Sofia Gumaelius facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sofia Gumaelius
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| Born | 8 December 1840 Örebro, Sweden
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| Died | 23 January 1915 (aged 74) Stockholm, Sweden
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| Nationality | Swedish |
| Occupation | Advertising executive |
| Known for | founding Gumaelius Annonsbyrå |
| Partner(s) | Anna Björnlund |
Sofia Lovisa Gumaelius (born December 8, 1840, in Örebro, Sweden – died January 23, 1915, in Stockholm, Sweden) was a very successful Swedish businesswoman. She is famous for starting one of the world's oldest advertising companies.
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Starting an Advertising Business
Sofia Gumaelius was the daughter of Otto Joel Gumaelius. He started a newspaper called Nerikes Allehanda. In July 1877, Sofia decided to start her own business. She opened an advertising agency called "Nya annonsbyrån." This name means "The New Advertising Agency." Most people just called it Gumaelius Annonsbyrå. It is known today as one of the oldest advertising and communication companies in the world.
How the Company Grew
When Sofia Gumaelius started her company in 1877, she rented just two rooms in Stockholm. She borrowed some money from her brother, Arvid Gumaelius, to get started. She worked by herself at first. After only a few months, her business grew so much that she needed to hire help. Her first employee was Agda Wilson. The company quickly became bigger. Within a year, they had to move to a larger office. By 1908, the company was so successful that they built a brand new building in central Stockholm for their main office. During Sofia's lifetime, Gumaelius Annonsbyrå also opened offices in other cities. These included London, Oslo, Malmö, and Gothenburg.
Sofia's Business Career
In 1881, Sofia officially registered her company's name as S. Gumaelii Annonsbyrå. This was a shorter way to say "Sofia Gumaelius' Annonsbyrå." In 1883, Sofia also started another company called Gumaelius & Co. This company sold supplies for printing. Later, in 1918, both of her companies joined together under the name S Gumaelius.
New Ideas in Advertising
Sofia Gumaelius was known for her strong belief in honest advertising. She thought that ads should tell the truth. This helped people trust the products they saw advertised. She also made her company different from others. Early on, she hired illustrators. These artists created pictures for the ads. She focused on making ads that looked good and had catchy phrases. This made her advertisements stand out.
Helping Society
Sofia Gumaelius cared a lot about her community. She was interested in democracy and making sure people had free access to information. For several years, she was the treasurer for a group that worked for women's right to vote. This group was called the National Association for Women's Suffrage. She was also very active in a group for journalists called Publicistklubben. She stayed involved with this group until she passed away. Her friends there often called her "The first lady of the Press." She was also the vice chairman of a women's club called Kvinnoklubben. Sofia was also active in the Fredrika Bremer Association, another important women's organization.
Her Legacy
When Sofia Gumaelius died, people described her as the greatest businesswoman in Sweden. Her company continued to thrive even after her death.
