Charmin

Charmin
Product type Toilet paper
Owner Procter & Gamble
Country United States
Introduced 1928
Related brands Bounty, Puffs, Pampers
Markets North America
Ambassador(s) Mr. Whipple (Dick Wilson)
Tagline "Enjoy the go"
Website www.charmin.com

Charmin /ˈʃɑːrmɪn/ is an American brand of toilet paper manufactured by Procter & Gamble.

History

The Charmin name was first created in 1928 by the Hoberg Paper Company in Green Bay, Wisconsin. In 1950, Hoberg changed its name to Charmin Paper Company and continued to produce bath tissue, paper napkins, and other paper products. Procter & Gamble (P&G) acquired Charmin Paper Company in 1957.[1]

In 2008, P&G sold the European operations and product line to SCA, where it was renamed to Cushelle[2] and Zewa.

Advertising

Originally, the manufacturer wanted to emphasize the product's softness, but did not know how to convey that the idea of that physical sensation on television. The company's advertising agency suggested that shoppers be encouraged to squeeze the product in stores like a grocery shopper would squeeze a tomato to assess its softness, but there was some concern that retailers would object to customers manhandling their merchandise and thus damaging it before purchase. The problem was solved with the concept that the handling would be actively discouraged by a comic antagonistic retailer in the commercials.[3] In an advertising campaign that lasted over twenty years, American advertisements featured actor Dick Wilson, playing the fictional grocer Mr. George Whipple. Mr. Whipple told his customers, "Please don't squeeze the Charmin!", emphasizing its softness in more than 500 commercials between 1964 and 1985.[4]

The country song "Don' Squeeze My Sharmon," which was a minor hit for Charlie Walker in 1967, was inspired by the ad campaign for Charmin.

Charmin Ultra was originally called White Cloud until 1993.[5]

Mascots

In 1928 the logo mascot was a female silhouette,[6] supplemented by a baby in 1953, replacing the woman by 1956.[7]

In commercials Mr. Whipple was eventually replaced with The Charmin Bear, created by D'arcy Advertising in Britain, was introduced to the United States in 2000.[8] In 2001 three cubs were added to the family, and by 2007 a blue bear was introduced for the "soft" brand and a red bear for the "strong" brand.[9]

The new animated advertising campaign was called "Call of Nature".[10]

In 2010 the company changed the logo to add flecks of toilet paper to the bears in the logo.[11] The "Charmin Bears"[12] in a collective family of parents and children.[13]

Initially just one family of brown bears, with Leonard the Bear[14] accompanied by Molly,[15] Bill,[16] Amy and Dylan.[17]

This was later split into distinct family of bears, five blue ones called the "Charmin Ultra Soft Family" and five red ones called the "Charmin Ultra Strong Family".[18]

Times Square Charmin restrooms

In 2006, Charmin opened up public restrooms in New York City's Times Square. The location is now a new Disney Store. The convenience of having clean restrooms in Times Square during the Christmas season was a novel idea.

Slogans

  • Don't Squeeze the Charmin (1960s)
  • Once it's gotcha, it's gotcha! (1980s)
  • Ch-ch Choose Charmin. (1993–1997)
  • Best for "Bear" Bottoms. (1997–2004)
  • Cha-cha-cha-cha Charmin! (2001-2005) (UK and International only)
  • Cha-cha-cha Charmin. (1999–2007) (2013–present in Latin America)
  • Less Is More! (2004–2006)
  • Less is even more. (2006–2009)
  • Look for it in the red/blue package. (2007–2010)
  • Enjoy The Go. (2010–present)

Environmental impact

In February 2009,[19] Greenpeace advised consumers not to use Charmin toilet paper stating that it is bad for the environment.[20]

References

  1. ↑ Davis, Dyer; et al. (May 1, 2004). Rising Tide: Lessons from 165 Years of Brand Building at Procter and Gamble. Harvard Business Press. p. 421. Retrieved 2013-05-07.
  2. ↑ Mad.co.uk January 25, 2010 (Charmin rebrands to Cushelle)
  3. ↑ O'Reilly, Terry (14 February 2016). "Small Move, Big Gain". Under the Influence. Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 14 February 2016.
  4. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2007-11-21. Retrieved 2007-11-19. Associated Press report, November 19, 2007 ("Wilson appeared in over 500 commercials for Charmin between 1964 and 1985"), accessed same day
  5. ↑ Elliot, Stuart (6 May 1993). "P.& G. Sacrifices White Cloud in Battle of Brands". White Cloud will be rechristened Charmin Ultra
  6. ↑ "Great Moments in Toilet Paper History". ABC News. 23 April 2002. 1928: From Charming to Charmin — Hoberg paper introduces Charmin. The logo — a woman's head from a cameo pin — was designed to appeal to feminine fashions of the day. A female employee called the packaging 'charming', and the product's brand name was born.
  7. ↑ Engber, Daniel (19 September 2011). "What Do Bears Have To Do With Toilet Paper?". Slate Magazine. The Charmin brand got its start in 1928 with a woman's cameo silhouette on the package ... In 1953, Charmin further softened its image by placing a baby alongside the woman. In 1956, the Charmin Lady was bounced altogether, leaving the baby to fend for itself as the brand icon.
  8. ↑ Levere, Jane (17 July 2003). "An animated soap drop with sales experience in Latin America is being put to work in the U.S." The New York Times. The Charmin bear, which Procter & Gamble has used since 2000 in United States campaigns for Charmin toilet paper, originated in Britain.
  9. ↑ "Charmin Story". Charmin.com. Archived from the original on 12 April 2016. 2001 — The Charmin animated bears welcomed three bear cubs to the family ... 2007 ... The 'Call of Nature' bear campaign featured a red bear for Charmin Ultra Strong and a blue bear for Charmin Ultra Soft.
  10. ↑ "History Of Toilet Paper". Charmin.com. Archived from the original on 14 August 2015. In the 1950s, Hoberg changed their name to the Charmin Paper Company. Charmin changed the 'Charmin lady' on the packaging to the 'Charmin baby' to symbolize the ultimate in softness. This would be followed by the famous ad campaign of the [1960s and 1970s] admonishing women and men around the country with 'don't squeeze the Charmin!' to highlight the paper's tempting squeezability. Ultimately, the company landed on a campaign called 'Call of Nature' featuring an outspoken family of animated bears who are unafraid of talking about 'the go' and how to enjoy it.
  11. ↑ Neff, Jack (12 August 2010). "NAD to Charmin: No Bare Bear Bottoms". Advertising Age. P&G Must Show Some Pieces of TP on Bruin's Bums
  12. ↑ "Can the Charmin Bears Get Through Airport Security?". Advertising Age. 2 July 2014. Among the new releases, Charmin's family of bears makes its way through airport security
  13. ↑ Butnik, Stephanie (13 August 2013). "Charmin Bear Reads Kafka's 'The Metamorphosis' on the Toilet in New Ad". Tablet Magazine. the Charmin ads featuring the family of bears whose little ones seem to always be getting toilet paper stuck to their bottoms
  14. ↑ Brown, Stephen (17 August 2016). Brands and Branding. SAGE. p. 72. Charmin's brand mascot, Leonard the Bear
  15. ↑ @Charmin (27 April 2015). "There was free Wi-Fi on the flight, so Molly was able to #tweetfromtheseat" (Tweet). Archived from the original on 20 January 2017 – via Twitter.
  16. ↑ @Charmin (27 April 2015). "In the car on their way to visit Bill, the family belts out the classic '99 rolls of TP in the Stall.'" (Tweet). Archived from the original on 20 January 2017 – via Twitter.
  17. ↑ Heller, Steven (3 January 2017). Graphic Design Rants and Raves: Bon Mots on Persuasion, Entertainment, Education, Culture, and Practice. Skyhorse Publishing, Inc. p. 207. Whoever thought of the Charmin Bears (named Molly, Leonard, Bill, Amy, and Dylan, for the record) understood that cute adds wit to the bodily function conversation.
  18. ↑ "Meet the Charmin Iconic Bears". Charmin.com. Archived from the original on 9 April 2015.
  19. ↑ http://www.environmentalleader.com/2009/02/25/greenpeace-releases-latest-recycled-tissue-and-toilet-paper-guide/
  20. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2009-03-02. Retrieved 2009-03-02.
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