Wonder Woman - Linda Carter... Maybelline's beauty fashion coordinator and face of the 1980's

Deborah  Foreman for Maybelline 1981-1985

Focusing on real women campaign, with model,

 Deborah Foreman

In the 1980's Maybelline received a boost when the company hired Wonder Woman star Lynda Carter as the company's beauty fashion coordinator; she also appeared in several of its television and print advertisements.

Linda Carter appeared as Maybelline’s “face” for 13 years.

Stay tuned next week when Maybelline is acquired by
the investor group Wasserstein Perella & Co. in 1990,
for $300 million dollars. 

"Maybe she's born with it, Maybe it's Maybelline"
advertising tagline is created during this era.  The tagline continues to be recognized around the world.

Obituaries - Maybelline Founder Tom Lyle Williams 1896 - 1976 and Plough Inc. Founder, Abe Plough 1892 -1984.

As I march through the history of Maybelline's mergers and buyouts, I have to pause and acknowledge my great uncle, Tom Lyle Williams, founder of the Maybelline Company and Abe Plough, the man who bought Maybelline in 1967.  Both men had similar backgrounds  but two distinct ways of doing business.  Tom Lyle Williams was all about loyality to his family and employees, while Abe Plough was all business, expansion and profit.  They both served the Maybelline Company and my family profited greatly.

Maybelline's TOTAL LOOK, not just eyes any longer in 1975

If you haven't read my book The Maybelline Story, you can't appreciate the impact this merger had on the stock that all the Maybelline stockholders received at the sale of the Maybelline Company in 1967.  Everyone's money doubled overnight and of course with that windfall came good and bad consequences.  But enough of the drama, let's get back to business. Schering Plough moves the factory to Little Rock Arkansas and Maybelline get's a new look, with the New FRESH AND LOVELY, line of products in 1975. 

Stay tuned tomorrow as the story continues.  

MAYBELLINE COMMERCIAL'S ROCK THE 1970's

Original Quiz Kid Mary Ann Anderson

Mary Ann Anderson joined the Chicago's original Maybelline Company in 1964, soon after Ultra Lash Mascara was born.  Up until that time, she worked for the agency that handled Maybelline's advertising account.... but when she was unexpectedly fired... Tom Lyle Williams, realized her talent and immediately hired her as Maybelline's advertising executive.  The funny part of the story is... she still worked with the agency that fired her... however, now as their, boss so to speak.  After the Maybelline-Plough merger, Mary Ann moved to Memphis with Plough and held her position as Vice President of Advertising. 

 

Mary Ann Anderson views prospective Television commercials

Stay tuned tomorrow when Plough becomes 
Schering-Plough and moves to Little Rock Arkansas.

My great uncle, Tom Lyle Williams with my father,
 Bill Williams looking at a display of Blooming Colors
 and False Eyelashes in 1973.  Sent to TL from
 Abe Plough, from the new factory in Memphis.

Maybelline get's a FACE LIFT to attract exploding youth market and stockholders rejoice.

As disappointed as Tom Lyle Williams and his devoted employees were that the Maybelline Company left Chicago and moved to Tennessee, Abe Plough had a method to his madness.  Plough production and distribution finally got the bugs worked out by 1969 and Maybelline went into full swing... Profits sky rocked and my family's stock doubled.

Maybelline Ad -1969

Great Lash was born in 1971

Blooming Colors introduced in 1972

Maybelline introduces face make up in 1977

1977 Maybelline Commercial Introduces KISSING STICKS

And who better to take over the growing youth market's desire for more, more, more products and sparkling ads, but Chicago's original Maybelline Company Executive Mary Ann Anderson....Stay tuned as her story unfolds tomorrow.

PRE-MERGER

Thomas Lyle Williams Pr. & Tr.

Thomas L Williams Jr Exec VP & Sec

John W Cole VP Pur

Harold W Ragland VP Sales

Harris A Neil Jr Prod

Mary Ann Anderson Adv

POST-MERGER

Abe Plough Pr

Harry B Solmson Exec VP

R Lee Jenkins VP

John W Cole VP Pur

Herbert H Bunchman Sec

Sam B Hollis Tr

Harris A Neil Jr Prod

Mary Ann Anderson Adv

After Harris A. Neil left Plough and moved to Colorado to start a new career, only one original Maybelline Executive remained with Plough, Mary Ann Anderson. 

After Maybelline-Plough merger, Abe Plough failed to carry out his promise to Tom Lyle Williams and his commitment to Maybelline employees.

According to a letter from Tom Lyle Williams Jr., to all Maybelline employees, dated October 6,1967:

"We hardly need to say that one of the paramount considerations that caused us to select Plough, Inc., instead of other concerns, was their agreement to continue to operate our business in the Chicago area and thus assure your ability to continue with the Company if you with." http://www.maybellinebook.com/2013/05/original-newspaper-articles-and-letters.html

After the merger was a done deal, Abe Plough, reniged on his promise to Tom Lyle Williams and moved Maybelline to Memphis.  This caused most of the original Maybelline employees, including Harris A. Neil Jr., to resign and find new employment.  The loss of the tight knit group of employees that ran Maybelline so well, caused "Plough's, Maybelline Company," to tail spin, as far as production and distribution were concerned.  

Tom Lyle Williams felt a personal obligation to help his devoted employees, (who had been promised their job's would continue after the merger,) to have a fair severance pay and help them until they relocated.

  The letter outlined an employee gift that T. L. had put together, whereby each employee would receive a gift of $1000 tax free for each year of employment, from date of hire to December 31, 1967.

The letter from Rags Ragland gives some insight into the problems Plough faced after the the original Maybelline executives were no longer involved. 


Stay tuned  as Harris A. Neil Jr.'s, "Chicago's Maybelline" continues...

The new face of Maybelline in 1967 - Abe Plough

 Abe Plough built a business empire, (Plough Inc.)

  which included drugs, cosmetics, (Maybelline) and St. Joseph’s Aspirin.  His company merged with Schering in 1971, forming one of the largest drug companies in the world, (Schering Plough.)

 It was during the Schering Plough era that Great Lash was born and is still the number 1 mascara in the world.

Here are the original letters between Abe Plough and his new employees at the Maybelline Company, after the Maybelline - Plough merger.

Letters most graciously given to me by Maybelline Executive

Harris A. Neil Jr.

 As a teenager, Abe Plough was drawn to the drug business, working in a local drug store.  In 1908, he started the Plough Chemical Company in a room above his father’s store.  Plough created an antiseptic healing oil that he claimed was “a sure cure for any ill of man or beast.”  From this modest beginning, Plough built a business empire.

Stay tuned tomorrow for more letters and newspaper clippings from  "Maybelline Chicago, 1915 -1968"
By Harris A. Neil Jr.