Macleans (toothpaste)

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Macleans
Packets in an Australian supermarket with the three-striped (red, white and blue) logo
Product typeOral hygiene
OwnerHaleon
CountryUnited Kingdom
Introduced1919; 105 years ago (1919)
TaglineDid you Maclean your teeth today Daisy? (ca. 1938)[1]

Macleans is a brand of toothpaste manufactured by the British multinational company GlaxoSmithKline and is one of the oldest GSK brands still produced today.[2][3]

History

Macleans Peroxide, circa 1960

Macleans was introduced by New Zealand-born businessman Alex C. Maclean in 1919 during the post-First World War era of consumerism in Great Britain under the family business name of Macleans Limited and Beecham (now GlaxoSmithKline), whose roots originate to the 19th century.[4]

Maclean moved to Australia after the gold rush, then moved to the United States in the early 1920s to become a corset salesman, before launching his own brand for chemists, where he invented a tube printing operation that allowed different chemists' names to be printed on own name toothpastes in small batches.[4]

In 1923, Maclean hired a flight chemist Walter McGeorge who helped the company developed a range of merchandise and set the foundation for Macleans' transition into scientific medicine. In 1927, Macleans Peroxide Toothpaste, a pink formula, was one of the first whitening products introduced to the British oral care market, which proved to be extremely popular among consumerists, where a white variety was later launched.[2]

Popularity

The Macleans company scored a major takeover after Woolworths stocked it in the early 1930's (as the company only sold Colgate toothpaste previously). In 1938, Macleans was purchased by Beecham Group.[5] In 1987, GlaxoSmithKline introduced an antibacterial agent into the Macleans toothpaste, being the first to do so. In 1995, the brand launched a Whitening variety, the first mainstream toothpaste to whiten teeth. The brand was also the first to introduce bicarbonate of soda in its toothpaste products. In 1997, the brand launched a Macleans toothbrush, which has over 1800 bristles.[4] Macleans has over 40 years of heritage in Nigeria.[6]

Products

Containing fluoride, Macleans toothpaste is available in various types: Fresh Mint, White & Shine and Whitening.[2] There are also other variants such as Macleans Whitening, Macleans Ice Whitening Gel and Milk Teeth (for children). The 'white' varieties feature whitening microparticles that break up stains. Natural ingredients in the product include, eucalyptus, sage, and peppermint oil, with antibacterial and antiseptic cleansing agents.[6][7] Maclean's earliest cleaning materials used in their products were crushed bone, egg shell and crushed oyster shell.[4] Charles III had used and promoted the 'Fresh Mint' variety.[4]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Van side poster advertising Maclean's toothpaste". V&A Images. Retrieved April 19, 2024.
  2. ^ a b c "Macleans celebrates 100 years". P3Pharmacy. Retrieved April 17, 2024.
  3. ^ "A century of Macleaning teeth – Macleans toothpaste celebrates its 100th birthday". Grocery Trader. Retrieved April 17, 2024.
  4. ^ a b c d e "Macleans" (PDF). Brand Search - Super Brands. Retrieved April 17, 2024.
  5. ^ "A capsulated history of Beecham". Let's Look Again. Retrieved April 18, 2024.
  6. ^ a b "Macleans". GSK Nigeria. Retrieved April 17, 2024.
  7. ^ "Macleans Toothpaste". UK Health Centre. Retrieved April 17, 2024.
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