There are two ways a product can be born. One is to spot a genuine problem and craft a solution. The other, far more lucrative, is to invent a problem out of thin air and then sell the answer. Companies love the latter because it creates a whole new market that didn’t exist before, and we end up buying things we never knew we needed.
Why 10 Things We Purchase Aren’t Always Necessities
10 Antiperspirant
A hundred years ago, sweating and smelling was just part of life. Then Edna Murphey introduced Odorono, the first hit antiperspirant that actually sold. She didn’t invent the product—Everdry hit shelves in 1903, and Mum, the first deodorant, was patented in 1888.
Odorono’s origin story is unusual: Edna’s father, a physician, created the formula to keep his own hands dry during surgeries. Edna realized it also stopped armpit perspiration, repackaged it as Odorono, and tried to push it on the market.
The launch was a disaster. Saleswomen returned home with unsold stock, drugstores refused to carry it, and stores that did often sent it back because nobody wanted an antiperspirant. People simply didn’t see sweating as a problem.
Everything changed at the 1912 Atlantic City trade fair. Edna’s stand struggled at first, forcing her to sell other cosmetics to stay afloat. When the summer heat arrived, crowds swarmed her booth for Odorono. The profit was so massive she could afford a $30,000 advertising blitz.
She hired the J. Walter Thompson agency, which spun a campaign that framed sweating as an embarrassing medical condition and highlighted her father’s doctor‑approved cure. The message stuck, and today we still view perspiration as something to hide.
9 Diamond Rings
Heard the slogan “diamonds are forever”? Or the idea that a sparkling ring is a must‑have for any proposal? Thank De Beers’ masterful ad strategy for that belief. In reality, diamonds don’t last forever, and you don’t need a diamond to propose.
Diamonds rank among the most overrated precious stones. They lose about half their value the moment they leave the jeweler’s display, and they’re far more common than most realize. De Beers hoards supply merely to keep prices high.
The story began in the 1870s when massive deposits were discovered in South Africa, flooding the market with cheap stones. Cecil Rhodes, who owned most of the mining interests, feared the devaluation and formed the De Beers conglomerate to control output.
Sales still lagged, so in 1938 De Beers hired the N.W. Ayer agency. The agency decided to target bachelors, convincing them that buying a diamond was the ultimate expression of masculinity and commitment.
Simultaneously, the campaign told women that a diamond was a symbol of love and a woman’s best friend. The dual‑pronged message worked spectacularly, cementing the diamond‑ring tradition we know today.
8 Shaving Razors For Women
At the turn of the 20th century, women’s armpits and legs were naturally hairy, and modest clothing meant the hair was rarely seen. That all changed in 1915 when Gillette launched the Milady Decollete razor, not out of health concerns but to boost razor sales.
Gillette’s ads appeared in women’s fashion catalogs, labeling armpit hair as “an embarrassing personal problem” that was “ugly, noticeable, and unwanted.” They suggested that a smooth, hair‑free armpit signified good grooming and fashionable taste.
Interestingly, the company never used the word “shave” in its copy because shaving was seen as a masculine activity. Instead, they promoted “smoothness,” implying that women needed the razor to achieve sleek legs.
Gillette also avoided the terms “razor” and “blade,” focusing on the aesthetic benefit. The timing was perfect—sleeveless fashions were becoming popular—so women quickly adopted the practice of removing underarm hair.
7 Bottled Water
Soda sales have been slipping as health‑conscious consumers look for alternatives. Major soda makers responded by turning their attention to bottled water, positioning it as the healthier, cooler choice.
In reality, bottled water is simply tap water in a fancy package. Companies realized they couldn’t compete directly with free municipal water, so they marketed bottled water as a “refreshment beverage” to rival soda.
The trend took off in the 1970s when Gustave Leven, head of French brand Perrier, saw an opportunity in the United States. He already supplied high‑end restaurants and hotels, but wanted mass‑market appeal.
Leven knew Americans wouldn’t pay for water they could get from the tap, so in 1977 he poured $2.5‑$5 million into TV spots portraying bottled water as the drink for the stylish, health‑savvy crowd. He also sponsored events like the 1977 New York City Marathon, cementing the brand’s cool image.
6 Cereals
Ever heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, or that fortified cereals are the perfect way to start the morning? Thank advertisers for that belief.
Two centuries ago, many people didn’t even eat breakfast, and those who did usually had a simple protein‑rich meal—eggs or leftovers from dinner. Eggs were handy because hens laid them each morning.
The Industrial Revolution changed everything. As people moved from farms to factories, they complained of indigestion, blaming heavy morning meals. In truth, factory work required less caloric intake than farm labor.
Enter the Seventh‑Day Adventist Church, which invented cornflakes as a “healthier” alternative to combat indigestion—and, oddly enough, to curb masturbation. When vitamins were discovered in the 1940s, cereal makers added them to their products and marketed the foods as the ideal breakfast.
Meanwhile, the bacon‑and‑egg industry didn’t sit idle. Beech‑Nut hired Edward Bernays, who convinced 5,000 doctors to endorse a protein‑rich breakfast. Newspapers printed these “studies,” reinforcing the idea that a hearty bacon‑egg plate was just as good as cereal, while still cementing the notion that breakfast mattered most.
5 Popcorn
Popcorn became popular across the United States in the 1800s, but it wasn’t associated with movie theaters. Early cinemas catered to the affluent, and owners didn’t want popcorn to ruin their plush carpets.
The shift happened in 1927 when poorer audiences began attending films. They could only afford cheap snacks, so they brought bags of popcorn. Vendors quickly realized the demand and set up stands near the theaters.
Theater owners soon embraced the trend, charging vendors for the right to sell outside the doors. Eventually, cinemas started making their own popcorn and ran short ads during movies, urging viewers to dash to the lobby for a fresh bag. Those promotions dramatically boosted popcorn sales.
4 Toothpaste
Brushing your teeth is undeniably good, but some argue toothpaste isn’t necessary because a plain brush can clean just fine.
In the early 1900s, dental hygiene wasn’t a cultural priority. Bad teeth were the norm, and during World War I, the U.S. Army deemed the poor dental health of recruits a national security issue.
Pepsodent hired ad wizard Claude Hopkins to turn the tide. Hopkins discovered that teeth naturally develop a thin film, and that certain foods—like apples—can scrub it away, much like toothpaste does.
He convinced the public that this invisible film was the cause of dull smiles and that only Pepsodent’s minty paste could eradicate it. The campaign succeeded, especially because the mint flavor gave users a fresh, clean feeling. Competitors followed suit, adding flavors and foam to mimic the appealing sensation.
3 Teeth Whitening
White teeth are marketed as the gold standard of oral beauty, even though natural teeth are usually a light yellow. Advertisers have convinced us that yellow is a flaw and that dazzling white is normal.
The yellow hue comes from dentine, the layer beneath the translucent enamel. Enamel itself is white with a bluish tint, but because it’s see‑through we notice the underlying yellow dentine.
Modern whitening ads, especially on Instagram, claim that yellow teeth are abnormal. Companies pay influencers to promote their peroxide‑based products, promising a brighter smile.
The key ingredient is hydrogen peroxide, which penetrates enamel to break down the compounds that give dentine its yellow color. However, there are concerns that peroxide can damage enamel or cause other dental issues.
2 Almost Every Holiday Out There
Throughout the year, countless days are marked as holidays to celebrate something, but many of these are Hallmark holidays—created primarily to boost sales for businesses. The term comes from Hallmark Cards, which publishes cards for almost every occasion.
Examples include Sweetest Day, invented by a candy company to sell more sweets, as well as Tax Day, Clergy Appreciation Day, National Boss Day, and even Ferris Wheel Day. Traditional holidays like Valentine’s Day, Father’s Day, and Mother’s Day have also been co‑opted.
Mother’s Day, originally proposed by Anna Jarvis in the early 1900s to honor all mothers, became a national holiday in May 1914 after President Woodrow Wilson’s proclamation. Jarvis soon watched businesses flood the market with cards, flowers, and gifts, turning the sincere tribute into a massive commercial enterprise.
Jarvis tried to fight back, launching press releases, lawsuits, protests, and meetings with presidents, but she couldn’t stop the commercialization. Today, Mother’s Day generates billions of dollars in sales every year.
1 Toilet Paper
Humans have been eliminating waste since the dawn of consciousness, but for millennia we relied on whatever was at hand—water, sticks, sponges, grass, stones, shells, straw, pottery, or even corncobs.
The first recorded toilet paper appeared in fifth‑century China. In the United States, Joseph Gayetty introduced his version in 1857, marketing it as a remedy for hemorrhoids. Yet nobody bought it; people were content using old newspapers, flyers, and magazines.
Gayetty’s challenge was cultural—people rarely discussed bathroom habits publicly, so the product stayed hidden. It wasn’t until 1867, when brothers Thomas, Clarence, and Edward Scott launched the first rolled toilet paper, that the market began to shift.
The rise of the flush toilet made the product more relevant, and as people grew comfortable talking about personal hygiene, toilet paper became a status symbol and a household staple.