Looking Back to Kiehl’s History: Who is Mr. Bones?
Kiehl’s is a skin, body, and hair care brand founded by John Kiehl in 1851. Kiehl’s became one of the first companies to proudly list ingredients on its product labels — even before the U.S. government mandated it.
Moreover, the brand was also famous for its “Try Before You Buy” unofficial motto. This principle of personalized customer service and generous sampling has remained a Kiehl’s tradition for 171 years.
But apart from its top-of-the-line products, Kiehl’s also became popular because of its iconic character, Mr. Bones.
Mr. Bones is a life-size teaching skeleton first introduced by Mr. Morse, Kiehl’s apprentice, to help customers learn about their conditions and ailments. As a tribute to their pharmaceutical beginnings, he is now an iconic fixture in every Kiehl’s outlet.
The brand indeed considers that not everyone knows who Mr. Bones is; thus, a hanging frame introducing the brand’s character comes along with its unique store fixture.