Estée and Joseph Lauder started their company in 1946. Personal demonstrations, free samples and gifts with purchases helped turn trying a product into a route to brand loyalty. The business case is about selling and customer relationships, not proving cosmetic health claims.
She ranks above Walker for the durability of her consumer brand. Walton comes next because his retail model reached more kinds of everyday purchases. Put Lauder higher if building a premium identity interests you more than distributing low-priced goods.
Sources: Founder history.
Photo: Bill Sauro · Public domain. Resized/compressed; source status retained.
