Procter & Gamble
Encyclopedia
Procter & Gamble is a Fortune 500
American multinational corporation
headquartered in downtown
Cincinnati, Ohio
and manufactures a wide range of consumer goods
.
In 2011, P&G recorded $82.6 billion dollars in sales. Fortune
magazine ranked P&G at fifth place of the "World's Most Admired Companies" list, which was up from sixth place in 2010. Procter & Gamble is the only Fortune 500 company to issue C Share common stock.
, a candlemaker, and James Gamble, a soapmaker, immigrated from England and Ireland respectively. They settled in Cincinnati initially and met when they married sisters, Olivia and Elizabeth Norris. Alexander Norris, their father-in-law, called a meeting in which he persuaded his new sons-in-law to become business partners. On October 31, 1837, as a result of the suggestion, Procter & Gamble was born.
In 1858–1859, sales reached $1 million. By this point, approximately 80 employees worked for Procter & Gamble. During the American Civil War
, the company won contracts to supply the Union Army
with soap and candle
s. In addition to the increased profits experienced during the war, the military contracts introduced soldiers from all over the country to Procter & Gamble's products.
In the 1880s, Procter & Gamble began to market a new product, an inexpensive soap that floats in water. The company called the soap Ivory
. William Arnett Procter, William Procter's grandson, began a profit-sharing program for the company's workforce
in 1887. By giving the workers a stake in the company, he correctly assumed that they would be less likely to go on strike
.
The company began to build factories in other locations in the United States because the demand for products had outgrown the capacity of the Cincinnati facilities. The company's leaders began to diversify its products as well and, in 1911, began producing Crisco
, a shortening
made of vegetable oils rather than animal fat
s. As radio became more popular in the 1920s and 1930s, the company sponsored a number of radio programs. As a result, these shows often became commonly known as "soap operas".
The company moved into other countries, both in terms of manufacturing and product sales, becoming an international corporation with its 1930 acquisition of the Thomas Hedley Co.
, based in Newcastle upon Tyne
, England. Procter & Gamble maintained a strong link to the North East of England after this acquisition. Numerous new products and brand names were introduced over time, and Procter & Gamble began branching out into new areas. The company introduced "Tide
" laundry detergent
in 1946 and "Prell
" shampoo in 1947. In 1955, Procter & Gamble began selling the first toothpaste to contain fluoride
, known as "Crest". Branching out once again in 1957, the company purchased Charmin
Paper Mills and began manufacturing toilet paper and other paper products. Once again focusing on laundry, Procter & Gamble began making "Downy
" fabric softener
in 1960 and "Bounce" fabric softener
sheets in 1972. One of the most revolutionary products to come out on the market was the company's "Pampers
", first test-marketed in 1961. Prior to this point disposable diapers were not popular, although Johnson & Johnson
had developed a product called "Chux". Babies always wore cloth diapers, which were leaky and labor intensive to wash. Pampers provided a convenient alternative, albeit at the environmental cost of more waste requiring landfilling.
Procter & Gamble acquired a number of other companies that diversified its product line and significantly increased profits. These acquisitions included Folgers Coffee, Norwich Eaton Pharmaceuticals (the makers of Pepto-Bismol
), Richardson-Vicks, Noxell (Noxzema
), Shulton's Old Spice
, Max Factor
, and the Iams
Company, among others. In 1994, the company made headlines for big losses resulting from leveraged positions in interest rate derivative
s, and subsequently sued Bankers Trust
for fraud; this placed their management in the unusual position of testifying in court that they had entered into transactions that they were not capable of understanding. In 1996, Procter & Gamble again made headlines when the Food and Drug Administration
approved a new product developed by the company, Olestra
. Also known by its brand name Olean, Olestra is a lower-calorie substitute for fat in cooking potato chip
s and other snacks that during its development stages is known to
have caused anal leakage and gastrointestinal difficulties in humans.
Procter & Gamble has dramatically expanded throughout its history, but its headquarters still remains in Cincinnati.
In January 2005 P&G announced an acquisition of Gillette, forming the largest consumer goods company and placing Unilever
into second place. This added brands such as Gillette razors, Duracell
, Braun
, and Oral-B
to their stable. The acquisition was approved by the European Union
and the Federal Trade Commission
, with conditions to a spinoff of certain overlapping brands. P&G agreed to sell its SpinBrush battery-operated electric toothbrush
business to Church & Dwight. It also divested Gillette's oral-care toothpaste line, Rembrandt. The deodorant
brands Right Guard
, Soft & Dri, and Dry Idea were sold to Dial Corporation. The companies officially merged on October 1, 2005. Liquid Paper
, and Gillette's stationery division, Paper Mate were sold to Newell Rubbermaid
. In 2008, P&G branched into the record business with its sponsorship of Tag Records, as an endorsement for TAG Body Spray
.
P&G's dominance in many categories of consumer products makes its brand management
decisions worthy of study. For example, P&G's corporate strategists must account for the likelihood of one of their products cannibalizing the sales of another
.
On August 24, 2009, the Ireland-based pharmaceutical company Warner Chilcott
announced they had bought P&G's prescription-drug business for $3.1 billion.
, Meg Whitman
, Johnathan A. Rodgers
, Ernesto Zedillo
, Scott Cook
, Patricia A. Woertz
, Susan D. Desmond-Hellmann
, Maggie Wilderotter
, W. James McNerney, Jr. and Kenneth Chenault
. In March 2011 Rajat Gupta
resigned from the board after an SEC accusation of Galleon Group
insider trading
.
In October 2008, P&G was named one of "Canada's Top 100 Employers
" by Mediacorp Canada Inc., and was featured in Maclean's
newsmagazine
. Later that month, P&G was also named one of Greater Toronto's Top Employers
, which was announced by the Toronto Star
newspaper.
In May 2011 Fortune
editor-at-large Patricia Sellers praised P&G's board diversity, as five of the company's eleven current directors are female and have all been on Fortune's annual Most Powerful Women list.
Procter & Gamble is a member of the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition
, a Washington D.C.-based coalition of over 400 major companies and NGOs that advocates for a larger International Affairs Budget, which funds American diplomatic and development efforts abroad.
On November 19, 2011 the Associated Press and USA Today reported that a company spokesman confirmed Dr. John Smale, former CEO, has died at age 84.
Online memorial page for Dr. John Smale
Leadership Brands
Most of these brands, including Bounty, Crest, and Tide, are global products available on several continents. Procter & Gamble products are available in North America, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia, Australia and New Zealand.
Manufacturing operations are based in the following regions:
is currently broadcast on CBS and is still partially sponsored by Procter & Gamble. When As the World Turns
left the air on September 17, 2010, The Young and the Restless
, became the only soap left that is partially sponsored by Procter & Gamble.
These past serials were produced by Procter & Gamble:
Procter & Gamble also was the first company to produce and sponsor a prime-time show, a 1965 spinoff of the daytime soap opera As the World Turns called Our Private World
. PGP also produced Shirley, a prime-time NBC
series starring Shirley Jones
, in 1979; it lasted thirteen episodes. They also produced TBS' first original comedy series, Down to Earth
, which ran from 1984 to 1987 (110 episodes were produced). They also distributed the syndicated comedy series Throb
. Procter & Gamble Productions originally co-produced Dawson's Creek
with Sony Pictures Television
but withdrew before the series premiere due to early press reviews. It also produced the 1991 TV movie A Triumph of the Heart: The Ricky Bell Story, which was co-produced by The Landsburg Company
. It also produces the People's Choice Awards
.
In addition to self-produced items, Procter & Gamble also supports many Spanish-language novellas through advertising on networks such as Univision
, Telemundo
, Telefutura
, and Azteca America
. Procter & Gamble was one of the first mainstream advertisers on Spanish-language TV during the mid-1980s.
In 2008, P&G expanded into music sponsorship when it joined Island Def Jam to create Tag Records, named after a body spray that P&G acquired from Gillette. In April 2010, after the cancellation of As the World Turns, PGP announced they were officially phasing out of the soap industry, and expanding into more family appropriate programming.
Procter & Gamble (P&G) also gave a $100,000 contract to the winners of Cycle 1 through 3 of Canada's Next Top Model
, making Andrea Muizelaar
, Rebecca Hardy
and Meaghan Waller
won the prize.
for establishing a price fixing cartel
in Europe along with Unilever
, who was fined 104m euros, and Henkel
. Though the fine was set higher at first, it was discounted by 10% after P&G and Unilever admitted running the cartel. As the provider of the tip-off leading to investigations, Henkel was not fined.
(TSS) is a disease caused by strains of the bacteria Staphylococcus aureus
. Most people have these bacteria living in their bodies as harmless commensals in places such as the nose, skin, and vagina. The disease can strike anyone, not only women, but the disease is often associated with tampon
s.
In 1980, 814 menstrual-related TSS cases were reported; 38 deaths resulted from the disease. The majority of women in these cases were documented as using super-absorbent synthetic tampons, particularly the Rely
tampon created by Procter & Gamble. The Rely tampon was so super-absorbent that one by itself could in fact hold one woman's entire menstrual period flow. Unlike other tampons made of cotton and rayon, Rely used carboxymethylcellulose and compressed beads of polyester
for absorption. The materials used in Rely were causing an increase in the thickness of fluid inside the vagina, resulting in more toxins being released.
The slogan used by Procter & Gamble for the product was "Rely. It even absorbs the worry."
In the summer of 1980 the Centers for Disease Control released a report explaining how these bacterial mechanisms were leading to TSS. They also stated that the Rely tampon was associated with TSS more than any other brand of tampon. In September 1980, Procter & Gamble voluntarily recalled its Rely brand of tampons from the market and agreed to provide for a program to notify consumers. Since the 1980s, reported cases of TSS have dramatically decreased.
Procter & Gamble has received criticism from animal advocacy group PETA
for the practice of testing on animals
.
In October 2007, a class action lawsuit was filed in the State of Georgia alleging that many users of Crest Pro-Health mouthwash, with the active ingredient Cetylpyridinium chloride
, suffered stained teeth and loss of their sense of taste as a result. Procter & Gamble contends that these side effects occur in only three percent of users. The suit seeks to include disclosure warning users of these side effects on product packaging.
The company received unwanted media publicity in the 1980s when rumors spread that the moon-and-stars logo was a satanic
symbol. The accusation was based on a particular passage in the Bible, specifically Revelation
12:1, which states: "And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman
clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of 12 stars." P&G's logo consisted of a man's face on the moon surrounded by 13 stars, and some claimed that the logo was a mockery of the heavenly symbol alluded to in the aforementioned verse, thus construing the logo to be satanic. Where the flowing beard meets the surrounding circle, three curls were said to be a mirror image of the number 666
, or the reflected number of the beast
. At the top and bottom, the hair curls in on itself, and was said to be the two horns like those of a ram that represented the false prophet
.
These interpretations have been denied by company officials, and no evidence linking the company to the Church of Satan
or any other occult organization has ever been presented. The company unsuccessfully sued Amway
from 1995 to 2003 over rumors forwarded through a company voicemail system in 1995. In 2007 the company successfully sued individual Amway
distributors for reviving and propagating the false rumors.
The moon-and-stars logo was discontinued in 1985 as a result of the controversy.
Fortune 500
The Fortune 500 is an annual list compiled and published by Fortune magazine that ranks the top 500 U.S. closely held and public corporations as ranked by their gross revenue after adjustments made by Fortune to exclude the impact of excise taxes companies collect. The list includes publicly and...
American multinational corporation
Multinational corporation
A multi national corporation or enterprise , is a corporation or an enterprise that manages production or delivers services in more than one country. It can also be referred to as an international corporation...
headquartered in downtown
Downtown Cincinnati
Downtown Cincinnati is the central business district of Cincinnati, Ohio, and one of its 52 neighborhoods.-Geography:Downtown Cincinnati's streets are arranged in a grid configuration. It is bisected by Vine Street....
Cincinnati, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
and manufactures a wide range of consumer goods
Fast Moving Consumer Goods
Fast moving consumer goods or Consumer Packaged Goods are products that are sold quickly and at relatively low cost. Examples include non-durable goods such as soft drinks, toiletries, and grocery items...
.
In 2011, P&G recorded $82.6 billion dollars in sales. Fortune
Fortune (magazine)
Fortune is a global business magazine published by Time Inc. Founded by Henry Luce in 1930, the publishing business, consisting of Time, Life, Fortune, and Sports Illustrated, grew to become Time Warner. In turn, AOL grew as it acquired Time Warner in 2000 when Time Warner was the world's largest...
magazine ranked P&G at fifth place of the "World's Most Admired Companies" list, which was up from sixth place in 2010. Procter & Gamble is the only Fortune 500 company to issue C Share common stock.
History
William ProcterWilliam Procter (candlemaker)
William Procter was a U.S.-based English candlemaker and industrialist. He was the co-founder and co-eponym of Procter & Gamble Company in 1837, along with James Gamble....
, a candlemaker, and James Gamble, a soapmaker, immigrated from England and Ireland respectively. They settled in Cincinnati initially and met when they married sisters, Olivia and Elizabeth Norris. Alexander Norris, their father-in-law, called a meeting in which he persuaded his new sons-in-law to become business partners. On October 31, 1837, as a result of the suggestion, Procter & Gamble was born.
In 1858–1859, sales reached $1 million. By this point, approximately 80 employees worked for Procter & Gamble. During the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, the company won contracts to supply the Union Army
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
with soap and candle
Candle
A candle is a solid block or cylinder of wax with an embedded wick, which is lit to provide light, and sometimes heat.Today, most candles are made from paraffin. Candles can also be made from beeswax, soy, other plant waxes, and tallow...
s. In addition to the increased profits experienced during the war, the military contracts introduced soldiers from all over the country to Procter & Gamble's products.
In the 1880s, Procter & Gamble began to market a new product, an inexpensive soap that floats in water. The company called the soap Ivory
Ivory (soap)
The name "Ivory" refers to a series of products created by the Procter & Gamble Company , including varieties of a white and mildly fragranced bar soap, that became famous for its pure content and for floating in water. Over the years, the bar soap has been altered into other varieties...
. William Arnett Procter, William Procter's grandson, began a profit-sharing program for the company's workforce
Workforce
The workforce is the labour pool in employment. It is generally used to describe those working for a single company or industry, but can also apply to a geographic region like a city, country, state, etc. The term generally excludes the employers or management, and implies those involved in...
in 1887. By giving the workers a stake in the company, he correctly assumed that they would be less likely to go on strike
Strike action
Strike action, also called labour strike, on strike, greve , or simply strike, is a work stoppage caused by the mass refusal of employees to work. A strike usually takes place in response to employee grievances. Strikes became important during the industrial revolution, when mass labour became...
.
The company began to build factories in other locations in the United States because the demand for products had outgrown the capacity of the Cincinnati facilities. The company's leaders began to diversify its products as well and, in 1911, began producing Crisco
Crisco
Crisco is a brand of shortening produced by the J. M. Smucker Co. popular in the United States. Introduced in June 1911 by Procter & Gamble, it was the first shortening to be made entirely of vegetable oil...
, a shortening
Shortening
Shortening is any fat that is solid at room temperature and used to make crumbly pastry. The reason it is called shortening is because it prevents cross-linkage between gluten molecules. Cross linking is what causes doughs to be sticky. Seeing as cake is not meant to be sticky, shortening is used...
made of vegetable oils rather than animal fat
Animal fat
Animal fats are rendered tissue fats that can be obtained from a variety of animals.- Pet nutrition :In pet nutrition, the source of animal fat concerns food manufacturers. AAFCO states that animal fat is "obtained from the tissues of mammals and/or poultry in the commercial processes of rendering...
s. As radio became more popular in the 1920s and 1930s, the company sponsored a number of radio programs. As a result, these shows often became commonly known as "soap operas".
Thomas Hedley Co.
The Thomas Hedley Co. was a company based in Newcastle upon Tyne manufacturing soap and candles. It was founded in 1837 by two businessmen, Thomas Hedley and John Green, who set up a manufacturing facility on the city's City Road...
, based in Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. Historically a part of Northumberland, it is situated on the north bank of the River Tyne...
, England. Procter & Gamble maintained a strong link to the North East of England after this acquisition. Numerous new products and brand names were introduced over time, and Procter & Gamble began branching out into new areas. The company introduced "Tide
Tide (detergent)
Tide is the brand-name of a popular laundry detergent manufactured by Procter & Gamble and first introduced to the United States consumer in 1946. It is also marketed in Canada, Saudi Arabia, Morocco, India and several other countries...
" laundry detergent
Detergent
A detergent is a surfactant or a mixture of surfactants with "cleaning properties in dilute solutions." In common usage, "detergent" refers to alkylbenzenesulfonates, a family of compounds that are similar to soap but are less affected by hard water...
in 1946 and "Prell
Prell
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."-History:...
" shampoo in 1947. In 1955, Procter & Gamble began selling the first toothpaste to contain fluoride
Fluoride
Fluoride is the anion F−, the reduced form of fluorine when as an ion and when bonded to another element. Both organofluorine compounds and inorganic fluorine containing compounds are called fluorides. Fluoride, like other halides, is a monovalent ion . Its compounds often have properties that are...
, known as "Crest". Branching out once again in 1957, the company purchased Charmin
Charmin
Charmin is a brand-name 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 Mills and began manufacturing toilet paper and other paper products. Once again focusing on laundry, Procter & Gamble began making "Downy
Downy
Downy is a brand name of fabric softener produced by Procter & Gamble and sold in the United States. It entered the U.S. test market in August 1960 and went nationwide in December 1961...
" fabric softener
Fabric softener
Fabric softener is used to prevent static cling and make fabric softer. It is available as a liquid, crystals and dryer sheets.- Varieties :...
in 1960 and "Bounce" fabric softener
sheets in 1972. One of the most revolutionary products to come out on the market was the company's "Pampers
Pampers
Pampers is a brand of baby products marketed by Procter & Gamble. Pampers was at one time only used as a name for a disposable diaper.-Products:...
", first test-marketed in 1961. Prior to this point disposable diapers were not popular, although Johnson & Johnson
Johnson & Johnson
Johnson & Johnson is an American multinational pharmaceutical, medical devices and consumer packaged goods manufacturer founded in 1886. Its common stock is a component of the Dow Jones Industrial Average and the company is listed among the Fortune 500....
had developed a product called "Chux". Babies always wore cloth diapers, which were leaky and labor intensive to wash. Pampers provided a convenient alternative, albeit at the environmental cost of more waste requiring landfilling.
Procter & Gamble acquired a number of other companies that diversified its product line and significantly increased profits. These acquisitions included Folgers Coffee, Norwich Eaton Pharmaceuticals (the makers of Pepto-Bismol
Pepto-Bismol
Pepto-Bismol is an over-the-counter drug currently produced by the Procter and Gamble company in the United States of America and in Canada to treat minor digestive system upset. Its active ingredient is bismuth subsalicylate...
), Richardson-Vicks, Noxell (Noxzema
Noxzema
Noxzema is a skin cleanser marketed by Alberto-Culver. Alberto-Culver bought the rights to the brand in 2008 from Procter & Gamble and now owns and operates the line of skin-care products...
), Shulton's Old Spice
Old Spice
Old Spice is a prominent American brand of male grooming products. It is manufactured by Procter & Gamble, which acquired the brand in 1990 from the Shulton Company.-History:...
, Max Factor
Max Factor
Max Factor & Company is a cosmetics company, founded during 1909 by Maksymilian Faktorowicz , Max Factor, a Polish-Jewish cosmetician. Max Factor & Company was a related, two-family, multi-generational international cosmetics company before its sale in 1973 for $500 million dollars...
, and the Iams
Iams
Iams is a brand name for dog food and cat food manufactured by Procter & Gamble . The company sells pet food for cats and dogs formulated for puppy/kitten, adult and mature. Its products are developed by nutritionists and veterinarians and can be found in three main formulas: ProActive Health,...
Company, among others. In 1994, the company made headlines for big losses resulting from leveraged positions in interest rate derivative
Interest rate derivative
An interest rate derivative is a derivative where the underlying asset is the right to pay or receive a notional amount of money at a given interest rate...
s, and subsequently sued Bankers Trust
Bankers Trust
Bankers Trust was an historic American banking organization. The bank merged with Alex. Brown & Sons before being acquired by Deutsche Bank in 1998.-History:A consortium of banks created Bankers Trust to perform trust company services for their clients....
for fraud; this placed their management in the unusual position of testifying in court that they had entered into transactions that they were not capable of understanding. In 1996, Procter & Gamble again made headlines when the Food and Drug Administration
Food and Drug Administration
The Food and Drug Administration is an agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, one of the United States federal executive departments...
approved a new product developed by the company, Olestra
Olestra
Olestra is a fat substitute that adds no fat, calories, or cholesterol to products. It has been used in the preparation of traditionally high-fat foods such as potato chips, thereby lowering or eliminating their fat content...
. Also known by its brand name Olean, Olestra is a lower-calorie substitute for fat in cooking potato chip
Potato chip
Potato chips are thin slices of potato that are deep fried...
s and other snacks that during its development stages is known to
have caused anal leakage and gastrointestinal difficulties in humans.
Procter & Gamble has dramatically expanded throughout its history, but its headquarters still remains in Cincinnati.
In January 2005 P&G announced an acquisition of Gillette, forming the largest consumer goods company and placing Unilever
Unilever
Unilever is a British-Dutch multinational corporation that owns many of the world's consumer product brands in foods, beverages, cleaning agents and personal care products....
into second place. This added brands such as Gillette razors, Duracell
Duracell
Duracell is a brand of batteries manufactured by Procter & Gamble.Additionally, Duracell owns the Procell professional-use brand.-Products:Duracell manufactures alkaline batteries in many common sizes, such as AAA, AA, C, D, and 9V...
, Braun
Braun (company)
' , formerly Braun AG, is a German consumer products company based in Kronberg, Germany.From 1984 until 2005, Braun was a wholly owned subsidiary of The Gillette Company, which had purchased a controlling interest in the company in 1967...
, and Oral-B
Oral-B
Oral-B is a popular brand of oral hygiene products, including toothbrushes, toothpastes, mouthwashes and dental floss.It all started with a dentist, back in 1950, who created the first Oral-B toothbrush and its soft, end-rounded nylon bristles. Dr. Robert Hutson, a California periodontist, designed...
to their stable. The acquisition was approved by the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
and the Federal Trade Commission
Federal Trade Commission
The Federal Trade Commission is an independent agency of the United States government, established in 1914 by the Federal Trade Commission Act...
, with conditions to a spinoff of certain overlapping brands. P&G agreed to sell its SpinBrush battery-operated electric toothbrush
Electric toothbrush
An electric toothbrush is a toothbrush that uses electric power supplied usually by a battery to move the brush head rapidly, either oscillating side to side, or rotation-oscillation .- History :...
business to Church & Dwight. It also divested Gillette's oral-care toothpaste line, Rembrandt. The deodorant
Deodorant
Deodorants are substances applied to the body to affect body odor caused by bacterial growth and the smell associated with bacterial breakdown of perspiration in armpits, feet and other areas of the body. A subgroup of deodorants, antiperspirants, affect odor as well as prevent sweating by...
brands Right Guard
Right Guard
Right Guard is a brand of deodorant for men. It is also a brand of shower gel. It is manufactured by the Dial Corporation unit of Henkel of North America, which acquired the brand in 2006 as a condition for Procter & Gamble's Gillette acquisition because P&G has other deodorant brands such as Old...
, Soft & Dri, and Dry Idea were sold to Dial Corporation. The companies officially merged on October 1, 2005. Liquid Paper
Liquid Paper
Liquid Paper is a brand of the Newell Rubbermaid company that sells correction fluid, correction pen and correction tape. Mainly used to correct typewriting in the past, correction products now mostly cover handwriting mistakes.- Brand history :...
, and Gillette's stationery division, Paper Mate were sold to Newell Rubbermaid
Newell Rubbermaid
Newell Rubbermaid is a global marketer of consumer and commercial products including such well-known brands as Rubbermaid food storage, home organization, and refuse container products; Sharpie, PaperMate, Parker and Waterman writing instruments; Calphalon gourmet cookware; Goody beauty and...
. In 2008, P&G branched into the record business with its sponsorship of Tag Records, as an endorsement for TAG Body Spray
TAG Body Spray
TAG Body Spray was manufactured by TAG Fragrance Company, a subsidiary of Procter & Gamble. It was first released in 2005. From 2005 to 2007, TAG Fragrance Company was part of Global Gillette, until Gillette was bought out by Procter & Gamble and dissolved. It was discontinued in October...
.
P&G's dominance in many categories of consumer products makes its brand management
Brand management
Brand management is the application of marketing techniques to a specific product, product line, or brand.The discipline of brand management was started at Procter & Gamble as a result of a famous memo by Neil H...
decisions worthy of study. For example, P&G's corporate strategists must account for the likelihood of one of their products cannibalizing the sales of another
Cannibalization (marketing)
In marketing strategy, cannibalization refers to a reduction in sales volume, sales revenue, or market share of one product as a result of the introduction of a new product by the same producer....
.
On August 24, 2009, the Ireland-based pharmaceutical company Warner Chilcott
Warner Chilcott
Warner Chilcott is a pharmaceutical company based in Rockaway, New Jersey, USA. It has production and research facilities in Fajardo, Puerto Rico, Larne, Northern Ireland, Dundalk, Ireland and Weiterstadt, Germany. It is primarily focused on two core therapeutic areas: women’s healthcare and...
announced they had bought P&G's prescription-drug business for $3.1 billion.
Operations
As of July 1, 2011, the company's operations are categorized into two "Global Business Units" with each Global Business Unit divided into "Business Segments" according to the company's 2011 Annual Report. Dimitri Panayotopoulos is Vice Chairman of Global Business Units- Beauty segment
- Grooming segment
- Health Care segment
- Snacks & Pet Care segment
- Fabric Care & Home Care segment
- Baby Care & Family Home Care segment
Management and staff
The board of directors of Procter & Gamble currently has eleven members: Robert A. McDonald, Angela BralyAngela Braly
Angela F. Braly is president and chief executive officer for WellPoint, Inc., a large US-based health care company, and is a member of the company's board of directors...
, Meg Whitman
Meg Whitman
Margaret Cushing "Meg" Whitman is an American business executive. She is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Hewlett-Packard. A native of Long Island, New York, she is a graduate of Princeton University and Harvard Business School...
, Johnathan A. Rodgers
Johnathan A. Rodgers
Johnathan Rodgers is president and CEO of TV One, a real-life and entertainment cable television network targeting adult African American viewers...
, Ernesto Zedillo
Ernesto Zedillo
Ernesto Zedillo Ponce de León is a Mexican economist and politician. He served as President of Mexico from December 1, 1994 to November 30, 2000, as the last of the uninterrupted seventy year line of Mexican presidents from the Institutional Revolutionary Party...
, Scott Cook
Scott Cook
Scott David Cook is a founder of Intuit, has been a director of Intuit since March 1983 and is currently Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Board. Cook also serves on the boards of directors of eBay Inc., and The Procter & Gamble Company....
, Patricia A. Woertz
Patricia A. Woertz
Patricia Ann Woertz became CEO of Archer Daniels Midland in 2006, beating out 4 other competitors. Formerly an Executive Vice President at Chevron Corporation, Woertz left to pursue CEO opportunities...
, Susan D. Desmond-Hellmann
Susan D. Desmond-Hellmann
Susan Desmond-Hellmann, MD, MPH, is currently the Chancellor of the University of California, San Francisco. She was appointed to the position by UC President Mark Yudof on May 7, 2009, and officially took over in the position on August 3, 2009....
, Maggie Wilderotter
Maggie Wilderotter
Maggie Wilderotter is the chairman and chief executive officer of Frontier Communications. She joined the company in 2004. Before Frontier, she served as an executive for McCaw Cellular , and Microsoft...
, W. James McNerney, Jr. and Kenneth Chenault
Kenneth Chenault
Kenneth Irvine Chenault is an American business executive. He has been the CEO and Chairman of American Express since 2001. He is the third African-American CEO of a Fortune 500 company.-Early life, education, and legal career:...
. In March 2011 Rajat Gupta
Rajat Gupta
Rajat Kumar Gupta was the managing director of management consultancy McKinsey & Company from 1994 to 2003 and a business leader in India and the United States...
resigned from the board after an SEC accusation of Galleon Group
Galleon Group
Galleon Group was one of the largest hedge fund management firms in the world, managing over $7 billion, before closing in October 2009. The firm was at the center of a 2009 insider trading scandal that resulted in investors pulling capital from the firm rapidly...
insider trading
Insider trading
Insider trading is the trading of a corporation's stock or other securities by individuals with potential access to non-public information about the company...
.
In October 2008, P&G was named one of "Canada's Top 100 Employers
Canada's Top 100 Employers
Canada's Top 100 Employers is an annual competition that recognizes the best places in Canada to work. First held in 1999, the project aims to single out the employers that lead their industries in offering exceptional working conditions and progressive human resources policies. Winners are...
" by Mediacorp Canada Inc., and was featured in Maclean's
Maclean's
Maclean's is a Canadian weekly news magazine, reporting on Canadian issues such as politics, pop culture, and current events.-History:Founded in 1905 by Toronto journalist/entrepreneur Lt.-Col. John Bayne Maclean, a 43-year-old trade magazine publisher who purchased an advertising agency's in-house...
newsmagazine
Newsmagazine
A news magazine is a typed, printed, and published piece of paper, magazine or a radio or television program, usually weekly, featuring articles or segments on current events...
. Later that month, P&G was also named one of Greater Toronto's Top Employers
Greater Toronto's Top Employers
Greater Toronto's Top Employers is an annual competition that recognizes the best places to work in the Greater Toronto Area...
, which was announced by the Toronto Star
Toronto Star
The Toronto Star is Canada's highest-circulation newspaper, based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Its print edition is distributed almost entirely within the province of Ontario...
newspaper.
In May 2011 Fortune
Fortune (magazine)
Fortune is a global business magazine published by Time Inc. Founded by Henry Luce in 1930, the publishing business, consisting of Time, Life, Fortune, and Sports Illustrated, grew to become Time Warner. In turn, AOL grew as it acquired Time Warner in 2000 when Time Warner was the world's largest...
editor-at-large Patricia Sellers praised P&G's board diversity, as five of the company's eleven current directors are female and have all been on Fortune's annual Most Powerful Women list.
Procter & Gamble is a member of the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition
U.S. Global Leadership Coalition
The U.S. Global Leadership Coalition, also known as the USGLC, is a influential, broad-based organization formed by a coalition of 400 American businesses and NGOs, senior national security and foreign policy experts, and diverse range of community leaders from across the country who promote...
, a Washington D.C.-based coalition of over 400 major companies and NGOs that advocates for a larger International Affairs Budget, which funds American diplomatic and development efforts abroad.
On November 19, 2011 the Associated Press and USA Today reported that a company spokesman confirmed Dr. John Smale, former CEO, has died at age 84.
Online memorial page for Dr. John Smale
Brands
24 of P&G's brands have more than a billion dollars in net annual sales, according to the 2011 Annual Report.Leadership Brands
- Ace is a brand of laundry detergent/liquidLaundry detergentLaundry detergent, or washing powder, is a substance that is a type of detergent that is added for cleaning laundry. In common usage, "detergent" refers to mixtures of chemical compounds including alkylbenzenesulfonates, which are similar to soap but are less affected by "hard water." In most...
available in numerous forms and scents. - AlwaysAlways-Film and television:* Always , a 1989 romantic comedy-drama directed by Steven Spielberg* Always Sanchōme no Yūhi or Always: Sunset on Third Street, a 2005 Japanese drama, and a sequel* "Always", an episode of the TV series Dead Like Me...
is a brand of feminine care products. - ArielAriel (laundry)Ariel is a marketing line of laundry detergents made by Procter & Gamble. It is the flagship brand in Procter & Gamble's European, Mexican, Japanese, Brazilian, Peruvian, Turkish, Filipino, Colombian and Venezuelan portfolios. In some U.S. stores, Mexican Ariel is available.Ariel first appeared on...
is a brand of laundry detergent/liquidLaundry detergentLaundry detergent, or washing powder, is a substance that is a type of detergent that is added for cleaning laundry. In common usage, "detergent" refers to mixtures of chemical compounds including alkylbenzenesulfonates, which are similar to soap but are less affected by "hard water." In most...
available in numerous forms and scents. - Bold is a brand of laundry detergent/liquidLaundry detergentLaundry detergent, or washing powder, is a substance that is a type of detergent that is added for cleaning laundry. In common usage, "detergent" refers to mixtures of chemical compounds including alkylbenzenesulfonates, which are similar to soap but are less affected by "hard water." In most...
. - Bounce is a brand of laundry products sold in the United States and Canada.
- BountyBounty (brand)Bounty is a paper towel product manufactured by Procter & Gamble in the United States. It was introduced in 1965.- Sale of British rights :...
is a brand of paper towelPaper towelA paper towel is an absorbent textile made from paper instead of cloth. Unlike cloth towels, paper towels are disposable and intended to be used only once. Paper towels soak up water because they are loosely woven which enables water to travel between them, even against gravity...
sold in the United States and Canada. - BraunBraun (company)' , formerly Braun AG, is a German consumer products company based in Kronberg, Germany.From 1984 until 2005, Braun was a wholly owned subsidiary of The Gillette Company, which had purchased a controlling interest in the company in 1967...
is a small-appliances manufacturer specializing in electric shavers, epilators, hair care appliances and blenders. - CascadeCascade- Ecology :* a type of waterfall or a series of waterfalls.* Trophic cascade, when predators in a food web suppress their prey, releasing the next lower trophic level from predation* Cascade effect , the triggering of series of secondary extinctions...
is a brand of dishwashing products. - CoverGirl is a brand of women's cosmetics.
- Crest/Oral B is a brand of toothpasteToothpasteToothpaste is a paste or gel dentifrice used with a toothbrush as an accessory to clean and maintain the aesthetics and health of teeth. Toothpaste is used to promote oral hygiene: it serves as an abrasive that aids in removing the dental plaque and food from the teeth, assists in suppressing...
and teeth whitening products. - Dash is a brand of laundry detergent/liquidLaundry detergentLaundry detergent, or washing powder, is a substance that is a type of detergent that is added for cleaning laundry. In common usage, "detergent" refers to mixtures of chemical compounds including alkylbenzenesulfonates, which are similar to soap but are less affected by "hard water." In most...
. - Dawn/FairyDawn (brand)Dawn is a brand of dishwashing liquid owned by Procter & Gamble. Introduced in 1972, it is the best-selling brand of dishwashing liquid in the United States...
is a brand of dishwashing detergentDetergentA detergent is a surfactant or a mixture of surfactants with "cleaning properties in dilute solutions." In common usage, "detergent" refers to alkylbenzenesulfonates, a family of compounds that are similar to soap but are less affected by hard water...
. - Dolce & Gabanna is a brand of fine fragrances.
- Downy/LenorDownyDowny is a brand name of fabric softener produced by Procter & Gamble and sold in the United States. It entered the U.S. test market in August 1960 and went nationwide in December 1961...
is a brand of fabric softenerFabric softenerFabric softener is used to prevent static cling and make fabric softer. It is available as a liquid, crystals and dryer sheets.- Varieties :...
. - DuracellDuracellDuracell is a brand of batteries manufactured by Procter & Gamble.Additionally, Duracell owns the Procell professional-use brand.-Products:Duracell manufactures alkaline batteries in many common sizes, such as AAA, AA, C, D, and 9V...
is a brand of batteries and flashlights. - EukanubaEukanubaEukanuba is a brand name of dog and cat foods, owned and manufactured by Procter & Gamble . The company produces seven formulas for dogs based on age, breed and performance area. All formulas include the Eukanuba Vital Health System™ which consists of clinically proven ingredients in six areas that...
is a brand of pet food. - Febreze/Ambi Pur is a brand of air fresheners.
- Fixodent is a brand of air denture adhesives.
- FusionFusionFusion or synthesis, it refers to the connection of two or more distinct things/bodies:*Cell fusion, an event in the maturation of cells*Fusion cuisine, the combination of elements of various culinary traditions...
is a brand of men's wet shave razors and is the quickest P&G brand to have reached $1 billion in annual sales. - Gain is a brand of laundry detergent, fabric softeners and liquid dish soap.
- Gillette is a brand of safety razorSafety razorA safety razor is a razor that protects the skin from all but the very edge of the blade. These razors reduce the possibility of serious injury, which makes them more forgiving than a straight razor.-Cartridges introduced:...
and male grooming products. - Head & ShouldersHead & ShouldersHead & 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 :...
is a brand of anti-dandruffDandruffDandruff is the shedding of dead skin cells from the scalp . Dandruff is sometimes caused by frequent exposure to extreme heat and cold. As it is normal for skin cells to die and flake off, a small amount of flaking is normal and common; about 487,000 cells/cm2 get released normally after...
shampooShampooShampoo 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 conditioners. - Herbal EssencesHerbal EssencesHerbal Essences is a brand of shampoo, hair conditioner, hair stylers, and hair coloring by Clairol. The brand was founded in 1972. There are eleven collections of product, each design for a different effect on the user's hair...
is a brand of shampooShampooShampoo 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 conditioners. - Hugo BossHugo BossHugo Ferdinand Boss was the founder of clothing company Hugo Boss.-Early life:Boss was born in Metzingen, Germany. After completing his apprenticeship and one year of employment, he founded his own company in Metzingen in 1923.-Support of Nazism:Boss joined the Nazi Party in 1931, two years before...
is a brand of fine fragrances. - IamsIamsIams is a brand name for dog food and cat food manufactured by Procter & Gamble . The company sells pet food for cats and dogs formulated for puppy/kitten, adult and mature. Its products are developed by nutritionists and veterinarians and can be found in three main formulas: ProActive Health,...
is a brand of pet food. - LuvsLuvsLuvs is a brand of disposable diapers made by Procter & Gamble. It was sold as a "deluxe" brand in the late 1980s. Since 1994 it's sold as a budget brand. The brand also has baby wipes.-Diaper sizes:...
is a brand of baby diapers. - Mach3 is a brand of safety razorSafety razorA safety razor is a razor that protects the skin from all but the very edge of the blade. These razors reduce the possibility of serious injury, which makes them more forgiving than a straight razor.-Cartridges introduced:...
and male grooming products. - Max FactorMax FactorMax Factor & Company is a cosmetics company, founded during 1909 by Maksymilian Faktorowicz , Max Factor, a Polish-Jewish cosmetician. Max Factor & Company was a related, two-family, multi-generational international cosmetics company before its sale in 1973 for $500 million dollars...
is a brand of women's cosmetics. - Mister Clean is a brand of multi-purpose cleaner, and spray sold in the United States and Great Britain.
- OlayOlayOlay is an American skin care line. It is one of the top skin care retail brands in the world, except for Japan, and is one of Procter & Gamble's multi-billion dollar brands. For the 2009 fiscal year ended June 30, Olay accounted for an estimated $2.8 billion of P&G's $79 billion in revenue.-Early...
is a brand of women's skin care products. - Old SpiceOld SpiceOld Spice is a prominent American brand of male grooming products. It is manufactured by Procter & Gamble, which acquired the brand in 1990 from the Shulton Company.-History:...
is a brand of men's grooming products. - Oral-BOral-BOral-B is a popular brand of oral hygiene products, including toothbrushes, toothpastes, mouthwashes and dental floss.It all started with a dentist, back in 1950, who created the first Oral-B toothbrush and its soft, end-rounded nylon bristles. Dr. Robert Hutson, a California periodontist, designed...
is a brand of toothbrush, and oral care products. - PampersPampersPampers is a brand of baby products marketed by Procter & Gamble. Pampers was at one time only used as a name for a disposable diaper.-Products:...
is a brand of disposable diaperDiaperA nappy or a diaper is a kind of pant that allows one to defecate or urinate on oneself discreetly. When diapers become soiled, they require changing; this process is often performed by a second person such as a parent or caregiver...
and other baby care products. - PantenePantenePantene is a brand of hair care products owned by Procter & Gamble. The product line was first introduced in Europe in 1947 by Hoffman-LaRoche of Switzerland, which branded the name based on panthenol as a shampoo ingredient...
is a brand of hair careHair careHair care is an overall term for parts of hygiene and cosmetology involving the hair on the human head. Hair care will differ according to one's hair type and according to various processes that can be applied to hair...
products (conditioners/styling aids). - Prestobarba/Blue is a brand of safety razorSafety razorA safety razor is a razor that protects the skin from all but the very edge of the blade. These razors reduce the possibility of serious injury, which makes them more forgiving than a straight razor.-Cartridges introduced:...
and male grooming products. - Prilosec is an over the counter drug.
- PuffsPuffsPuffs is a brand of facial tissue manufactured by Procter & Gamble. Introduced in 1960, it is among the leading national brands of facial tissue in the United States...
is a brand of tissues. - Rejoice/Pert is a brand of hair careHair careHair care is an overall term for parts of hygiene and cosmetology involving the hair on the human head. Hair care will differ according to one's hair type and according to various processes that can be applied to hair...
products (conditioners/styling aids). - SafeguardSafeguard (Soap)Safeguard is an antibacterial soap of P&G registered with the Food and Drug Administration and is sold in the United States, Mexico, Ukraine, Latvia, Canada, Egypt, China, Pakistan, India and the Philippines.-Advertising History:...
is a brand of soaps. - Secret is a female anti-perspirant brand.
- SK-IISK-IISK-II, is a Procter & Gamble Beauty brand, launched since 1980 in Japan. SK-II is often considered one of the most expensive beauty brands in the world.- History :...
is a brand of women's skin care products. - SwifferSwifferSwiffer is a line of cleaning products by Procter and Gamble. Introduced in 1999, the brand uses the "razor-and-blades business model"; in this case, the consumer purchases the handle assembly at a low price, but must continue to purchase replacement refills and pads over the life of the product...
is a brand of house-cleaning products. - TampaxTampaxTampax is a brand of tampon from Procter & Gamble. It was originally both the name of an independent company for over 50 years, based in Palmer, Massachusetts , and the product itself. Renamed Tambrands, Inc. in 1984, P&G purchased it in 1997...
is a brand of feminine care products. - TideTide (detergent)Tide is the brand-name of a popular laundry detergent manufactured by Procter & Gamble and first introduced to the United States consumer in 1946. It is also marketed in Canada, Saudi Arabia, Morocco, India and several other countries...
is a brand of laundry detergent. - VenusVenusVenus is the second planet from the Sun, orbiting it every 224.7 Earth days. The planet is named after Venus, the Roman goddess of love and beauty. After the Moon, it is the brightest natural object in the night sky, reaching an apparent magnitude of −4.6, bright enough to cast shadows...
is a brand female hair removal products. - VicksVicksVicks is a line of over-the-counter medications owned by the American company Procter & Gamble. Vicks manufactures NyQuil and its sister medication, DayQuil. The Vicks brand also produces Formula 44 cough medicines, cough drops, VapoRub, and a number of inhaled breathing treatments...
is an over the counter medication. - WellaWellaWella is a German company, and one of the world’s leading cosmetics suppliers. Founded in 1880 by Franz Stroher, with its headquarters in Darmstadt, Germany, the company is represented in over 150 countries....
is a brand name of hair care products (shampoo, conditioner, styling, and hair color).
Most of these brands, including Bounty, Crest, and Tide, are global products available on several continents. Procter & Gamble products are available in North America, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia, Australia and New Zealand.
Manufacturing operations are based in the following regions:
- United States
- Canada
- Mexico
- Latin America
- Europe
- China (31 wholly owned factories) and other parts of Asia
- Africa
- Australia
Productions
Procter & Gamble produced and sponsored the first radio soap operas in the 1930s (Procter & Gamble's being known for detergents - soaps - was probably the genesis of the term "soap opera"). When the medium switched to television in the 1950s and 1960s, most of the new serials were sponsored and produced by the company. The serial The Young and the RestlessThe Young and the Restless
The Young and the Restless is an American television soap opera created by William J. Bell and Lee Phillip Bell for CBS. The show is set in a fictional Wisconsin town called Genoa City, which is unlike and unrelated to the real life village of the same name, Genoa City, Wisconsin...
is currently broadcast on CBS and is still partially sponsored by Procter & Gamble. When As the World Turns
As the World Turns
As the World Turns is an American television soap opera that aired on CBS from April 2, 1956 to September 17, 2010. Irna Phillips created As the World Turns as a sister show to her other soap opera Guiding Light...
left the air on September 17, 2010, The Young and the Restless
The Young and the Restless
The Young and the Restless is an American television soap opera created by William J. Bell and Lee Phillip Bell for CBS. The show is set in a fictional Wisconsin town called Genoa City, which is unlike and unrelated to the real life village of the same name, Genoa City, Wisconsin...
, became the only soap left that is partially sponsored by Procter & Gamble.
These past serials were produced by Procter & Gamble:
- Another WorldAnother World (TV series)Another World is an American television soap opera that ran on NBC from May 4, 1964 to June 25, 1999. It ran for a total of 35 years. It was created by Irna Phillips along with William J...
- As the World TurnsAs the World TurnsAs the World Turns is an American television soap opera that aired on CBS from April 2, 1956 to September 17, 2010. Irna Phillips created As the World Turns as a sister show to her other soap opera Guiding Light...
- The Brighter DayThe Brighter DayThe Brighter Day is an American daytime soap opera which aired on CBS from January 4, 1954 to September 28, 1962. Originally created for NBC radio by Irna Phillips in 1948, the radio and television versions ran simultaneously from 1954-1956...
- The CatlinsThe Catlins (TV series)The Catlins was an American prime-time soap opera on Superstation TBS that ran from April 1, 1983 to May 31, 1985. Created by Chris McIntyre, it focused on the lives of two wealthy and feuding families; the Catlin family and the Quinn family. The show was set in Atlanta, Georgia.Catlin family...
- The Edge of NightThe Edge of NightThe Edge of Night is an American television mystery series/soap opera produced by Procter & Gamble. It debuted on CBS on April 2, 1956, and ran as a live broadcast on that network until November 28, 1975; the series then moved to ABC, where it aired from December 1, 1975, until December 28, 1984...
- The First Hundred YearsThe First Hundred YearsThe First Hundred Years is the first ongoing TV soap opera in the United States that began as a daytime serial, airing on CBS from December 4, 1950 until June 27, 1952...
- From These RootsFrom These RootsFrom These Roots is an American soap opera which ran from June 30, 1958 to December 29, 1961. It was created and written by Frank Provo and John Pickard . The show was seen on NBC, and was the first successful soap opera vehicle for Ann Flood who later became well known for, and spend the better...
- Guiding LightGuiding LightGuiding Light is an American daytime television drama that is credited by the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest running drama in television and radio history, running from 1937 until 2009...
- Lovers and FriendsLovers and FriendsLovers and Friends is a short-lived American soap opera that premiered on NBC on January 3, 1977 and ended on September 29, 1978. The show was created by Harding Lemay and Paul Rauch, both of whom were also working for the daytime drama Another World...
/ For Richer, for Poorer - Our Private WorldOur Private WorldOur Private World is an American serial. It was the first prime-time spin-off from a daytime soap . Created by Irna Phillips and William J. Bell, it premiered on May 5, 1965 and aired Wednesdays and Fridays over the summer; the multiple-episode-per-week format was inspired by ABC's hit show Peyton...
- Search for TomorrowSearch for TomorrowSearch for Tomorrow is an American soap opera which premiered on September 3, 1951 on CBS. The show was moved from CBS to NBC on March 29, 1982. It continued on NBC until the final episode aired on December 26, 1986, a run of thirty-five years. At the time of its final broadcast it was the...
- SomersetSomerset (TV series)Somerset is an American television soap opera which ran on NBC from March 30, 1970 until December 31, 1976. The show was a spinoff of another NBC serial, Another World.-Overview :...
- TexasTexas (TV series)Texas is an American daytime soap opera which aired on NBC from August 4, 1980 until December 31, 1982. Created by John William Corrington, Joyce Hooper Corrington, and Paul Rauch, the show was a spinoff of Another World...
- Young Doctor MaloneYoung Doctor MaloneYoung Doctor Malone is an American soap opera, created by Irna Phillips, which had a long run on radio and television from 1939 to 1963...
Procter & Gamble also was the first company to produce and sponsor a prime-time show, a 1965 spinoff of the daytime soap opera As the World Turns called Our Private World
Our Private World
Our Private World is an American serial. It was the first prime-time spin-off from a daytime soap . Created by Irna Phillips and William J. Bell, it premiered on May 5, 1965 and aired Wednesdays and Fridays over the summer; the multiple-episode-per-week format was inspired by ABC's hit show Peyton...
. PGP also produced Shirley, a prime-time NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
series starring Shirley Jones
Shirley Jones
Shirley Mae Jones is an American singer and actress of stage, film and television. In her six decades of television, she starred as wholesome characters in a number of well-known musical films, such as Oklahoma! , Carousel , and The Music Man...
, in 1979; it lasted thirteen episodes. They also produced TBS' first original comedy series, Down to Earth
Down to Earth (TV series)
Down to Earth was an American fantasy situation comedy series that ran on Superstation TBS from 1984 to 1987. It was produced by Procter & Gamble Productions and was the superstation's first original series.-Premise:...
, which ran from 1984 to 1987 (110 episodes were produced). They also distributed the syndicated comedy series Throb
Throb
Throb was an American television sitcom broadcast in syndication from 1986 to 1988. It revolved around thirty-something divorcee Sandy Beatty who gets a job at a small New Wave record label, Throb. Beatty's boss is Zach Armstrong , who looks like Michael J. Fox but dresses like Don Johnson...
. Procter & Gamble Productions originally co-produced Dawson's Creek
Dawson's Creek
Dawson's Creek is an American teen drama television series which debuted on January 20, 1998, on The WB Television Network and was produced by Sony Pictures Television. The show is set in the fictional seaside town of Capeside, Massachusetts, and in Boston, Massachusetts, during the later seasons...
with Sony Pictures Television
Sony Pictures Television
Sony Pictures Television, Inc. is an American and global television production/distribution subsidiary of Sony Pictures Entertainment. In turn, the latter is part of the Japanese conglomerate Sony.-Background:...
but withdrew before the series premiere due to early press reviews. It also produced the 1991 TV movie A Triumph of the Heart: The Ricky Bell Story, which was co-produced by The Landsburg Company
Alan Landsburg Productions
Alan Landsburg Productions was an independent TV production company founded by Alan Landsburg in 1971. The company had huge successes with In Search of... and That's Incredible!, which were two early examples of reality television long before the name even existed...
. It also produces the People's Choice Awards
People's Choice Awards
The People's Choice Awards is an American awards show recognizing the people and the work of popular culture. The show has been held annually since 1975 and is voted on by the general public. The People's Choice Awards air on CBS and are produced by Procter & Gamble and Survivor magnate Mark Burnett...
.
In addition to self-produced items, Procter & Gamble also supports many Spanish-language novellas through advertising on networks such as Univision
Univision
Univision is a Spanish-language television network in the United States. It has the largest audience of Spanish language television viewers according to Nielsen ratings. Randy Falco, COO, has been in charge of the company since the departure of Univision Communications president and CEO Joe Uva...
, Telemundo
Telemundo
Telemundo is an American television network that broadcasts in Spanish. The network is the second-largest Spanish-language content producer in the world, and the second-largest Spanish-language network in the United States, behind Univision....
, Telefutura
TeleFutura
TeleFutura is a U.S. Spanish-language broadcast television network owned by Univision with headquarters in Miami, Florida.-Overview:TeleFutura Is America’s #2 Spanish-Language Network in prime time...
, and Azteca America
Azteca América
Azteca América is a broadcast television network marketed toward Spanish-speaking families residing in the United States. As a rapidly-growing Spanish language network, Azteca América now reaches 89% of the Hispanic households in the U.S., operating in sixty-two markets nationwide. Wholly owned by...
. Procter & Gamble was one of the first mainstream advertisers on Spanish-language TV during the mid-1980s.
In 2008, P&G expanded into music sponsorship when it joined Island Def Jam to create Tag Records, named after a body spray that P&G acquired from Gillette. In April 2010, after the cancellation of As the World Turns, PGP announced they were officially phasing out of the soap industry, and expanding into more family appropriate programming.
Procter & Gamble (P&G) also gave a $100,000 contract to the winners of Cycle 1 through 3 of Canada's Next Top Model
Canada's Next Top Model
Canada's Next Top Model is a Canadian reality show in which female contestants compete for the title "Canada's Next Top Model" and a chance to start their career in the modeling industry...
, making Andrea Muizelaar
Andrea Muizelaar
Andrea Muizelaar is a former Canadian fashion model. Muizelaar was the first winner of the reality TV show Canada's Next Top Model....
, Rebecca Hardy
Rebecca Hardy
Rebecca Hardy is a Canadian fashion model. She was born in Vancouver, British Columbia, and grew up in Mannheim, Ontario. Hardy is the winner of Cycle 2 of reality TV show Canada's Next Top Model...
and Meaghan Waller
Meaghan Waller
Meaghan DeWarrenne-Waller best known as Meaghan Waller, is a Canadian fashion model, best known for winning Canada's Next Top Model, Cycle 3.-Biography:...
won the prize.
Price fixing
In April 2011, P&G was fined 211.2m euros by the European CommissionEuropean Commission
The European Commission is the executive body of the European Union. The body is responsible for proposing legislation, implementing decisions, upholding the Union's treaties and the general day-to-day running of the Union....
for establishing a price fixing cartel
Cartel
A cartel is a formal agreement among competing firms. It is a formal organization of producers and manufacturers that agree to fix prices, marketing, and production. Cartels usually occur in an oligopolistic industry, where there is a small number of sellers and usually involve homogeneous products...
in Europe along with Unilever
Unilever
Unilever is a British-Dutch multinational corporation that owns many of the world's consumer product brands in foods, beverages, cleaning agents and personal care products....
, who was fined 104m euros, and Henkel
Henkel
Henkel AG & Co. KGaA is an multinational company headquartered in Düsseldorf, Germany.The company operates in three business areas: Home Care , Personal Care ,...
. Though the fine was set higher at first, it was discounted by 10% after P&G and Unilever admitted running the cartel. As the provider of the tip-off leading to investigations, Henkel was not fined.
Toxic shock syndrome and tampons
Toxic shock syndromeToxic shock syndrome
Toxic shock syndrome is a potentially fatal illness caused by a bacterial toxin. Different bacterial toxins may cause toxic shock syndrome, depending on the situation. The causative bacteria include Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pyogenes...
(TSS) is a disease caused by strains of the bacteria Staphylococcus aureus
Staphylococcus aureus
Staphylococcus aureus is a facultative anaerobic Gram-positive coccal bacterium. It is frequently found as part of the normal skin flora on the skin and nasal passages. It is estimated that 20% of the human population are long-term carriers of S. aureus. S. aureus is the most common species of...
. Most people have these bacteria living in their bodies as harmless commensals in places such as the nose, skin, and vagina. The disease can strike anyone, not only women, but the disease is often associated with tampon
Tampon
A tampon is a mass of cotton or rayon or a mixture of the two inserted into a body cavity or wound to absorb bodilyfluid. The most common type in daily use is designed to be inserted into the vagina during menstruation to absorb the flow of menstrual fluid...
s.
In 1980, 814 menstrual-related TSS cases were reported; 38 deaths resulted from the disease. The majority of women in these cases were documented as using super-absorbent synthetic tampons, particularly the Rely
Rely (brand)
Rely was a brand of superabsorbent tampons made by Procter & Gamble starting in 1975. It was recalled from the market in September 1980 because it was linked to toxic shock syndrome....
tampon created by Procter & Gamble. The Rely tampon was so super-absorbent that one by itself could in fact hold one woman's entire menstrual period flow. Unlike other tampons made of cotton and rayon, Rely used carboxymethylcellulose and compressed beads of polyester
Polyester
Polyester is a category of polymers which contain the ester functional group in their main chain. Although there are many polyesters, the term "polyester" as a specific material most commonly refers to polyethylene terephthalate...
for absorption. The materials used in Rely were causing an increase in the thickness of fluid inside the vagina, resulting in more toxins being released.
The slogan used by Procter & Gamble for the product was "Rely. It even absorbs the worry."
In the summer of 1980 the Centers for Disease Control released a report explaining how these bacterial mechanisms were leading to TSS. They also stated that the Rely tampon was associated with TSS more than any other brand of tampon. In September 1980, Procter & Gamble voluntarily recalled its Rely brand of tampons from the market and agreed to provide for a program to notify consumers. Since the 1980s, reported cases of TSS have dramatically decreased.
Animal testing
On June 30, 1999 Procter & Gamble announced that it would limit its animal testing practices to its food and drug products which represents roughly 80% of its product portfolio. The company invested more than $275 million in the development of alternative testing methods.Procter & Gamble has received criticism from animal advocacy group PETA
Peta
Peta can refer to:* peta-, an SI prefix denoting a factor of 1015* Peta, Greece, a town in Greece* Peta, the Pāli word for a Preta, or hungry ghost in Buddhism* Peta Wilson, an Australian actress and model* Peta Todd, English glamour model...
for the practice of testing on animals
Animal testing
Animal testing, also known as animal experimentation, animal research, and in vivo testing, is the use of non-human animals in experiments. Worldwide it is estimated that the number of vertebrate animals—from zebrafish to non-human primates—ranges from the tens of millions to more than 100 million...
.
Other products
In December 2005 the Pharmaceutical division of P&G was involved in a dispute over research involving its osteoporosis drug Actonel. The case was discussed in the media.In October 2007, a class action lawsuit was filed in the State of Georgia alleging that many users of Crest Pro-Health mouthwash, with the active ingredient Cetylpyridinium chloride
Cetylpyridinium chloride
Cetylpyridinium chloride is a cationic quaternary ammonium compound in some types of mouthwashes, toothpastes, lozenges, throat sprays, breath sprays, and nasal sprays. It is an antiseptic that kills bacteria and other microorganisms. It has been shown to be effective in preventing dental plaque...
, suffered stained teeth and loss of their sense of taste as a result. Procter & Gamble contends that these side effects occur in only three percent of users. The suit seeks to include disclosure warning users of these side effects on product packaging.
Logo controversy
P&G's former logo originated in 1851 as a crude cross that barge workers on the Ohio River painted on cases of P&G star candles to identify them. P&G later changed this symbol into a trademark that showed a man in the moon overlooking 13 stars, said to commemorate the original 13 colonies.The company received unwanted media publicity in the 1980s when rumors spread that the moon-and-stars logo was a satanic
Satanism
Satanism is a group of religions that is composed of a diverse number of ideological and philosophical beliefs and social phenomena. Their shared feature include symbolic association with, admiration for the character of, and even veneration of Satan or similar rebellious, promethean, and...
symbol. The accusation was based on a particular passage in the Bible, specifically Revelation
Book of Revelation
The Book of Revelation is the final book of the New Testament. The title came into usage from the first word of the book in Koine Greek: apokalupsis, meaning "unveiling" or "revelation"...
12:1, which states: "And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman
Woman of the Apocalypse
The phrase Woman of the Apocalypse refers to a character from the Book of Revelation 12:1-18:1 And a great sign appeared in heaven: A woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars. 2 And being with child, she cried travailing in birth: and was in...
clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of 12 stars." P&G's logo consisted of a man's face on the moon surrounded by 13 stars, and some claimed that the logo was a mockery of the heavenly symbol alluded to in the aforementioned verse, thus construing the logo to be satanic. Where the flowing beard meets the surrounding circle, three curls were said to be a mirror image of the number 666
666 (number)
666 is the natural number following 665 and preceding 667.- In mathematics :666 is the sum of the first 36 natural numbers 666 (six hundred and sixty-six) is the natural number following 665 and preceding 667.- In mathematics :666 is the sum of the first 36 natural numbers 666 (six hundred and...
, or the reflected number of the beast
Number of the Beast
The Number of the Beast is a term in the Book of Revelation, of the New Testament, that is associated with the first Beast of Revelation chapter 13, the Beast of the sea. In most manuscripts of the New Testament and in English translations of the Bible, the number of the Beast is...
. At the top and bottom, the hair curls in on itself, and was said to be the two horns like those of a ram that represented the false prophet
False prophet
In religion, a false prophet is one who falsely claims the gift of prophecy, or who uses that gift for evil ends. Often, someone who is considered a "true prophet" by some people is simultaneously considered a "false prophet" by others....
.
These interpretations have been denied by company officials, and no evidence linking the company to the Church of Satan
Church of Satan
The Church of Satan is an organization dedicated to the acceptance of the carnal self, as articulated in The Satanic Bible, written in 1969 by Anton Szandor LaVey.- History :...
or any other occult organization has ever been presented. The company unsuccessfully sued Amway
Amway
Amway is a direct selling company and manufacturer that uses network marketing to sell a variety of products, primarily in the health, beauty, and home care markets. Amway was founded in 1959 by Jay Van Andel and Richard DeVos...
from 1995 to 2003 over rumors forwarded through a company voicemail system in 1995. In 2007 the company successfully sued individual Amway
Amway
Amway is a direct selling company and manufacturer that uses network marketing to sell a variety of products, primarily in the health, beauty, and home care markets. Amway was founded in 1959 by Jay Van Andel and Richard DeVos...
distributors for reviving and propagating the false rumors.
The moon-and-stars logo was discontinued in 1985 as a result of the controversy.