniques used in the production and how to apply them to real-world situations. Call 800/496-9861 to order tickets now!
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