An advertisement for Gleem toothpaste, featuring GL-70, from
TIME magazine's March 31, 1958 issue
Gleem is a brand of toothpaste made by the Procter & Gamble company. Advertisements in the 1950s stated that it has GL-70, a supposed odor- and bacteria-fighting compound. Gleem was introduced in 1952 with advertising coordinated by Compton Advertising, Inc.[1] The League Against Obnoxious TV Commercials included a Gleem toothpaste commercial in its list of the terrible 10 in May 1963.[2] By 1969 Gleem was a declining brand name. In an effort to obtain additional sales, Procter & Gamble assigned the account to the firm of Mary Wells Lawrence, Wells, Rich, Greene.[3] When Gleem II with fluoride and "green sparkles" was introduced within several years, the brand achieved a 9% share of the toothpaste market. However, this portion declined to around 6% with the introduction of new competing brands. In 1975 Gleem was supported by $6 million in television advertising alone. In August 1976 Procter & Gamble transferred Gleem from Wells, Rich, Greene to the Leo Burnett Company of Chicago, Illinois.[4]
[edit] References
- ^ Advertising & Marketing, New York Times, November 21, 1952, Page 36.
- ^ Offensive Plugs, New York Times, May 19, 1963, Page X17.
- ^ Procter & Gamble Shifts Billings, New York Times, February 3, 1969, Page 51.
- ^ P & G Moves Gleem To Burnett, New York Times, April 14, 1976, Page 50.
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