in 1881, the company initiated door-to-door sales to private residences to complement its mail solicitation to storekeepers. to establish brand identity and keep up with competitors, hubbard inserted a modest premium into every box of soap starting with a color picture of the company's logo. this coincided with the growth of the company's mail-order business and the strategy of gift premiums escalated quickly into larger and more interesting souvenir picture cards than his competitors. from there, larkin and hubbard began experimenting and refining the practice. soon a handkerchief was included with the "pure white" toilet soap and then a bath towel with the purchase of "ocean bath" soap.