Firestone Tire Dealer Targets Wives in Quirky Promotion

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In 1970, a Clovis, New Mexico Firestone tire dealer ran an unusual promotion targeting local wives. The dealership offered to pay women 20 cents for every pound their husband weighed when he bought a pair of Firestone tires. The promotion featured an illustration of a 200-pound man on scales with the caption "This husband is worth $40. Do you have one worth more?" The dealership also gave away free copies of the Farmers Almanac and free coffee and donuts.

Why it matters

This quirky promotion highlights how businesses in the 1970s used creative, and sometimes unconventional, marketing tactics to attract customers. It also reflects the gender norms of the era, with the dealership directly appealing to wives rather than husbands. The promotion provides a glimpse into the marketing strategies and social dynamics of the time period.

The details

The Firestone tire dealership at 821 Main Street in Clovis, New Mexico ran the promotion, which offered wives 20 cents for every pound their husband weighed when he bought a pair of Firestone deep tread or all traction field and road tractor tires. The dealership also gave away free copies of the Farmers Almanac and free coffee and donuts.

• The promotion ran in 1970.