A Brief Look At The History Of Tupperware

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A Brief Look At The History Of Tupperware

As a young man, Earl Tupper dreamed of being a famous inventor and multimillionaire. In 1946 he started to realize that dream. This is when he introduced his first product, the 'Wonder Bowl.' When a lid was put on this plastic container, it 'burped' and created an airtight seal. Popularity of this and other Tupperware products continued to grow into the 1950's and in 1958 he sold the company for $16 million. He then got a divorce and purchased a Central American island.

Prior to his ultimate success, Tupper attempted to market his products in traditional retail fashion. Products were not selling well in department stores even with hefty marketing. It was not until 1948 that he partnered up with Brownie Wise and product demand grew. This business team brought about a brand new form of marketing: direct marketing.

Brownie Wise was selling huge quantities of Tupperware products at parties she hosted. When Tupper saw the success of her in-home product demonstrations he abandoned retail sales altogether and marketed his products exclusively through home parties. Soon thousands of women began hosting these parties for a representative.

People were buying the products like crazy. The containers were well received because the airtight seals would ensure that food stayed fresher longer and not dry out. They were also more attractive around the kitchen than open bags and boxes left in cupboards and on counters.

For just about any food type or occasion you could think of, there was a Tupperware product to fit the need. You could find containers for long-term storage items like sugar and flour and containers to keep perishables cold, like tuna sandwiches. There were also neat serving trays for multiple items like chips and dips.