Yamaguchi Bicycle, ‟Smart Lady” The Original ‟Mama-chari”（Part 3）

次回この記事の日本語版を投稿します。

In Part 1 of this series, we saw the features of the Smart Lady, and, in Part 2 we looked at the brainchild behind this model, Ms. Suzue Yamaguchi, daughter of the founder and president of Yamaguchi Bicycle Manufacturing Corporation.  As we shall see here, and later in Part 4, the Smart Lady was revolutionary not only for its features specifically designed to accomodate women, but also for the way it was marketed.

The image girl first used in advertising the Smart Lady was Meiko Nakamura, a well-known actress. At the time of the photo she was 22 years old and had just had a hit song Country Bus one year earlier in 1955.

Meiko Nakamura with her Smart Lady bicycle (1956)

Designed and marketed specifically to appeal to women, the catch phase was "Beauty can be created"; implying that by riding the Smart Lady bicycle any woman can become physically fit and more attractive.  The fact that 70 years ago, the company set out to create a bicycle designed specifically for women, and capitalized on it with a marketing ploy that beauty comes from staying physically fit, was years, if not decades, ahead of its time. 

Again, Meiko Nakamura, here in the same year on the front cover of a Smart Lady brochure.

Other popular personalities who promoted the Smart Lady included the following:

 Yaoko Kaitani （Famous Japanese Ballet dancer）


Aiko Yamano （Famous Japanese beautician）

Musei Tokugawa with his second wife, Shizue dressed in a kimono, who also rode and promoted the Smart Lady.
(Musei Tokugawa:  famous actor, essayist, radio and television personality)

In the next part, we will look at the revolutionary payment plan that the Yamaguchi sales team introduced to enable more women to own bicycles.