This volume, by a history professor (Olegario) and two partners at a consulting firm, chronicles Procter & Gamble's development, particularly how the company has long emphasized development and marketing of products that can dominate categories. Sanctioned by P&G, which provided the authors access to archives, this detailed tome is an exhaustive record from P&G's founding in 1837 and first growth spurt as a candle and soap supplier to soldiers during the Civil War through today's innovations in an increasingly competitive marketplace. Before delving into the history, the authors briefly discuss five principles that define the company, including an emphasis on consumer brands and a willingness to experiment. The minutiae included in this book is occasionally tedious, but the profiles of product launches are both appealing and informative. The discussion of fluoride encompasses a look at tooth decay: "Today, it is difficult to imagine just how bad the problem of tooth decay was in the first half of the twentieth century. Most people were afflicted, and the most common treatment was the painful extraction of the affected teeth." Furthermore, the sections on toxic shock (product difficulties) and global expansion (business challenges) are particularly insightful. This is a solid company history that will appeal to a wide audience including MBA students, employees at P&G's rivals and others in advertising, marketing and consumer products businesses.



The Evolution of a Brand Powerhouse

The candles that lit the nights of Union soldiers during the Civil War. The synthetic detergent that eradicated hours of toil for women in the 1940s. The disposable diapers that added convenience to the lives of busy parents.



All of these breakthrough "firsts" and a host of others came from the same source: consumer goods giant Procter & Gamble. Rising Tide chronicles this company's extraordinary 165-year climb from a small, family-operated soap and candle company to a global powerhouse whose market-leading brands improve the lives of consumers everywhere.



Authors Davis Dyer, Frederick Dalzell, and Rowena Olegario were granted unprecedented access to P&G's corporate archives and exclusive interviews with key executives and employees. They describe the introduction and evolution of such household brands as Ivory, Tide, Crest, and Pampers and illustrate how P&G learned to satisfy consumers and compete in markets all over the world. They also recount insightful lessons about product innovation, global expansion, leadership transformation, business reinvention, and brand building.



Compelling and candid, Rising Tide is a fascinating journey through business history and material culture from colonial times through the Industrial Revolution and into the Information Age.



About the author:



Davis Dyer is a Founding Partner, and Frederick Dalzell is a Partner, in the Winthrop Group, Inc. Rowena Olegario is Assistant Professor of History at Vanderbilt University.