Happi Anniversary!

If it’s 2013, that means Happi is turning 50 years old. Vol. 1, No. 1 rolled off the presses in June, 1964. In that inaugural issue, then-publisher Ralph E. Dorland noted:

“Our goal is to keep the industry abreast of all the new developments, whether in marketing, research, management, advertising, legislation, or any of the host of factors affecting the trade.” It’s been 50 years, but Happi’s mission hasn’t changed all that much. Sure, the medium has evolved, with websites, enewsletters, foreign language issues and conferences, but Happi’s goal of providing our readers with the information they need to succeed in an increasingly complex and uncertain world remains the same.

Like our mission, our management is unwavering. Back in 1964, Rod Zilenziger teamed up with Dorland to start Detergent Age (as it was known in its infancy). Zilenziger became the sole owner in 1978 and the magazine, and parent company, today known as Rodman Media, has flourished. Rod Zilenziger Sr. retired in 1993 (along with my predecessor, Hamilton C. Carson), but his son Rodman J. Zilenziger Jr. has led the company through years of dynamic growth—Rodman has expanded from three titles to 10 and has added websites and live events.

In addition to informative in-depth, topical articles that Happi is best known for, throughout 2013 we will take a look back at key categories and how they’ve evolved over the years. First up is hair color, which has gone gray itself in recent years, as sales have slowed. And be sure to visit Happi.com, where we look at how some of the biggest companies in the business have evolved during the past half-century. We’ll kick off these profiles with Procter & Gamble, the world’s largest consumer products company, which celebrated its 175th anniversary in 2012.

We hope you enjoy these glimpses of how the household and personal products industry have evolved during the past 50 years. As always, we welcome your comments, your suggestions and—for the old-timers—your memories of the past 50 years!