Epic stories from the decade that taught Americans how to vote with their wallets.
You can get what you want, when you want it, for a price you’d like to pay…or you’ll take your business elsewhere. That truth is so self-evident that we barely give it a second thought. But “consumer” culture means so much more to our lives than just buying stuff. Consumer expectations force employers to make accommodations if they want to keep the best talent. We expect our doctors to prescribe us the new wonder drug we saw advertised. Colleges invest in glistening food courts to lure the best students. We expect a boycott to change corporate behavior. Whether our expectations are good or bad depends on your point of view, but the underlying fact remains: having it your way ain’t just how we think about hamburgers.
No one in living memory knows what it was like to expect anything else, so it’s tempting to think it was always that way. It wasn’t. There was a time when Henry Ford was right about getting any color you liked, so long it was black. You got what you got, when you got it, and you were happy to get it. Booze, Babe, and the Little Black Dress retells the epic stories of the most misunderstood decade in American history and how the 1920s gave birth to the most important skill in modern life: how to use our economic power. Voting with our wallets changed, and continues to change, everything.
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What did Al Capone, Babe Ruth, and Coco Chanel all have in common? Al Capone understood that working men just wanted to enjoy a beer after a long day at work…and that working women wanted exactly the same thing. Babe Ruth understood that people wanted a show, not just a game…even if they would never see him play. Coco Chanel understood that women wanted freedom from tight corsets, flowing gowns, and complex updos…even if (especially if) that meant showing some skin. Each one understood what their customer wanted and found a way to give it to them.
We’ve heard amazing stories like these so often over the past 100 years that they’ve become…well, normal. But that’s only because no one alive today remembers what life was like before the so-called “Roaring 20s” – the most misunderstood decade in American history. Capone, Ruth, and Chanel were indeed unique, but they were not alone. Dozens of innovators used the same approach to systematically change every aspect of our daily lives in a 10-year orgy of societal transformation unknown before or since.
The 1920s ushered in nothing short of a Consumer Revolution – one just as transformative as the Industrial Revolution that preceded it or the Information Revolution that followed. Consumer culture not only changed what we buy and how we buy it, but more important than that, it changed how we see ourselves and our role in society. We’re more than healthcare patients, college students, social advocates, and citizens. We’re consumers…and we demand to be treated as such.
It’s long past time we reexamined the Consumer Revolution, and the 1920s, with a fresh perspective. Each story is epic in its own right, but when we see them as a whole, a clearer picture emerges. Together, they taught Americans to vote with their wallets. Our world – for good and for ill – would never be the same.
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Praise for Booze, Babe, & the Little Black Dress
The book’s strength lies in its engaging, accessible style that captures the titillating, over-the-top cultural milieu of the decade. And while it’s generally optimistic in tone, the book doesn’t ignore the dark side of consumer culture, noting the environmental impacts of mass consumption and how modern shopping has become “a drug that’s addicted the American public.
Kirkus Reviews
Read the full review
In “Booze, Babe, and the Little Black Dress,” Jason Voiovich glibly reveals the bones and origins of consumer culture. The colorful characters and funny anecdotes he uses to explain the tectonic plates of modern America isn’t merely fascinating—it’s also strangely empowering. The more you read, the less you feel like a sheep in the thrall of Madison Avenue, and more like a tiny, private tycoon bending the market to your whims.
Andrew Heaton
Comedian and podcaster
More Information About Andrew Heaton
He’s done it again. Fresh and unique insights often grow out of the intersection of two interesting topics. As with Marketer in Chief, Jason Voiovich demonstrates his mastery of U.S. History and marketing with the deeply researched but fun-to-read Booze, Babe & the Little Black Dress. Voiovich captures, with imagination and great story-telling, the impact of how the “Choice Era,” born in the Roaring Twenties, revolutionized American culture.
Steve Wehrenberg
Retired advertising executive and professor of strategic communication
Jason brings 1920s marketing back to life through stories told so compellingly that you want to marinate on each one. History has so much to teach us, and this book nails such a core period – while also being such a fun one to read.
Todd Caponi
Author of The Transparency Sale and The Transparent Sales Leader
More Information About Todd Caponi
Worth reading 😎 – Thorough and witty, this curated history of 1920s American innovation reveals the un(der)told foundations for consumerism and culture today.
Nicole-Anne Keyton
Reedsy Discovery
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Media Kit
Members of the Media
Thank you for your interest in Booze, Babe & the Little Black Dress. Below, you’ll find information about the book, a sample Q&A, and downloadable resources. Please use the contact form below for detailed inquiries. For time-sensitive media requests (you’re on deadline; I get it!), please call or message me at 612-669-5807.
Basic Book Information
Book Title
- Booze, Babe, & the Little Black Dress: How Innovators of the Roaring 20s Created the Consumer Revolution
Author Name
- Jason Voiovich
Pronunciation
- VOY-oh-vitch
BISAC Codes
- HIS036000 HISTORY / United States / General
- BUS043000 BUSINESS & ECONOMICS / Marketing / General
- BUS052000 BUSINESS & ECONOMICS / Public Relations
- BUS002000 BUSINESS & ECONOMICS / Advertising & Promotion
Amazon Categories
- United States History (General)
- Business / Marketing (General)
- Business / Advertising & Promotion
- Business / Research & Development
Versions
- Paperback: 475 pages, IBSN 978-1-7370013-4-8, $14.99
- eBook: IBSN 978-1-7370013-3-1, $7.99
- Audiobook: 15 hours (est.), IBSN 978-1-7370013-5-5, $19.99
Publication Date & Edition
- April 4, 2023, First Edition
Sales Channels
- Amazon
- Audible
Book Synopsis
Epic stories from the decade that taught Americans how to vote with their wallets.
What did Al Capone, Babe Ruth, and Coco Chanel all have in common? Al Capone understood that working men just wanted to enjoy a beer after a long day at work…and that working women wanted exactly the same thing. Babe Ruth understood that people wanted a show, not just a game…even if they would never see him play. Coco Chanel understood that women wanted freedom from tight corsets, flowing gowns, and complex updos…even if (especially if) that meant showing some skin. Each one understood what their customer wanted and found a way to give it to them.
We’ve heard amazing stories like these so often over the past 100 years that they’ve become…well, normal. But that’s only because no one alive today remembers what life was like before the so-called “Roaring 20s” – the most misunderstood decade in American history. Capone, Ruth, and Chanel were indeed unique, but they were not alone. Dozens of innovators used the same approach to systematically change every aspect of our daily lives in a 10-year orgy of societal transformation unknown before or since.
The 1920s ushered in nothing short of a Consumer Revolution – one just as transformative as the Industrial Revolution that preceded it or the Information Revolution that followed. Consumer culture not only changed what we buy and how we buy it, but more important than that, it changed how we see ourselves and our role in society. We’re more than healthcare patients, college students, social advocates, and citizens. We’re consumers…and we demand to be treated as such.
It’s long past time we reexamined the Consumer Revolution, and the 1920s, with a fresh perspective. Each story is epic in its own right, but when we see them as a whole, a clearer picture emerges. Together, they taught Americans to vote with their wallets. Our world – for good and for ill – would never be the same.
Jason Voiovich Biography
Author Biography (Short)
In a career that spans more than 25 years, Jason Voiovich has launched hundreds of new products – everything from medical devices, to virtual healthcare systems, to non-dairy consumer cheese, to next-generation alternatives to the dreaded “cone of shame” for pets, to sex aides for cows (really!). He’s a graduate of both the University of Wisconsin and the University of Minnesota, and he has completed post-graduate studies at the MIT Sloan School of Management. His formal training has been invaluable, but he credits his true success to growing up in a family of artists, immigrants, and entrepreneurs. They taught him how to carefully observe the world, see patterns before others notice them, and use those insights to create new innovations. History is Jason’s favorite way to observe the world. He believes the people from the past have plenty to teach us about the challenges and opportunities we face today.
Past Media Appearances
Jason Voiovich’s media appearances include broadcast television, podcasts, and written journalism. You can find examples here.
Professional Endorsements
He’s done it again. Fresh and unique insights often grow out of the intersection of two interesting topics. As with Marketer in Chief, Jason Voiovich demonstrates his mastery of U.S. History and marketing with the deeply researched but fun-to-read Booze, Babe & the Little Black Dress. Voiovich captures, with imagination and great story-telling, the impact of how the “Choice Era,” born in the Roaring Twenties, revolutionized American culture.
Steve Wehrenberg
Retired advertising executive and professor of strategic communication
…
Jason brings 1920s marketing back to life through stories told so compellingly that you want to marinate on each one. History has so much to teach us, and this book nails such a core period – while also being such a fun one to read.
Todd Caponi
Author of The Transparency Sale and The Transparent Sales Leader
More Information
…
In “Booze, Babe, and the Little Black Dress,” Jason Voiovich glibly reveals the bones and origins of consumer culture. The colorful characters and funny anecdotes he uses to explain the tectonic plates of modern America isn’t merely fascinating—it’s also strangely empowering. The more you read, the less you feel like a sheep in the thrall of Madison Avenue, and more like a tiny, private tycoon bending the market to your whims.
Andrew Heaton
Comedian and podcaster
More Information
Author Credentials and Contact Information
Jason Voiovich
B.S. University of Wisconsin
M.A. University of Minnesota
Post-Graduate MIT Sloan School of Management
Mobile: 612-669-5807
Email: jason [at] marketerinchief [dot] com
Academic Research
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All members of the media may use this form: Journalists, bloggers, podcasters, and authors. If you’re on deadline, please note that in your response and I will do everything possible to accommodate and prioritize your request.