Woodbury Soap Company
Encyclopedia
Woodbury Soap Company, "The skin you love to touch" (J Walter Thompson
Co, 1911)
Woodbury Soap Company has existed as a brand for over one hundred years. Their name is or was on products such as cold cream, facial cream, facial powder, after-shave talc and ear swabs.
. by a dermatologist. The company was still in New York
in 1901, making and retailing soap, when the Andrews Jergens Company (now themselves a subsidiary of Kao
) purchased the company which owned the soap brand, and moved the headquarters to Cincinnati, Ohio
.
Between 1907 and 1910, the Andrew Jergens Co, John H Woodbury and the John H Woodbury Dermatological Institute were all involved in lawsuits against each other, for use of the name "Woodbury". In 1908 the John H Woodbury Dermatological Institute was brought to court for practicing medicine without a license, and in 1911 they filed for bankruptcy protection. The Institute was recapitalized and later belonged to Benjamin H. Freedman
.
The litigation in the 1908 lawsuit, established precedent involving the state's right to prevent "corporations from practicing medicine." The defeated argument being that they did not need a license, as they were a corporation, not an individual.
In 1931, Woodbury Soap signed singer Bing Crosby
, and later Bob Hope
. In 1936, Woodbury soap was the first product to use a picture of a nude woman in its advertisements. That same year, they were a sponsor of the radio program Paul Whiteman's Musical Varieties on WJZ in New York City
, and later sponsored Mr. and Mrs. North
, the 1940s radio show about husband-and-wife crime solvers that played the detective genre for laughs.
JWT
JWT is one of the largest advertising agencies in the United States and the fourth-largest in the world. It is one of the key companies of Sir Martin Sorrell's WPP Group and is headquartered in New York. The global agency is led by Worldwide Chairman and Global CEO Bob Jeffrey who took over the...
Co, 1911)
Woodbury Soap Company has existed as a brand for over one hundred years. Their name is or was on products such as cold cream, facial cream, facial powder, after-shave talc and ear swabs.
History
The John H. Woodbury company was established in 1870 in Albany, New YorkAlbany, New York
Albany is the capital city of the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Albany County, and the central city of New York's Capital District. Roughly north of New York City, Albany sits on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River...
. by a dermatologist. The company was still in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
in 1901, making and retailing soap, when the Andrews Jergens Company (now themselves a subsidiary of Kao
Kao Corp.
is a chemical and cosmetics company headquartered in Tokyo, Japan.Kao began as a domestic toiletry soap manufacturing company in 1887 by Tomiro Nagase...
) purchased the company which owned the soap brand, and moved the headquarters to Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's...
.
Between 1907 and 1910, the Andrew Jergens Co, John H Woodbury and the John H Woodbury Dermatological Institute were all involved in lawsuits against each other, for use of the name "Woodbury". In 1908 the John H Woodbury Dermatological Institute was brought to court for practicing medicine without a license, and in 1911 they filed for bankruptcy protection. The Institute was recapitalized and later belonged to Benjamin H. Freedman
Benjamin H. Freedman
Benjamin Harrison Freedman, was an American antisemitic and anti-Zionist activist. Freedman was a partner in a dermatological institute and in small business. He converted from Judaism to Roman Catholicism,-Biography:...
.
The litigation in the 1908 lawsuit, established precedent involving the state's right to prevent "corporations from practicing medicine." The defeated argument being that they did not need a license, as they were a corporation, not an individual.
In 1931, Woodbury Soap signed singer Bing Crosby
Bing Crosby
Harry Lillis "Bing" Crosby was an American singer and actor. Crosby's trademark bass-baritone voice made him one of the best-selling recording artists of the 20th century, with over half a billion records in circulation....
, and later Bob Hope
Bob Hope
Bob Hope, KBE, KCSG, KSS was a British-born American comedian and actor who appeared in vaudeville, on Broadway, and in radio, television and movies. He was also noted for his work with the US Armed Forces and his numerous USO shows entertaining American military personnel...
. In 1936, Woodbury soap was the first product to use a picture of a nude woman in its advertisements. That same year, they were a sponsor of the radio program Paul Whiteman's Musical Varieties on WJZ in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, and later sponsored Mr. and Mrs. North
Mr. and Mrs. North
Mr. and Mrs. North are fictional American amateur detectives. Created by Frances and Richard Lockridge, the couple were featured in a series of 26 Mr. and Mrs. North novels, a Broadway play, a motion picture and several radio and television series....
, the 1940s radio show about husband-and-wife crime solvers that played the detective genre for laughs.