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| "Miss Clairol gave American women
the ability, for the first time, to color their hair quickly and
easily at home" (Gladwell, 72). The success didn't stop
with the "Does she" ads either. In 1957, Shirley
began copy writing for the "Blondes" campaign. Her
idea was that every woman should be whatever they wanted to be,
including being a blonde.
Shirley unfolded another cutting edge slogan, "Is it true
blondes have more fun?" (Polykoff, 71). After some
hesitation but with the assurance from the success of her first ad
slogan, Clairol accepted the ad. For television, Shirley wrote the
following jingle:
Is it true blondes have more fun?
Is it true blondes
have more fun?
A Lady Clairol blonde....that's silky, shiny
blonde...
A Lady Clairol blonde....that's silky, shiny
blonde...
Is it true blondes have more fun?
This jingle became known around the world being a hit even in
Russia. The publicity was spread across all mediums with
comedians and television personalities even commenting on the
continued success of the Clairol products.
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"Blondes" print ad.
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Shirley herself received vast amounts of mail applauding her
ads. One letter postmarked from Bermuda read as follows:
Dear Clairol,
Thank you for changing my life. My boyfriend, Harold and I were
keeping company for five years but he never wanted to set a date.
This made me very nervous. I am 28 and my mother kept saying, soon
it would be too late for me.
I ride the subways every day to work because I am a bookkeeper.
Three months ago it was too crowded as usual to get a seat. So I had
to stand right in front of your ad which said blondes have more fun.
Harold always looks at blonde girls when they pass by even when I am
walking with him, so this started me thinking. I thought maybe I
should do something to my own brown hair like your poster says.
That is how I am in Bermuda now on my honeymoon with Harold and writing
this letter to thank you for changing my life.
Best regards,
Mrs. Harold _______
This letter became the theme for the Clairol and Foote, Cone, &
Belding, and it wasn't until years later that Shirley admitted that she
had actually written the letter as a gag. But her daughter's teenage
friend received a case of Clairol hair color with much congratulations (Polykoff,
78).
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"Blondes"
print ad.
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During this time, Shirley's career was on fire. But she still
managed to maintain a steady home life. She could have been making
much more than her lawyer husband, but she always felt that a woman should
never make more than her husband and never increased her own salary above
the level of George's (Thomas, B12). At home, she was Polly Halperin,
a mother and wife while at work, she was Shirley Polykoff, with an
established reputation under her maiden name. She preferred to keep
the names and the lives separate from each other having a specific
identity in a given environment (Polykoff, 81). |
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