Mary Kay's pink Cadillac started as a personal car — and became the most famous incentive

In 1968, Mary Kay Ash, founder of Mary Kay Cosmetics, walked into a Dallas Cadillac dealership and bought a pink Cadillac. She had the car repainted on site to match the 'Mountain Laurel Blush' shade in a compact she carried in her purse. The car was a personal purchase — a symbol of the success she had built since founding the company in 1963.

The next year, Ash decided to reward the company's top five salespeople with pink Cadillacs of their own. She ordered five 1970 Coupe de Villes, painted in the same custom color. The cars were presented at the company's annual awards seminar. The reaction was immediate — salespeople across the country began working harder to earn the right to drive a pink Cadillac.

The pink Cadillac program became the cornerstone of Mary Kay's sales incentive system. Top consultants could earn the use of a pink Cadillac (or a cash option) as a company-paid, two-year lease. General Motors signed an exclusive agreement with Mary Kay to produce custom-painted pink Cadillacs, ultimately painting over 100,000 cars for the program.

The pink Cadillac became one of the most recognized symbols in direct selling. It was featured in movies, television shows, and popular culture. A personal purchase that Mary Kay Ash made for herself — a car she repainted to match her makeup compact — became the most famous sales incentive program in American business history.