The only people who get to drive in pink Cadillac splendor are superstars whose multilevel sales teams have sold at least $100,000 in Mary Kay products in six months.
It’s one of the most easily recognized sales incentive in the world.
But not many people outside the company know that these independent sales directors ought to be driving Lincolns.
That’s what Mary Kay Ash really wanted in 1967, when the first lady of cosmetics decided to indulge herself with a luxury car and flaunt the success of her company in the process.
But she got “little lady-ied” by a local Lincoln dealership, says Crayton Webb, vice president of corporate communications at Mary Kay Inc. “The guy in so many words said, ‘Little lady, go home and get your husband. And when you come back, we’ll get you into that Lincoln.’ That didn’t sit too well with her.”
Mary Kay was probably summarily dismissed before she ever mentioned that she wanted her vehicle to match the color of her cosmetics compact.
Frank Kent Cadillac in Fort Worth was more than happy to take her money for a 1968 Sedan de Ville and order it in powder pink. General Motors resurrected a retired paint color, Mountain Laurel, that