Kathleen "Kay" Daly (8 January 1919 – 16 October 1975) was an Irish-born American

advertising Advertising is the practice and techniques employed to bring attention to a product or service. Advertising aims to put a product or service in the spotlight in hopes of drawing it attention from consumers. It is typically used to promote a ...

executive and one of the four "celebrated Daly sisters". At Norman, Craig & Kümmel she was the creative force behind the famous

Maidenform Maidenform Brands is a manufacturer of women's underwear, founded in 1922 by seamstress Ida Rosenthal; Enid Bissett, who owned the shop that employed her; and Ida's husband, William Rosenthal. They rebelled against the flat-chested designs of ...

"''I Dreamed ...''" campaign and

Revlon Revlon, Inc. is an American multinational company dealing in cosmetics, skin care, fragrance, and personal care. The headquarters of Revlon was established in New York City on March 1, 1932, where it still remains. Revlon was founded by brothe ...

's legendary 1952 Fire And Ice campaign, working with photographer

Richard Avedon Richard Avedon (May 15, 1923 – October 1, 2004) was an American fashion and portrait photographer. He worked for ''Harper's Bazaar'', ''Vogue'' and ''Elle'' specializing in capturing movement in still pictures of fashion, theater and danc ...

. She also was responsible for the line "''Every woman alive loves Chanel Number Five''". She went on to join Revlon in 1961 as vice president and creative director. Kathleen Daly was born in

Castlecaufield Castlecaulfield is a village in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. It lies about 2 miles west of Dungannon and is part of the Mid Ulster District Council area. The village is mostly within the townland of Drumreany, although part of it extends i ...

County Tyrone County Tyrone (; ) is one of the six Counties of Northern Ireland, counties of Northern Ireland, one of the nine counties of Ulster and one of the thirty-two traditional Counties of Ireland, counties of Ireland. It is no longer used as an admini ...

Ulster Ulster (; ga, Ulaidh or ''Cúige Uladh'' ; sco, label= Ulster Scots, Ulstèr or ''Ulster'') is one of the four traditional Irish provinces. It is made up of nine counties: six of these constitute Northern Ireland (a part of the United King ...

, Ireland, in 1919.

Northern Ireland Northern Ireland ( ga, Tuaisceart Éireann ; sco, label= Ulster-Scots, Norlin Airlann) is a part of the United Kingdom, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, that is variously described as a country, province or region. Nort ...

was created two years later with Tyrone one of its six counties. The family emigrated early in the 1920s. She grew up as one of four sisters, Maggie, Kay,

Maureen Maureen is a female given name. In Gaelic, it is Máirín, a pet form of ''Máire'' (the Irish cognate of Mary), which is derived from the Hebrew Miriam. The name has sometimes been regarded as corresponding to the male given name Maurice. Some ...

, and American-born Sheila. They became known for their writing and work in journalism, fashion, and advertising, and were called "the celebrated Daly sisters" by ''Time'' magazine in 1966. ''Life'' magazine ran a feature story on them in 1949 and a follow-up in 1959. All four were at least once employed by the ''

Chicago Tribune The ''Chicago Tribune'' is a daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, United States, owned by Tribune Publishing. Founded in 1847, and formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" (a slogan for which WGN radio and television ar ...

''. When she moved to San Francisco after World War II, Kay Daly famously rented space on a billboard to advertise for an apartment. It not only netted her an apartment, but netted her nationwide fame and countless marriage proposals. She had a brief marriage to BMW executive and film producer Richard Bradford (part of the famous

Bradford family Bradford is a city status in the United Kingdom, city and the administrative centre of the City of Bradford district in West Yorkshire, England. The city is in the Pennines' eastern foothills on the banks of the Bradford Beck. Bradford had a p ...

of Plymouth Colony), who fathered her sons John (Kelly), Richard, and Peter. She then was married to journalist and executive Warren Leslie, who adopted and raised her sons, until her death on 16 October 1975, of pancreatic cancer.Kay Daly, Revlon Ad Innovater, Dies at 55. 1975. ''Chicago Tribune'' (18 October), p. 18. She was survived by husband Warren, sons Kelly, Peter, and Richard Bradford, and stepsons Warren and Michael Leslie.

References

External links

Life Magazine Photos

at Andrew Tobias: Money and Other Subjects – from his book ''Fire And Ice: The Story of Charles Revson, the Man Who Built the Revlon Empire''

Time Magazine {{DEFAULTSORT:Daly, Kay 1919 births 1975 deaths American advertising executives Northern Ireland emigrants to the United States People from County Tyrone Deaths from pancreatic cancer 20th-century American businesspeople