| Clorox Fun Facts
The Clorox Company's original name was The Electro-Alkaline Company.
In
1913, Clorox® liquid bleach was initially offered in five-gallon
crockery jugs for industrial concerns such as laundries, breweries,
walnut bleachers and municipal water companies. This product was
delivered by horse and wagon to various customers in the San Francisco
Bay Area for use as a bleach, stain remover, deodorant and disinfectant.
Clorox®
bleach made a cameo appearance in the Academy Award-winning movie,
Million Dollar Baby, when actor Morgan Freeman's character
discusses how he prefers Clorox® bleach.
Our
STP® brand got its start in 1954 in St. Joseph, Mo., when
three businessmen bottled a petroleum additive that reduced friction
and oil thinning. The "Scientific Treatment of Petroleum,"
which was initially produced in a backyard garage, developed a
loyal following in the motor racing community in the '50s and
early '60s. By 1964, two out of three cars racing in the Indianapolis
500 used STP® oil treatment. Shortly thereafter, STP decided
to sponsor its own racing team. This decision paid off in 1969,
when Mario Andretti won the Indy driving an "STP Special."
In
1966, West German entrepreneur Heinz Hankammer developed a filter
for producing completely desalinated water and started a business
to manufacture and sell the filters. He didn't have to think too
long about what to call his new company; it was named after his
daughter, Brita.
From
1920 to 1960, the Clorox® advertising spokesman was an animated
bleach bottle named "Butch."
Over
the years, The Clorox Company has featured prominent celebrities
in its ad campaigns:
- Joan Rivers: The former Tonight Show guest host,
now known for terrorizing fellow celebs on the red carpet, appeared
in the Glad® "Mad Characters" campaign in 2001.
- Johnny Cash: The "Man in Black" is the only
person to have been inducted into the Songwriters, Country Music
and Rock And Roll halls of fame. Apparently he knew a thing or
two about cars, too. He appeared in an STP® ad in 1979.
- Rodney Dangerfield: The comedian who famously said, "I
get no respect," certainly had the respect of Glad®—they
chose him to appear in the Glad® "Mad Characters"
campaign in 2002.
- Sally Kellerman: She may be best remembered as "Hot
Lips Houlihan" from the movie M*A*S*H, but she was
also the voice of Hidden Valley Ranch® dressing commercials
in the '90s.
- Bob Knight: With a reputation for being one of college
basketball's hottest-tempered coaches, Knight was a shoo-in for
an appearance in the Glad® "Mad Characters" campaign.
He appeared in a spot in 2002.
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During
Clorox's early years, bleach competitors came and went. Many, like
Fourox and Lorox, tried to imitate the Clorox name, while others,
like Hypochlorite, actually bottled their product in secondhand
Clorox bleach bottles.
Today,
an estimated eight out of 10 American households use Clorox®
liquid bleach.
If
the number of Kingsford® briquets sold in a year were laid end to
end, they would circle the globe 31 times.
Products
that stand the test of time: Pine-Sol® cleaner was first sold
in 1929 and Formula 409® all-purpose cleaner was launched in
1957.
K
C Masterpiece® barbecue sauce was first marketed in 1977 as
"K.C. Soul Style Barbeque Sauce."
The
viking featured in our Armor All® brand advertising and packaging
is named Arnie.
The
Clorox Company's first acquisition was The Jiffee Chemical Corporation,
manufacturer of Liquid-Plumr® products, in 1969.
William
A. "Bill" Moss — the 1930s equivalent of the VP
of sales — was a loyal Clorox employee. In addition to being
the designated carver of Clorox's annual Thanksgiving turkey,
Bill drove the company Buick 18,000 miles in four months to
sign up distributors and open new markets for Clorox® bleach.
All this in an era before interstate highways!
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