Pain-Killer: A 19th Century Global Patent Medicine and the Beginnings of Modern Brand Marketing. (September 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Petty, Ross D.
• Is Part Of: Journal of macromarketing. Volume 39:Number 3(2019)
• Page Start: 287
• Page End: 303
• Publication Date: 2019-09
• Subjects: marketing history -- brand marketing -- patent medicines -- trademark protection -- global marketing; Marketing -- Periodicals; Marketing -- Social aspects -- Periodicals; 658.802
• DOI: 10.1177/0276146719865770
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0276-1467

Abstract

This paper examines the marketing of a so-called "patent medicine, Perry Davis' Vegetable Pain-Killer, to suggest that many of its 19th century brand marketing practices were precursors to modern brand marketing tactics. Pain-Killer developed a distinctive brand identity through the creation and protection of several brand elements including the product itself, its name, packaging and advertising. The Pain-Killer brand also offered useful content marketing in terms of almanacs, "advertainment" consisting of a book of rhymes and pictures relating to Pain-Killer and a brand story centered in part on its inventor and founder Perry Davis. The Pain-Killer brand enjoyed decades of success reportedly selling 100 million bottles in 60 years (Bismarck Daily Tribune 1905). Ultimately, this brand disappeared because Pain-Killer became a generic product category name rather than a brand name and drug criticism and regulation limited its formulation and ability to advertise using cure-all claims.