CPC Packaging's 2008 Packager of the Year: Tracking Avon's Expansion in New York from 1886-2008
Looking back at the growth of Avon Products Inc., from a one-room office to a global, billion dollar company.
1886: Avon’s founder, David H. McConnell, once sold books door to door. He gave his women customers an inexpensive fragrance as a free gift with purchase and realized that his customers were more interested in the fragrance than the books.
McConnell established The California Perfume Company. Its first offices were in lower Manhattan and “scarcely larger than a kitchen pantry,” according to McConnell’s journal.
1926: Offices moved to 5th Avenue and 17th Street. Avon became one of the only companies in New York City to occupy an entire floor.
1937: The company moved to the 47th floor of a glamorous new Rockefeller Center building.
1939: The name California Perfume Company was officially changed to Avon Products Inc.
Why? McConnell named the company after the river that runs through Stratford-on-Avon in the English Midlands, as a tribute to his favorite playwright, William Shakespeare, who was born there.
1942-1945: During the war, more than 50% of Avon’s Suffern, NY, laboratory was used to manufacture insect repellant, pharmaceuticals, paratrooper kits, and gas-mask canisters. Avon also contributed to the war effort by reducing the amount of metal and glass used in its packaging. The company was one of the first to convert to plastic closures and heavy cardboard in place of metal, glass, and other materials needed for the war. Avon’s sales representatives were required to collect empty shaving cream and toothpaste tubes and return them to the company.
1946: Sales doubled to $17.2 million
1972: By this time a $1 billion dollar company, Avon moved its headquarters to 9 W. 57th St. in New York City, where it would remain for the next 25 years.
1978: Sales hit $2 billion. At this time, there are 1 million Avon sales representatives.
2008: Today, Avon Products Inc. is the world’s largest direct-seller, with sales of over $10 billion. Avon is sold in more than 100 countries by 5.5 million representatives.
More on CPC Packaging's 2008 Packager of the Year
Feature:
Avon Products Inc.
Notable Launches:
Web Exclusive: A High-End Look for Tube
Web Exclusive: Avon Continues to Partner with Fashion Designers for New Fragrances
A Custom, High-End Look for Skin Care
A Customizable Delivery System
The Challenge of Engineering a Dual-Chambered Jar
Tooling a User-Friendly Dispensing Tip
An Innovative One-Handed-Use Lipstick Case
New Partnership with James Bond Franchise
mark. Hooks Up
Web Exclusive Sidebars:
Avon 's Advertising: A New Image Sparks Growth