This week, our blog is dedicated to an interesting piece of history from Nissan. We all know about traditions like the Miss America pageant, “Barker’s Beauties” from The Price Is Right, and the Doublemint Twins, but did you know that there was, and still is, a similar position in Japan, working for Nissan?

This position originated in 1963 as “Miss Fairlady,” named after the Nissan Fairlady, a model of the time. These women were chosen in a manner similar to that of a pageant and were employed on the showroom floor to demonstrate and explain the various vehicle models. In addition to being beautiful and having the right image, they also had to have an extensive brand knowledge and be able to answer customers’ questions about the vehicles.

The Miss Fairlady position was modeled on the “Datsun Demonstrator” position of the 1930s, where women were employed in much the same way. Initially, there were only five women chosen for the Miss Fairlady job, but that number has steadily increased since the 1960s to 27 women. Initially, the position was created to market the Datsun Fairlady 1500, but due to the success of the program they branched out and now represent the full spectrum of Nissan vehicles.

Not only do the women of the program go on to have great careers, their daughters are often encouraged to apply for the position as well. However, the training to be a Miss Fairlady is incredibly rigorous, including daily training, attendance at important special events such as the Tokyo Motor Show, and even shareholder meetings.

The position is now officially referred to as the Nissan PR Specialist, but it still continues to be known as “Miss Fairlady.” Women who are graduates of the program often go on to successful careers, and the women currently in the program are enthusiastic about the work they do and the fact that it is important professional experience for their futures.

Miss Fairlady has been around for over 50 years, but the name and the customer-facing aspect of the position are pretty much the only things that have stayed the same. Women are now trained as true professionals in not only their knowledge of the Nissan lineup but their presentation and communication skills are honed and their entrepreneurial abilities are explored. We’re excited to learn about this position as it moves into the future alongside Nissan!

Miss Fairladys and the Datsun Fairlady 1500

Yuko Aoshima, Chief Miss Fairlady in the Tokyo and Yokohama District