Ann and Thomas Damigella Collection
name: label: Creator
content: Damigella, Ann.
label: Creator
content: Damigella, Thomas
label: Names
content: Tupperware Home Parties
label: Names
content: Tupperware International.
topic: label: Topic
content: Plastic container industry -- 1950-2000
label: Topic
content: Product demonstrations -- 1950-2000
label: Topic
content: Sales -- Plastic containers -- 1950-2000
label: Topic
content: Direct selling -- 1950-2000
acqinfo: label: Provenance
content: The collection was donated to the Archives Center of the National Museum of American History by Ann and Thomas Damigella in July 1997.
creator: label: Creator
content: Damigella, Ann.
label: Creator
content: Damigella, Thomas
setName: label: See more items in
content: Ann and Thomas Damigella Collection
abstract: label: Summary
content: Film, sound recordings and documentary material relating to the history of Tupperware home parties and the Damigella Tupperware distributorship in Everett, Massachusetts.
bioghist: label: Biographical / Historical
content: Ann and Tom Damigella already had experience selling Stanley Home Products when they encountered  Tupperware in 1947.   Mr. and Mrs. Damigella foresaw great possibilities with the new product, and immediately decided to add Tupperware to the line of products they offered door to door.  In 1950, they attended the first "round table" meeting with Earl Tupper (inventor of Tupperware), Brownie Wise (who perfected Tupperware's home party sales system) and sixteen to twenty other Tupperware distributors from around the country.  The Damigellas quickly became some of the top Tupperware sales people in the country; in 1952 they were awarded a Cadillac as one of the top six movers of Tupperware in North America.  Self-proclaimed Tupperware people, their son, Tom Damigella, Jr., and son-in-law, Jon Nelson,  followed them into the business, making the Damigella Distributorship the oldest and among the most successful distributorships in the country -- the distributorship has been in the top 25 in sales every year since the early 1960s.  Tom. Jr. manages the distributorship since his father's retirement in 1994; Jon Nelson went on to become one of Tupperware's regional vice-presidents.
physdesc: label: Extent
content: 17 Videocassettes (VHS)
label: Extent
content: 38 Motion picture films
label: Extent
content: 1.25 Cubic feet (4 boxes )
unitdate: label: Date
content: 1951-1997
dataSource: label: Archival Repository
content: Archives Center, National Museum of American History
identifier: label: Identifier
content: NMAH.AC.0583
objectType: label: Type
content: Collection descriptions
label: Type
content: Archival materials
label: Type
content: Videocassettes (vhs)
label: Type
content: Motion picture films
label: Type
content: Motion pictures (visual works)
label: Type
content: Sound recordings
arrangement: label: Arrangement
content: The collection is arranged in ten series. Within each series, materials are arranged chronologically.    

Series 1: CATALOGS, 1957-1997

Series 2: GAMES AND DEMONSTRATION GUIDES, 1965-1990

Series 3: ADVERTISING, 1970-1980 

Series 4: TUPPERWARE INTERNATIONAL, 1960-1990

Series 5: RECRUITMENT, DEALERSHIP AND MANAGERSHIP, 1960-1995.  Proscriptive and motivational literature about working for Tupperware.
  
Series 6: SOUND RECORDINGS, 1953; 1977-78

Series 7: OUR WORLD MAGAZINE, 1976-1991.  Sales force magazine, containing demonstration, recruitment and sales advice; product information; and profiles of successful dealers, managers and distributors.

Series 8: JUBILEE PUBLICATIONS, 1967-1982.  Publications reviewing and highlighting Jubilee, the annual sales force gathering in Orlando, Florida.  

Series 9: DAMIGELLA DISTRIBUTORSHIP AND TUPPERWARE HISTORICAL MATERIALS, 1960-1991.  News clippings, research reports, and other background information  about Tupperware and the Damigella distributorship, including a chronology compiled by Tom Damigella, Jr.and material assembled by the son of Stanley Home Products and Tupperware salesman Norman Squires relating to his contributions to or innovation in the home party plan.    

Series 10: MOVING IMAGES, 1951-1991.  54 16mm films and 2@ VHS videotapes. Film and video mastering and duplication were made possible by a gift from Tupperware International. 

There are six subseries. 

Subseries 1:  Promotional/Motivational Films, 1960-1992. Contains promotional and motivational films featuring activities organized by the company to bring dealers and distributors together, usually with statements from Tupperware executives. Contains product promotion films introducing new Tupperware to the sales force. Contains Jubilee films showcasing the annual celebration, showing award ceremonies, games, music and entertainment (including appearances by Anita Bryant, Waylon Jennings and Pat Boone). 

Subseries 2: Training Films, 1952-1997. Includes step-by-step guides to planning Home Parties, learning sales techniques, demonstrating products, and introducing new sales promotions. One film gives tips on safe driving to and from the Tupperware parties, for managers using cars leased by the distributorship for their use. 

Subseries 3: Corporate Films, 1958-1992. Includes films showing product development from design to end result as well as discussions of business strategies.

Subseries 4: Commercials, 1983-1994. Presents new products; emphasizes effectiveness and efficiency of using Tupperware.

Subseries 5: Home Movies, 1951-1997. Includes home movies shot by  Tupperware distributors Tom and Ann Damigella. This material includes tributes to the Damigellas.

Subseries 6:   Acquired Films, 1961.  Non-Tupperware films acquired by the Damigellas.
processinfo: label: Processing Information
content: Mimi Minnick, September 1997

Film inventory prepared by Anna Wirz, August 1997; revised by Wendy Shay, September 1997.
genre_format: label: Genre/Form
content: Motion pictures (visual works)
label: Genre/Form
content: Sound recordings
scopecontent: label: Scope and Contents
content: Because of their long affiliation with Tupperware, the Damigellas have amassed a significant collection of archival documentation and memorabilia relating to the history of Tupperware, and particularly to the sales practices and sales force training methods of this highly successful, widely emulated, international corporation.   

The collection includes film, sound recordings and printed material relating to Tupperware sales practices and methods of sales force motivation and control.
relatedmaterial: label: Related Materials
content: Tupperware may also be found in the Museum's Division of Domestic Life (now Division of Cultural and Community Life). Researchers interested in the history of Tupperware should also consult the Earl Tupper (AC#470) and Brownie Wise (AC#509) Collections in the Archives Center.