Prell
Encyclopedia
Prell is a viscous
, pearl green shampoo
and conditioner
product manufactured by Ultimark Products that according to its maker "...contains a unique 'rinse clean' formula that provides a thick, rich lather for clean, healthy hair."
in 1947. The original formula was a clear green concentrate packaged in a tube. In 1955 Prell was marketed for "women who wanted their hair to have that radiantly alive look". A woman held the Prell bottle with her hands on both sides, directly in front of her face. Prell and Head & Shoulders
, also made by Procter
& Gamble, were the two best-selling shampoos in the United States
in June 1977. Procter & Gamble had the highest advertising budget in the shampoo industry. The firm of Wells, Rich, Greene carried out advertising for Prell. Prior to December 1, 1973, Prell billings was coordinated by Benton & Bowles
. In advertisements the quasi-liquid Prell would induce a pearl to sink slowly to the bottom of a container. Procter & Gamble sold the brand to Prestige Brands International in November 1999. Prestige then sold Prell, along with its other two shampoo brands (Denorex and Zincon) to Ultimark Products in October 2009 in order to focus more on their two larger segments: over-the-counter healthcare and household cleaning products.
, to Ultimark.
, Ling-Ling describes his new shampoo (Prell) as his worst lingual enemy; he pronounces it "Plerr", providing another instance of Ling-Ling switching L's and R's. He then asks how "Plerr" can give his hair such shine and body yet "leave his soul with shame and embarrassment".
Prell's plastic container was used as a selling point in its early years, because it would not break if it fell off a shelf onto the floor. In one of the early 2000 Year Old Man
sketches, Carl Reiner asked Mel Brooks what was the greatest invention of all time. Brooks answered, "Liquid Prell" - because an iron lung
could fall off a shelf and break, but not Liquid Prell.
In the preface to Robert Paul Wolff
's In Defense of Anarchism
, he compares the lurid green pallor of Prell to highly-enriched uranium.
Used in the movie The Rock (film)
to represent the chemical weapon VX.
Viscosity
Viscosity is a measure of the resistance of a fluid which is being deformed by either shear or tensile stress. In everyday terms , viscosity is "thickness" or "internal friction". Thus, water is "thin", having a lower viscosity, while honey is "thick", having a higher viscosity...
, pearl green shampoo
Shampoo
Shampoo is a hair care product used for the removal of oils, dirt, skin particles, dandruff, environmental pollutants and other contaminant particles that gradually build up in hair...
and conditioner
Conditioner
A conditioner is something that improves the quality of another material. See:* Conditioner * Hair conditioner* Air conditioner* Conditioner * Fabric conditioner* Yarn conditioner* Power conditioner* Condition number...
product manufactured by Ultimark Products that according to its maker "...contains a unique 'rinse clean' formula that provides a thick, rich lather for clean, healthy hair."
History
Prell was introduced by Procter & GambleProcter & Gamble
Procter & Gamble is a Fortune 500 American multinational corporation headquartered in downtown Cincinnati, Ohio and manufactures a wide range of consumer goods....
in 1947. The original formula was a clear green concentrate packaged in a tube. In 1955 Prell was marketed for "women who wanted their hair to have that radiantly alive look". A woman held the Prell bottle with her hands on both sides, directly in front of her face. Prell and Head & Shoulders
Head & Shoulders
Head & Shoulders is a brand of anti-dandruff shampoo produced by Procter & Gamble. Head & Shoulders Classic Clean Shampoo is the top-selling shampoo in the United States by dollar sales.- History :...
, also made by Procter
& Gamble, were the two best-selling shampoos in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in June 1977. Procter & Gamble had the highest advertising budget in the shampoo industry. The firm of Wells, Rich, Greene carried out advertising for Prell. Prior to December 1, 1973, Prell billings was coordinated by Benton & Bowles
Benton & Bowles
Benton & Bowles was a New York-based advertising agency founded by William Benton and Chester Bowles in 1929.-History:The agency's success was closely related to the rise in popularity of radio. Benton & Bowles invented the radio soap opera to promote their clients' products, and by 1936 were...
. In advertisements the quasi-liquid Prell would induce a pearl to sink slowly to the bottom of a container. Procter & Gamble sold the brand to Prestige Brands International in November 1999. Prestige then sold Prell, along with its other two shampoo brands (Denorex and Zincon) to Ultimark Products in October 2009 in order to focus more on their two larger segments: over-the-counter healthcare and household cleaning products.
Other variations
Prell launched an additional version in the late 1990s called Prell Thickening Formula. Instead of being green, this product was clear and boasted volumizing abilities. It was pulled from the market in 2009, after Prestige Brands sold Prell, along with dandruff shampoo DenorexDenorex
Denorex Shampoo is used for treating and preventing itching, flaking, and scaling of the scalp caused by dandruff or seborrhea ....
, to Ultimark.
In pop culture
In an episode of Drawn TogetherDrawn Together
Drawn Together is an American animated television series, which ran on Comedy Central from October 27, 2004 to November 14, 2007. The series was created by Dave Jeser and Matt Silverstein, and uses a sitcom format with a TV reality show setting...
, Ling-Ling describes his new shampoo (Prell) as his worst lingual enemy; he pronounces it "Plerr", providing another instance of Ling-Ling switching L's and R's. He then asks how "Plerr" can give his hair such shine and body yet "leave his soul with shame and embarrassment".
Prell's plastic container was used as a selling point in its early years, because it would not break if it fell off a shelf onto the floor. In one of the early 2000 Year Old Man
2000 Year Old Man
The 2000 Year Old Man is a persona in a comedy skit, originally created by Mel Brooks and Carl Reiner in 1961.Mel Brooks played the oldest man in the world, interviewed by Carl Reiner in a series of comedy routines that appeared on television, as well as being made into a collection of records...
sketches, Carl Reiner asked Mel Brooks what was the greatest invention of all time. Brooks answered, "Liquid Prell" - because an iron lung
Iron lung
A negative pressure ventilator is a form of medical ventilator that enables a person to breathe when normal muscle control has been lost or the work of breathing exceeds the person's ability....
could fall off a shelf and break, but not Liquid Prell.
In the preface to Robert Paul Wolff
Robert Paul Wolff
Robert Paul Wolff is a contemporary American political philosopher and professor at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Wolff has written widely on many topics in political philosophy such as Marxism, tolerance , political justification and democracy. Wolff is also well known for his work on...
's In Defense of Anarchism
In Defense of Anarchism
In Defense of Anarchism is a 1970 book by Robert Paul Wolff regarded as a classical work in anarchist scholarship. Wolff specifically defends individualist anarchism; the book is premised on the idea that individual autonomy and state authority are mutually exclusive and, as individual autonomy is...
, he compares the lurid green pallor of Prell to highly-enriched uranium.
Used in the movie The Rock (film)
The Rock (film)
The Rock is a 1996 action film that primarily takes place on Alcatraz Island and in the San Francisco Bay area. It was directed by Michael Bay and stars Sean Connery, Nicolas Cage and Ed Harris. It was produced by Don Simpson and Jerry Bruckheimer and released through Hollywood Pictures. The film...
to represent the chemical weapon VX.