How Tupperware took over our homes, with Decoder Ring

Planet Money

NPR

Business, News

4.6 • 29.8K Ratings

🗓️ 14 March 2025

⏱️ 29 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Tupperware is the stealthy star of our modern homes. These plastic storage containers are ubiquitous in our fridges, pantries, and closets. But the original product was revolutionary. So was its breakthrough sales strategy: the Tupperware Party.

Led in part by a charismatic housewife turned business innovator, Tupperware pioneered more than the party. Brownie Wise, and the company she came to represent, are behind a core sales technique that we might now recognize as influencer marketing.

The company was so successful at its peak, it reached almost cult status. But it didn't last.

On our latest episode: Tupperware's success and the company's demise. And how its descendants — in products, and in sales strategies — lived on.

This episode is in partnership with Decoder Ring. For even more on the legacy of Tupperware, listen to their full episode.

Find more Planet Money: Facebook / Instagram / TikTok / Our weekly Newsletter.

Listen free at these links: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, the NPR app or anywhere you get podcasts.

Help support Planet Money and hear our bonus episodes by subscribing to Planet Money+ in Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org/planetmoney.

Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices

NPR Privacy Policy

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0	This message comes from Bloomberg.
0:02.0	The Big Take podcast brings you one big story every day about what's shaping the world's economies,
0:08.0	the context you need on the stories that move markets.
0:11.3	Listen to Big Take wherever you get your podcasts.
0:15.3	This is Planet Money from NPR.
0:20.7	Hello and welcome to Planet Money.
0:22.6	I'm Jeff Guo.
0:23.4	And today I am joined by Willa Paskin.
0:26.4	Hey, Willa.
0:27.0	Hi, Jeff.
0:27.8	Hi, Planet Money.
0:28.9	Willa, you are the host of the Decoder Ring podcast from Slate.
0:33.4	And you guys are like professional rabbit hole finders, right?
0:38.3	You guys are so good at just finding these things in the world that we think we all understand.
0:44.3	But you're like, no, no, no, no.
0:45.9	We're taking you on this whole improbable journey saga that's delightful but often kind of weird.
0:52.9	And we always end up learning something new.
0:56.4	Thank you so much.
0:57.3	That's very nice.
0:58.1	I do consider myself a professional rabbit hole.
1:01.1	What is that digger?
1:02.3	Binder digger,
	...

Transcript will be available on the free plan in -8 days. Upgrade to see the full transcript now.

Previous episode | Next episode

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from NPR, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of NPR and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.