.gif)
Teen Spirit (deodorant)
Encyclopedia
Teen Spirit is an anti-perspirant, originally sold by Mennen
until the company was acquired by Colgate-Palmolive
in 1992. The Teen Spirit line of products steadily lost popularity after its peak in the early 1990s. However, this peak was largely due to its inadvertently being featured in the popular 1991 Nirvana
song "Smells Like Teen Spirit
".
Teen Spirit was first released by Mennen early in 1991, and with heavy advertising campaign
s, it had soon "established a market niche" with teen girls. However, one of its biggest boosts came from the grunge
band Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit," a song that was inspired by a friend of lead singer Kurt Cobain
, Kathleen Hanna
(lead singer of the punk band Bikini Kill
at the time), spray painting "Kurt Smells Like Teen Spirit" on his wall (because Tobi Vail
, Hanna's band mate and Kurt's then-girlfriend, wore Teen Spirit). At the time the song was released, Cobain had no idea that the brand even existed; when he did find out, he was rather upset that the song had apparently been named after a line of deodorant.
Nonetheless, Mennen wasted no time in taking advantage of the song's popularity. While legal restrictions limited the use of the song and its lyrics in their advertisements, the company made sure to get the point across. With slogans such as "Do you smell like Teen Spirit?" and "Deodorant made for your generation
" it was believed that the references to the song would be obvious.
When Mennen was acquired by Colgate-Palmolive in 1992, the Teen Spirit brand was said to be the most popular product of its kind, and was the favorite of nearly 1/4 of all teenage girls. Because of its immense popularity, Colgate-Palmolive planned to begin a new hair care
line with the Teen Spirit name. The new hair care products were released in August and sold well, as they were expected to.
Unfortunately for Colgate, the Teen Spirit name began to lose its share of the market, just as the song with the same name started to drop off the charts
. Before long the company was forced to drop the hair care line, but kept the deodorants. Today, all that is left of the Teen Spirit franchise is "Teen Spirit Stick." Teen Spirit Stick is offered in two fragrances: Sweet Strawberry and Pink Crush. These scents can be bought in either the 1.4 or 2.3 ounce
(40 or 65 gram
) sizes. Both claim "all day extra effective protection" and a "long lasting fragrance."
Mennen
Mennen is a brand owned in most parts of the world by the Colgate-Palmolive Company. Its most notable product, Mennen Speed Stick, with its fougère perfume and green wide stick, was the market leader among deodorants and antiperspirants for men for many years...
until the company was acquired by Colgate-Palmolive
Colgate-Palmolive
Colgate-Palmolive Company is an American diversified multinational corporation focused on the production, distribution and provision of household, health care and personal products, such as soaps, detergents, and oral hygiene products . Under its "Hill's" brand, it is also a manufacturer of...
in 1992. The Teen Spirit line of products steadily lost popularity after its peak in the early 1990s. However, this peak was largely due to its inadvertently being featured in the popular 1991 Nirvana
Nirvana (band)
Nirvana was an American rock band that was formed by singer/guitarist Kurt Cobain and bassist Krist Novoselic in Aberdeen, Washington in 1987...
song "Smells Like Teen Spirit
Smells Like Teen Spirit
"Smells Like Teen Spirit" is a song by the American grunge band Nirvana. It is the opening track and lead single from the band's second album, Nevermind , released on DGC Records...
".
Teen Spirit was first released by Mennen early in 1991, and with heavy advertising campaign
Advertising campaign
An advertising campaign is a series of advertisement messages that share a single idea and theme which make up an integrated marketing communication...
s, it had soon "established a market niche" with teen girls. However, one of its biggest boosts came from the grunge
Grunge
Grunge is a subgenre of alternative rock that emerged during the mid-1980s in the American state of Washington, particularly in the Seattle area. Inspired by hardcore punk, heavy metal, and indie rock, grunge is generally characterized by heavily distorted electric guitars, contrasting song...
band Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit," a song that was inspired by a friend of lead singer Kurt Cobain
Kurt Cobain
Kurt Donald Cobain was an American singer-songwriter, musician and artist, best known as the lead singer and guitarist of the grunge band Nirvana...
, Kathleen Hanna
Kathleen Hanna
Kathleen Hanna is an American musician, feminist activist, and punk zine writer. In the early- to mid-1990s she was the lead singer and songwriter of Bikini Kill, before fronting Le Tigre in the late 1990s and early 2000s...
(lead singer of the punk band Bikini Kill
Bikini Kill
Bikini Kill was an American punk rock band formed in Olympia, Washington in October 1990. The group consisted of vocalist and songwriter Kathleen Hanna, guitarist Billy Karren, bassist Kathi Wilcox, and drummer Tobi Vail. The band is widely considered to be the pioneer of the riot grrrl movement,...
at the time), spray painting "Kurt Smells Like Teen Spirit" on his wall (because Tobi Vail
Tobi Vail
Tobi Vail is an independent musician, DIY zinester, and feminist activist from Olympia, Washington, noted primarily as the drummer of the defunct punk band Bikini Kill. She formed one of her first bands as the drummer for The Go Team when she was 15, later collaborating in several other groups...
, Hanna's band mate and Kurt's then-girlfriend, wore Teen Spirit). At the time the song was released, Cobain had no idea that the brand even existed; when he did find out, he was rather upset that the song had apparently been named after a line of deodorant.
Nonetheless, Mennen wasted no time in taking advantage of the song's popularity. While legal restrictions limited the use of the song and its lyrics in their advertisements, the company made sure to get the point across. With slogans such as "Do you smell like Teen Spirit?" and "Deodorant made for your generation
Generation X
Generation X, commonly abbreviated to Gen X, is the generation born after the Western post–World War II baby boom ended. While there is no universally agreed upon time frame, the term generally includes people born from the early 1960's through the early 1980's, usually no later than 1981 or...
" it was believed that the references to the song would be obvious.
When Mennen was acquired by Colgate-Palmolive in 1992, the Teen Spirit brand was said to be the most popular product of its kind, and was the favorite of nearly 1/4 of all teenage girls. Because of its immense popularity, Colgate-Palmolive planned to begin a new hair care
Hair care
Hair 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...
line with the Teen Spirit name. The new hair care products were released in August and sold well, as they were expected to.
Unfortunately for Colgate, the Teen Spirit name began to lose its share of the market, just as the song with the same name started to drop off the charts
Record chart
A record chart is a ranking of recorded music according to popularity during a given period of time. Examples of music charts are the Hit parade, Hot 100 or Top 40....
. Before long the company was forced to drop the hair care line, but kept the deodorants. Today, all that is left of the Teen Spirit franchise is "Teen Spirit Stick." Teen Spirit Stick is offered in two fragrances: Sweet Strawberry and Pink Crush. These scents can be bought in either the 1.4 or 2.3 ounce
Ounce
The ounce is a unit of mass with several definitions, the most commonly used of which are equal to approximately 28 grams. The ounce is used in a number of different systems, including various systems of mass that form part of the imperial and United States customary systems...
(40 or 65 gram
Gram
The gram is a metric system unit of mass....
) sizes. Both claim "all day extra effective protection" and a "long lasting fragrance."
Scents
- Pink Crush
- Sweet Strawberry
- Berry Blossom (discontinued)
- Pop Star (discontinued)
- Baby Powder Soft (discontinued)
- Romantic Rose (discontinued)
- California Breeze (discontinued)
- Ocean Surf (discontinued)
- Caribbean Cool (discontinued)
- Orchard Blossom (discontinued)