Soap, Sex, and Cigarettes Chapter 4: The Roaring Twenties
The early twenties took off on a period of rising prosperity. The stock market soared, and industrial production nearly doubled between 1921 and 1929.
Wages increased and more families had extra money to spend on wants rather than needs.
The price of electricity went down, light bulbs replaced smokey Kerosene lamps. Telephones kept people in touch. Radios brought news and entertainment. The number of cars sold in the U.S. increased to one car per family by ’29. Advertisers prodded this lifestyle change by promoting everything from auto models to tires.
Retail chain store business thrived in the twenties. Retail managers applied scientific management principles to their multiple store operations. Layout and design, Human Resources, advertising, and consumer research all played a role in this. A&P, Sears, Wards, Pennies and Rexall Drugs became giants.
The Hershey Bar was a packaged product thet sold itself largely w/out advertising. Hersheys famous first printed was not until 1970.
Mail order sales increased with Sears and Montgomery Wards. These stores also started to build near Highways because of new mobility.
The first electric pop-up toaster for the home was introduced in 1927 by toastmaster (ad on page 174)
