You're listening to the Witness History podcast from the BBC World Service, with me, Vicki

Fankham.

I'm taking you back to 1950s America and the story of Brownie Wise, the single mum who pioneered

the art of selling small, plastic food containers at parties.

She helped turn Tupperware into a million-dollar business.

It's April 1954, and for the first time in its 25-year history, Business Week magazine

is about to feature a woman on its front cover.

Brownie Wise, in just three years, she has transformed the fortunes of Tupperware, the

plastic container maker by inspiring an army of American housewives to sell it at parties.

And if, like me, you've never been to such a gathering, here's an old advert to give

you a taste of what happens.

Now let's go to a little town in New Jersey where things are really popping.

Yes, there's a party going on at Mrs. Betty Martin's house.

It's a Tupperware party, and it's really fun.

The girls get together and meet their old friends and make some new ones.

Then there's a demonstration by one of the Tupperware dealers who lives in your community.

By the time Brownie makes the cover of Business Week, she has a network of 20,000 sellers

hosting Tupperware parties.

They idolize her.

Brownie would offer the dress off her back as a prize for the best selling dealer, and

women would lose 20 or 30 pounds so they could fit into the dress, you know.

It's amazing the stories, but they're all true.

...