Lessons from a Marketing Pioneer

The Timeless Wisdom of George Fulford

I recently visited Fulford Place in Brockville, Ontario. Fulford Place was built in the early 1900s by George Fulford as his rather grand family residence, and was situated in 10 acres on the shores of the St Lawrence River.  It is now a museum - and very much worth a visit if you are in the area.

George Fulford was a pharmaceutical manufacturer who made his large fortune with '"Dr. Williams’ Pink Pills for Pale People"; these were sold in over 80 countries around the world.  The 'pink pills' were actually, essentially, iron tablets.   And the 'pale people' were those suffering from anaemia of which there were many resulting from less than ideal diets of the time, and Dr Williams was the inventor of the pills.  

 The late 19th century saw a very crowded market for 'cure alls', miracle remedies, and snake oil, and pink pills could have been lost in the noise.  However, Fulford succeeded largely due to his innovative marketing strategies; in fact he could be considered one of the key pioneers of modern marketing.   While the Pink Pills have faded into history, the marketing concepts he used are just as valid and relevant today as they were over a 100 years ago.

 Fulford’s approach was revolutionary for his time. Many of his contemporaries adopted a preaching tone, sold from a position of supposed superiority, or created a sense of fear.  However, Fulford's wasn’t just about selling a product, but of understanding how people’s minds and decision-making processes worked.  Rather than pushing his products on people, he ensured the market would pull the product and so drive demand.   Here are 4 pillars of his approach: 

• Targeted Marketing and Advertising.   Fulford’s marketing was very targeted. Rather than trying to sell the pills to anyone that may be interested (known today as the Addressable Market), he focused on specific demographics, particularly women and children, who were most likely to be suffering from anaemia (known today as the Target Market). He tailored his messaging to these groups - he recognised and acknowledged their concerns and issues, he spoke their language and so created a stronger connection with his audience. Today, we consider this to be 'positioning' - a most crucial element of any market strategy. 

• Extensive Use of Testimonials.   The pink pills worked (which was useful) - they provided a much-needed source of iron for people suffering from anaemia and people were very happy about that. At the time, personal endorsements were rare, but Fulford capitalised on the power of testimonials. He gathered stories from happy customers and published them widely. These testimonials provided powerful social proof; they were from real people - customers - and so were crucial in creating trust and credibility among other potential customers. The emotional connection created though these personal stories made people more likely to try the Pink Pills.

• Broad Marketing Campaigns.   Fulford recognised that different people have different preferences for where they get their information from, and also that getting information from multiple sources helps build confidence during the decision (to buy) making process.    And so, his advertising strategy was expansive, consistent, and ongoing. He reached audiences through newspapers, magazines, and posters. This breadth was unusual at a time when most advertising was local and very sporadic. Fulford’s campaigns ensured that the Pink Pills became a household name, both in Canada and around the world.

• Branding and Consistency.   While the phrase “Pink Pills for Pale People” was distinctive and memorable in itself, Fulford ensured that there was a consistent image and message across all advertising and packaging (think Apple) regardless of language or culture of the market country.  The imagery was instantly recognisable, ensuring that the product stood out in a crowded market. This consistency helped to build a strong brand identity. 

George Fulford’s marketing brilliance lay in his understanding of human psychology and decision-making and through this, he achieved remarkable success. Over the last century, products and terminology have evolved, markets have shifted, but people are pretty much the same as they were then in terms of how they make buying decisions.  His then novel approaches are critical to successful marketing today.

Graham