Mavis Beacon, of “Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing” fame, was never a real person; her image, however, became an icon of the software created by Software Toolworks.
Les Crane, a former disc jockey and host of The Les Crane Show in 1964, founded Software Toolworks in 1980 with Walt Bilofsky and Joe Abrams. According to a 1998 New York Times article, the company felt a human face was necessary to make the typing software more relatable during its development.
Crane led the search for a human face to personify the typing program. This took them to Renee L’Esperance, a real woman born in Haiti with no previous modeling experience, who later became the visual inspiration for “Mavis Beacon.”
The co-founder met L’Esperance unexpectedly at a Beverly Hills Saks Fifth Avenue, where she worked at a cosmetics counter. Impressed by her, he asked her to be the model for the software’s cover.
L’Esperance, having recently arrived in the United States after fleeing Haiti with her family, was still adjusting to her new life and had never intended to pursue modeling, but she agreed.
The Software Toolworks launched the Mavis Beacon typing program in late 1987. It was innovative because it blended engaging games and interactive lessons with a friendly, yet authoritative, teacher persona, according to the New York Times.
The decision to use a human face was remarkably forward-thinking, preceding modern virtual assistants like Siri or Alexa by decades. Mavis Beacon, therefore, acted as an early, personable guide right on the computer screen.
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Still, featuring a Black woman prominently on the packaging was considered a risk.
Despite facing initial hesitation from retailers who “did not believe it would sell” due to having a Black woman on the box, the software was “pretty much an instant success” upon its release, as Abrams shared with the Times.
The initial doubts about the program were quickly proven wrong. “Mavis Beacon” achieved exceptional sales and rapidly became a recognizable cultural staple. The character’s high visibility led to the company receiving weekly inquiries from people hoping to schedule appearances or simply speak with her.
In a 1998 interview, Adrienne Hankin, who served as the public relations director for Mindscape (a software company acquired by The Software Toolworks in 1990), captured the significance of Mavis Beacon by stating, “Mavis is the Betty Crocker of software.”
Callers, upon learning the truth, often expressed disbelief, Hankin reported. Their confusion was understandable, as the company had intentionally cultivated the image of a real person. Mavis even had her own website, www.mavisbeacon.com, and was the inspiration for a charitable program, “Mavis Cares.” Hankin characterized the reaction as “shock,” and further stated, “People seem to think she’s a real teacher. And she is. She’s just real on a computer screen.”
The visual identity of Mavis Beacon evolved. As reported by the Times, different models posed as the character, mirroring changes in fashion and cultural norms.
Hankin explained these changes: “We change her clothes according to the new styles. We change her hairstyle. We change her overall appearance…. She used to look much more conservative because teachers used to be viewed as much more conservative.” Eventually, the character adopted a more contemporary academic look, which Hankin described as that of a modern, professorial educator.
The voice of Mavis on the software was not L’Esperance’s. Instead, to strengthen the impression of a genuine, living instructor, the voice recordings were provided by an assistant who worked at Software Toolworks.
The typing software “Mavis Beacon” achieved great influence by the late 1990s, a decade after its release. Mindscape, the software’s creator, captured about half of the typing software market. The product was so successful that competitors mistakenly believed Mavis Beacon was a real person who had endorsed the program.
Abrams, one of the creators, recalled a moment at the 1987 Comdex conference when competitors offered congratulations, asking, “What a coup! How did you get Mavis Beacon to endorse your product? We’ve been after her endorsement for years.” Abrams understood this reaction as a definite sign of the product’s major success.
The software achieved massive success, selling approximately six million copies from 1987 to 1998; however, L’Esperance was paid only $500 for the use of her image. A 2024 documentary, Seeking Mavis Beacon, investigated the story behind the character and attempted to find L’Esperance, who had withdrawn from public view. She refused to participate, meaning much of her personal narrative remains a mystery.
Even though typing is now often learned informally on smartphones and tablets, and earlier versions of Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing can still be found online, the program’s impact endures.
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