Avon History

AVON Products, Inc.

Company History

David H. McConnell was born in Oswego, NY on July 18, 1858. In 1879, McConnell became a book salesman and grew his career until he was in charge of the southern territory for the Union Publishing Co. of Chicago. He began taking perfume samples with him, and found out that the female customers were more excited about the perfume than books. McConnell soon realized that if books could be sold door to door, other items could be too. In 1886, McConnell founded the California Perfume Company. He started producing his own perfumes and selling them along with selling books. When the company started to take off, he opened a laboratory in Suffern, NY. McConnell started to add other items to this product line such as: cosmetics and toiletries.

McConnell took advantage of the lack of females in the workforce. He recruited female sales Representatives to network and market to other women. The first sales representative was Mrs. P.F.E. Albee from New Hampshire. McConnell pulled women in by giving them a very supportive, effective, and family-related environment. This opportunity gave women the chance to run their own business, on their own time, and out of the comfort of their own home. Avon recognizes the efforts made by the sales representatives, give back to the community, and strives to offer products of the highest-quality with satisfaction guaranteed.

For over twenty years now, Avon has been a crusader in the fight against Breast Cancer. McConnell didn’t want to just empower his employees but to empower women everywhere. In 1919, CPC became incorporated and was later changed to Allied Products, Inc. and then to Avon Allied Products, Inc. Avon became the trade name in 1929, but was not recorded as the company name until 1950. On January 21, 1939, David H. McConnell passed away, up until then he had been the President of Avon Products, Inc. At the time of McConnell’s death, his sales force was at more than 30,000 representatives...