‘Ding Dong, Avon Calling!’ How Avon’s Success Started With Selling Perfumes Door-To-Door

If you hear your doorbell rung today, oftentimes you'd expect to see a package or bags of food at your doorstep. But just a few decades ago, one would expect to see a woman and her bag of perfume samples.

If you hear your doorbell rung today, oftentimes you'd expect to see a package or bags of food at your doorstep. But just a few decades ago, one would expect to see a woman and her bag of perfume samples.

Enter: the Avon lady, and of course the company's earworm jingle. Experiencing much success in the years following World War II, Avon often relied on recruiting salespeople to go door-to-door to sell cosmetic products.

Author Katina Manko chronicles the history of the salespeople who built and sustained the iconic Avon company in her new book "Ding Dong, Avon Calling! The Women and Men of Avon Products, Incorporated."

Today on AirTalk, we learn the history of Avon cosmetics and how its door-to-door marketing approach stayed in the American consciousness for many years. Were you an Avon lady and want to weigh in on the conversation? Call us at (866) 893-5722.

With guest host Sharon McNary

Guest:

Katina Manko, author of "Ding Dong, Avon Calling! The Women and Men of Avon Products, Incorporated"