Vicks History

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The Vicks® story isn't brief, but it is interesting. Below is a decade-by-decade timeline that shows how Vicks has grown for more than 100 years.

Click on any of the decades below to take a look at past Vicks ads, watch vintage TV spots, learn interesting Vicks facts, and see just how far the legacy has grown. .

Historical Vicks ads are for entertainment purposes only. Historical product claims may no longer be valid. For information on current Vicks products and usage, go to the Products section. Use all products as currently directed.

Vicks: A Century of Soothing, Comforting Care

1890s	1900s	1910s	1920s	1930s	1940s
1950s	1960s	1970s	1980s	1990s	2000s

Vicks in the 1910s

1900s 1920s

Enlarge	An advertisement for Vicks^® VapoRub^® from 1911

Enlarge	In 1911, Smith Richardson, Lunsford Richardson's son, travels through western North Carolina to learn about their target market. Upon returning to Greensboro, he recommends that they discontinue all of their product lines except for the Vicks Salve. In addition, he suggests that they rename the salve to Vicks^® VapoRub^® to help dramatize the product's performance. His father agrees to the changes, and the VapoRub brand name is born.

Enlarge	When Spanish Flu hits the U.S. from 1918 to 1919, Vicks^® VapoRub^® sales skyrocket from $900,000 to $2.9 million in just one year. Sales increase so dramatically that the Vicks plant operates day and night to keep up with orders.