5. First Advertising Testing (1)

Hopkins' job in Lord & Thomas provided him a chance to work for several large advertisers. One of them is the B.J. Johnson Soap Co. of Milwaukee (today's Colgate-Palmolive). Back to the day when Hopkins first met Mr. Johnson, Hopkins was asked to advertise Galvanic Soap - a laundry soap. However, after consideration, Hopkins and his colleagues concluded that the product would not be very promising. Therefore, they suggested the advertiser change the product. Thus was born Palmolive, a toilet soap made from palm and olive oils.

After due consideration, Hopkins and his colleagues thought that "beauty" would be an appropriate appeal for advertising this product, but they were not quite confident in their idea. Hopkins originated a plan that they run a trial in a small city-Benton Harbor, Michigan to test this ad. For the execution of this campaign, they ran two or three ads in this city, telling the story of Palmolive Soap, and detailing the beauty appeal. In addition, they announced other promotions in the ad such as promising to provide a cake of Palmolive for every woman who applied for it. Their ads aroused great interest among female readers. After they felt that they had created sufficient interest in the product, Hopkins and his colleagues came out with a page ad. with a ten-cent coupon included in the ad.

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