Find it staggering that late as 1979 Uniliver was still flogging soap based Persil as top shelf offering. Suppose it was all those households still using twin tubs that had something to do with it....
Omo detergent in the USA
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OMO in ethnic markets
I see 5K plastic bags of OMO detergent for whites and different packs for OMO for colors in our local Turkish, Indian and Mexican markets in the greater New Haven area. Haven't bought them yet because it's hard to tell whether there's phosphates in the formula which is what I'm looking for.
I see 5K plastic bags of OMO detergent for whites and different packs for OMO for colors in our local Turkish, Indian and Mexican markets in the greater New Haven area. Haven't bought them yet because it's hard to tell whether there's phosphates in the formula which is what I'm looking for.
"Haven't bought them yet because it's hard to tell whether there's phosphates in the formula which is what I'm looking for.
I doubt it. Unilever along with Colgate-Palmolive and eventually even P&G all long since agreed to remove phosphates from their powdered laundry detergents.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/las...ever, which,gas impact than other ingredients.
https://mg.co.za/article/2011-08-26-soapmaker-helps-to-clean-up-water/
Now if one was able to nab Persil, OMO and other powders sold in East Africa (and one presumes elsewhere) until said removal took place products contained hefty amounts of phosphates.
https://www.ijbio.com/articles/the-...owders-sold-at-retail-outlets-in-kapsabet.pdf
I doubt it. Unilever along with Colgate-Palmolive and eventually even P&G all long since agreed to remove phosphates from their powdered laundry detergents.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/las...ever, which,gas impact than other ingredients.
https://mg.co.za/article/2011-08-26-soapmaker-helps-to-clean-up-water/
Now if one was able to nab Persil, OMO and other powders sold in East Africa (and one presumes elsewhere) until said removal took place products contained hefty amounts of phosphates.
https://www.ijbio.com/articles/the-...owders-sold-at-retail-outlets-in-kapsabet.pdf
This just in....
Choice, an Aussie consumer advocacy group recently tested various detergents on market to see how they measured up. Omo Expert Anti-Bacterial Powder, Omo Ultimate Powder and Omo Laundry Detergent Powder blew others out of the water.
https://www.choice.com.au/home-and-...rticles/the-best-and-worst-laundry-detergents
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeand...laundry-detergents-australia-choice-lab-tests
Choice, an Aussie consumer advocacy group recently tested various detergents on market to see how they measured up. Omo Expert Anti-Bacterial Powder, Omo Ultimate Powder and Omo Laundry Detergent Powder blew others out of the water.
https://www.choice.com.au/home-and-...rticles/the-best-and-worst-laundry-detergents
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeand...laundry-detergents-australia-choice-lab-tests
OMO "Blue Charged" and "White" were on Canadian market in 1971 and both were loaded with phosphates.
To be fair range between 14% to nearly 20% or slightly above was normal phosphate content for laundry detergents on Canadian market at that time. However Canadian government by 1972 had phosphates in their cross hairs and while USA government down south dithered they were preparing to take action.
To be fair range between 14% to nearly 20% or slightly above was normal phosphate content for laundry detergents on Canadian market at that time. However Canadian government by 1972 had phosphates in their cross hairs and while USA government down south dithered they were preparing to take action.
More to consider
Lever Bros introduced Surf "heavy duty" detergent to US markets in 1948, things did not go well. By the end of 1956 "Surf" succeeded in capturing only 3 percent of the market and had lost a total of over $25 million.
Despite whatever successes Lever Bros had in UK and elsewhere in world by 1950's into 1970's their attempts at getting a foothold in US "heavy duty" detergent market were flops. There was "Vim" tablets and Wisk liquid. Of the two only latter had any resemblance of success but came at high price. Worse as anyone who used Wisk liquid then can testify the stuff made tons of froth. That wasn't doing Lever Bros. any good and they desperately needed a low suds heavy duty detergent.
Lever Bros. expertise laundry wise then largely revolved around soap based products. To wit Persil sold in UK as noted was a soap based product in 1950's well into 1970's and into 1980's.
P&G's Tide forever changed US detergent market killing off pretty much all demand for soap based laundry products outside of niche markets. Ivory Snow existed as one such "niche" product.
Lever Bros acquired the "assets" of All detergent from Monsanto, it brought them nothing but grief and lead to a legal battle as US government brought legal action to prevent Monsanto from selling All to Lever Bros. under argument it would reduce competition in laundry detergent market. Lever Bros and Monsanto prevailed so that was that. However low sales and margins still plagued Lever Bros in USA.
Seeking to right that ship Unilever dispatched their top man, Michael Angus to USA to get things sorted, and he did.
One result was launching of Surf liquid then powder detergent to USA market.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1987-06-04-8702110171-story.html
https://www.referenceforbusiness.com/history2/66/Lever-Brothers-Company.html
Zip Codes were introduced by USPS in 1963 and became mandatory in 1967. Box in OP gives address of Lever House (still located on Park Avenue) simply as "New York, N.Y.".
Thus my money says packet is from early 1960's a time when Lever Bros was trying quite hard to break into USA heavy duty laundry detergent market.
Notice on packet in OP OMO makes frequent use of word "heavy" obviously alluding to product being a "heavy duty" detergent. Lever Bros. didn't use such marketing elsewhere so there you are then.
Lever Bros introduced Surf "heavy duty" detergent to US markets in 1948, things did not go well. By the end of 1956 "Surf" succeeded in capturing only 3 percent of the market and had lost a total of over $25 million.
Despite whatever successes Lever Bros had in UK and elsewhere in world by 1950's into 1970's their attempts at getting a foothold in US "heavy duty" detergent market were flops. There was "Vim" tablets and Wisk liquid. Of the two only latter had any resemblance of success but came at high price. Worse as anyone who used Wisk liquid then can testify the stuff made tons of froth. That wasn't doing Lever Bros. any good and they desperately needed a low suds heavy duty detergent.
Lever Bros. expertise laundry wise then largely revolved around soap based products. To wit Persil sold in UK as noted was a soap based product in 1950's well into 1970's and into 1980's.
P&G's Tide forever changed US detergent market killing off pretty much all demand for soap based laundry products outside of niche markets. Ivory Snow existed as one such "niche" product.
Lever Bros acquired the "assets" of All detergent from Monsanto, it brought them nothing but grief and lead to a legal battle as US government brought legal action to prevent Monsanto from selling All to Lever Bros. under argument it would reduce competition in laundry detergent market. Lever Bros and Monsanto prevailed so that was that. However low sales and margins still plagued Lever Bros in USA.
Seeking to right that ship Unilever dispatched their top man, Michael Angus to USA to get things sorted, and he did.
One result was launching of Surf liquid then powder detergent to USA market.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1987-06-04-8702110171-story.html
https://www.referenceforbusiness.com/history2/66/Lever-Brothers-Company.html
Zip Codes were introduced by USPS in 1963 and became mandatory in 1967. Box in OP gives address of Lever House (still located on Park Avenue) simply as "New York, N.Y.".
Thus my money says packet is from early 1960's a time when Lever Bros was trying quite hard to break into USA heavy duty laundry detergent market.
Notice on packet in OP OMO makes frequent use of word "heavy" obviously alluding to product being a "heavy duty" detergent. Lever Bros. didn't use such marketing elsewhere so there you are then.
angus
Well-known member
Interesting- Surf powder disappeared from the US markets around 1972 - 1973 (after a late 1960's rebranding as "Cold Water Surf") as did many other brands. That was around the time that all the phosphate hysteria was at its height so I would think the manufacturers took that opportunity to whittle down their offerings for slower moving products. Yet Lever kept brands like Rinso, Breeze, Fluffy All, Cold Water All and Silver Dust on the market. Those weren't very popular brands to begin with- Breeze and Silver Dust never were and they really didn't offer a great value - more expensive than others because of the glasses and/or towels they included, but you got less product. Fluffy All just never made any sense. And the Rinso brand was considered kind of "old fashioned". Breeze, Fluffy All, Cold Water All powder and Silver Dust eventually faded away, but for Rinso, they just changed it from the "Color Bleach" formula to a bargain brand and watched it die a slow death. I recall the "reintroduction" of the Surf brand in the late 80's. Lots of coupons and deals, and it turned out to be a very respectable performer. Consumer Reports rated it at the top of the cleaning heap going head to head with Tide (at least the powdered version). So Lever clearly had the ability to produce a solid competitor but wonder if they just didn't "get" how to flood the US market. Or maybe it was just impossible to successfully compete against the marketing power of the P&G behemoth.
Both Surf powder and liquid detergents were around well into 1980's and beyond IIRC.
Positioned as detergent for "tough odors"...
All became known for "Bleach, Borax and Brighteners"
All then got "Stain Lifters"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HLevk6wUVrI
Wisk became famous for "Ring Around the Collar"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nUwiXl7iz80
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQA7voWSDI0
Lever Bros also brought out Wisk powder (Power Scoop), and ultra concentrated detergent.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dDF5prA5ivA
By 2008 Unilever had enough and exited North American laundry detergent market. Wisk, Sunlight, Sun, Snuggle, and All were purchased by Vestar Capital Partners to be combined with Huish detergent company. Huish company became Sun which was subsequently purchased by Henkel of Germany.
Henkel (which also owns Dial corporation) discontinued Wisk in 2016 leaving recently introduced Persil "Pro Clean" as their TOL laundry product for North America.
It took decades and some doing but Henkel was able to accomplish what Lever Bros couldn't; Persil "Pro Clean" for a brief period dethroned P&G's Tide as top scoring and selling laundry detergent for USA market.
Henkel has kept "All", "Sun", "Snuggle" and "Surf" on USA laundry product market.
Sunlight (one of Lever Bros. most iconic brands) is only sold in USA for dishwashing. Meanwhile one can purchase Sunlight detergents in Canada.
https://www.henkel-northamerica.com/brands-and-businesses/sunlight-740978
Positioned as detergent for "tough odors"...
All became known for "Bleach, Borax and Brighteners"
All then got "Stain Lifters"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HLevk6wUVrI
Wisk became famous for "Ring Around the Collar"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nUwiXl7iz80
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQA7voWSDI0
Lever Bros also brought out Wisk powder (Power Scoop), and ultra concentrated detergent.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dDF5prA5ivA
By 2008 Unilever had enough and exited North American laundry detergent market. Wisk, Sunlight, Sun, Snuggle, and All were purchased by Vestar Capital Partners to be combined with Huish detergent company. Huish company became Sun which was subsequently purchased by Henkel of Germany.
Henkel (which also owns Dial corporation) discontinued Wisk in 2016 leaving recently introduced Persil "Pro Clean" as their TOL laundry product for North America.
It took decades and some doing but Henkel was able to accomplish what Lever Bros couldn't; Persil "Pro Clean" for a brief period dethroned P&G's Tide as top scoring and selling laundry detergent for USA market.
Henkel has kept "All", "Sun", "Snuggle" and "Surf" on USA laundry product market.
Sunlight (one of Lever Bros. most iconic brands) is only sold in USA for dishwashing. Meanwhile one can purchase Sunlight detergents in Canada.
https://www.henkel-northamerica.com/brands-and-businesses/sunlight-740978
angus
Well-known member
Yes, Surf hit the US market again in 1986 or 1987 and was around for a fairly long time. In the early 90's Lever introduced an additional version with "color safe bleach"in both ultra concentrated powder and liquid versions. Up until recently you could still find it at WalMart and Target in its three scents. However, it seems to have disappeared again. No one in this area has it in either liquid or powder formulations. I guess some is available in the Sparkling Ocean scent via eBay or Amazon. And some institutional or janitorial websites carry cases of 100 single load boxes of Sparkling Ocean powder. I see that Henkel still refers to the brand on their website, but I have no idea where it is sold - clearly not here in the Northeast!!
Nabbed a job lot of vintage Surf powder detergent many years ago now. Thus haven't bothered looking since.
https://www.automaticwasher.org/cgi-bin/TD/TD-VIEWTHREAD.cgi?46013_8
https://www.automaticwasher.org/cgi-bin/TD/TD-VIEWTHREAD.cgi?39129_23
In UK and some other markets Lever Bros. marketed Radion detergent for laundry with a whiff.
Surf OTOH was Lever Bros. value brand detergent. Marketed under "Square Deal" Surf's claim to fame was housewives got more product in a packet for their money.
https://www.automaticwasher.org/cgi-bin/TD/TD-VIEWTHREAD.cgi?46013_8
https://www.automaticwasher.org/cgi-bin/TD/TD-VIEWTHREAD.cgi?39129_23
In UK and some other markets Lever Bros. marketed Radion detergent for laundry with a whiff.
Surf OTOH was Lever Bros. value brand detergent. Marketed under "Square Deal" Surf's claim to fame was housewives got more product in a packet for their money.
Unilever Ireland really pushed Surf quite hard in the early 1990s on value for money terms, but it seems to have very much faded. They never really seem to know what to do with that brand. It’s all about scent these days, but it used to be a second tier value brand.
" It’s all about scent these days, but it used to be a second tier value brand."
Things vary by market.
In USA, France, UK and some other places OMO or Surf are largely all about scent.
https://www.proformula.com/uk/produ...detergent-tropical-lily-and-ylang-ylang-130w/
https://www.surf-detergent.com
https://www.unilever.co.uk/brands/home-care/surf/
OTOH in India, Africa and other markets Surf is still marketed as a "heavy duty" detergent.
Things vary by market.
In USA, France, UK and some other places OMO or Surf are largely all about scent.
https://www.proformula.com/uk/produ...detergent-tropical-lily-and-ylang-ylang-130w/
https://www.surf-detergent.com
https://www.unilever.co.uk/brands/home-care/surf/
OTOH in India, Africa and other markets Surf is still marketed as a "heavy duty" detergent.
Omo in France is the same product range as Surf in Ireland and the UK. They didn’t or currently don’t use Surf as a brand in the French market.
Also the French Unilever Persil range has no equivalent here. It’s a bit of a confusing one too - sort of natural scents focused but also sort of a second tier value brand that never quite makes its mind up.
I think tbh the second tier idea makes little sense these days as supermarket own brand are extremely good value and very competent products. Back in the 1980s that wasn’t really the case. Supermarkets here were full of very very cheaply own brand detergents, mostly made by McBride that were often very poor performers.
We used to have “Yellow Pack” in the Quinnsworth and Crazy Prices (yes, that was really a name of an Irish supermarket chain in that era …) which became synonymous with “cheap, basic and probably rubbish …”
These days the supermarket own brand household products are in a whole different league and many of them are definitely up the with mainstream brands in terms of how they perform.
So I think for the likes of Unilever or P&G etc making a second tier brand became a bit of a pointless exercise, as you were just competing with the store brands and their overheads will always be lower, and they’ve effectively no marketing costs.
Also the French Unilever Persil range has no equivalent here. It’s a bit of a confusing one too - sort of natural scents focused but also sort of a second tier value brand that never quite makes its mind up.
I think tbh the second tier idea makes little sense these days as supermarket own brand are extremely good value and very competent products. Back in the 1980s that wasn’t really the case. Supermarkets here were full of very very cheaply own brand detergents, mostly made by McBride that were often very poor performers.
We used to have “Yellow Pack” in the Quinnsworth and Crazy Prices (yes, that was really a name of an Irish supermarket chain in that era …) which became synonymous with “cheap, basic and probably rubbish …”
These days the supermarket own brand household products are in a whole different league and many of them are definitely up the with mainstream brands in terms of how they perform.
So I think for the likes of Unilever or P&G etc making a second tier brand became a bit of a pointless exercise, as you were just competing with the store brands and their overheads will always be lower, and they’ve effectively no marketing costs.
Old Novum from Sainsbury advert.
Quite a lot of money spent for advertising I shouldn't wonder for a private label product.
Quite a lot of money spent for advertising I shouldn't wonder for a private label product.
That was Novon, and the Sainsbury’s ad was quite unusual, but I haven’t seen any effort put into advertising laundry brands much here at all anymore. You see the odd and for Persil or Ariel, more effort seems to go into selling softeners and additives and dishwasher tablets these days.
Laundry detergent ads used to be a staple of every ad break and were high budget. They’re not anymore.
Incidentally, my username, Novum, refers to a defunct mid century Irish washing machine brand. I don’t think they quite made it into the automatic era, but were a big deal in the 50s and 60s
https://esbarchives.ie/2016/07/27/novum-washing-machine-brochure-1964/
Laundry detergent ads used to be a staple of every ad break and were high budget. They’re not anymore.
Incidentally, my username, Novum, refers to a defunct mid century Irish washing machine brand. I don’t think they quite made it into the automatic era, but were a big deal in the 50s and 60s
https://esbarchives.ie/2016/07/27/novum-washing-machine-brochure-1964/
Novum
Those washing machines especially the twin tubs have a Rolls / Colston look about them.
Never seen novum over here but have a Rolls among the collection in the shed.
Those washing machines especially the twin tubs have a Rolls / Colston look about them.
Never seen novum over here but have a Rolls among the collection in the shed.
I did a price conversion using an inflation calculator, and in modern terms the fancier of those twin tubs would cost €2000 ($2199) which putting as slightly more expensive than the a maxed out TOL Miele these days, yet it wasn't even automatic.
An automatic back then came in at the same kind of price as a small car, which probably explains why they took so long to catch on compared to the US i.e. didn't become common place until the late 60s and into the 70s.
Novum seems to still exist as a manufacturer / reseller of commercial refrigeration - display fridges etc.
I think a lot of those companies rebadged some or all of their ranges though. You can clearly see that with the Coleston washer-dryers in the 1970s, which were made by Riber and were sold under the name Thor here in Ireland and Ariston in some markets.
An automatic back then came in at the same kind of price as a small car, which probably explains why they took so long to catch on compared to the US i.e. didn't become common place until the late 60s and into the 70s.
Novum seems to still exist as a manufacturer / reseller of commercial refrigeration - display fridges etc.
I think a lot of those companies rebadged some or all of their ranges though. You can clearly see that with the Coleston washer-dryers in the 1970s, which were made by Riber and were sold under the name Thor here in Ireland and Ariston in some markets.
