By the 1920s people began to identify themselves by the products they had, such as their clothes and cars, rather than by what they did such as their job or the family they were raising. With the help of smart and creative marketing a cultural change toward consumerism took place in this country. Marketing campaigns encouraged individuals to identify with their products such as make-up or automobiles. An important factor that contributed greatly to this swing toward consumerism was the fact that the 1920s was also an exciting time for invention. Capitalism grew and the opportunities for people with average backgrounds to move upward also grew. Immigration significantly increased the pool of talented people in this country who possessed the traits of hard work, curiosity, creative thinking and fear of failure. These were all common traits among great entrepreneurs such as Edison, Ford, Firestone, and Arden, who created the products people began to identify with. The positive business environment of this time period and the shift toward consumer goods created great opportunities for talented individuals to invent and develop products. The entrepreneurs discussed in these blog posts contributed greatly to business in the United States as well as to American consumers, who continue to use and enjoy these products and inventions.