Targeted marketing is rampant in today’s digital world. Every banner ad you see online stems from a long history of companies doing their best to figure out what you want to buy, before you want to buy it. The story was much the same in the 1950s, though in a much earlier stage of targeted marketing. With the economy in full post-war swing and an entire generation ready to move forward, the automotive industry knew consumers were ripe for experimentation. When Dodge debuted the 1955 La Femme — the first car to have been built exclusively for women — it was the automotive manufacturer’s way of going after a glut of “lady-dollars” just waiting to be snapped up. Designers went heavy on the pink paint, with a brocade interior that resembled pink rosebuds. Beyond the pretty-in-pink look, Dodge set out to hard-sell female drivers by way of an extensive accessories program associated with the La Femme. Each car came with its own full complement of beauty-related products, including a lipstick case, cigarette lighter and case, compact, and change purse. Sales were slow, with fewer than 1,000 La Femmes moving off the dealer lots in the model’s first year. It seemed that few American women were interested in driving the “ladylike way.” In total, over two years, Dodge sold roughly 1,500 La Femmes, which led to the vehicle’s discontinuance in 1957.
