Product type | Antiperspirant deodorant |
---|---|
Owner | Unilever |
Country | Australia |
Introduced | 1908 |
Related brands |
|
Markets | Worldwide |
Previous owners | Helene Curtis (Degree in the US & Canada) |
Tagline | It won't let you down |
Website | www |
Rexona is an Australian deodorant and antiperspirant brand owned by British conglomerate Unilever.
While marketed under the Rexona name in most countries, it is known as Rexena (Japanese: レセナ; Korean: 레세나) in Japan and South Korea, Sure in the United Kingdom, Ireland, and India, Shield in South Africa, and Degree in the United States and Canada.
The Rexona aerosol spray deodorant range are manufactured in Australia. All the other Rexona deodorant types (roll ons, etc.) are now manufactured in the Philippines.
History
Rexona was created in Australia in 1908 by Alice Sheffer, the wife of Samuel Fuller, who established the Sheldon Drug Company. In about 1930, Rexona was taken over by British soap manufacturer Lever Brothers, which became Unilever following a merger with Dutch company Margarine Unie[1] Unilever integrated Rexona into its global personal care line-up of brands. The products are available in varying forms including as aerosols, pumps, roll-ons, sticks and creams. In 2015, the brand launched a new range of fragrances with a new canister design, at the same time changing the formula.
Internationally
India
In India, it was launched in 1947 as a rival to Hamam, then a Tata product, then Hindustan Unilever. As Hindustan Unilever already uses Rexona as a soap brand, the Sure brand was used instead for deodorants, as it is in the United Kingdom and Ireland.
United States
Degree is a brand of antiperspirant for both men and women that is manufactured by Unilever. It comes in stick, gel, and spray forms. The stick form often comes with slogans pressed into the deodorant itself by the protective seal. For example, "Cool Rush" comes with the slogan "Take The Risk". The Degree brand name was created by Helene Curtis, which Unilever acquired in 1996.[2]
Other Sure brands
In the United States, Sure is an antiperspirant brand created by Procter & Gamble in 1972, marketed to both men and women. Innovative Brands, LLC, a portfolio company of Jahm Najafi Companies, acquired the brand from Procter & Gamble in September 2006,[3] after P&G had acquired Gillette.[4] The brand's ownership transferred to Helen of Troy Limited, which acquired the brand from Innovative Brands in March 2010.[5] Since being acquired by Helen of Troy in the United States, Sure is now marketed exclusively as a woman's antiperspirant. Although the brand already exists in the United States, Sure exists as a brand in the UK, Ireland and India, as the localized branding of Rexona, which has no connection to the US Sure branding.
Marketing
The Rexona and Sure brands were sponsors for the Williams Formula 1 team. The brands had previously sponsored the Lotus F1 team before from the 2014 F1 season onwards.
Rexona also developed a flash platformer called "Power Pamplona", which involves a bull runner racing across various countries.
Rexona, Rexena, and Sure brands are the sponsors of the English football clubs Southampton, Chelsea, Wolverhampton Wanderers, and Manchester City.[6][7] Rexona and Sure brands also sponsor the top Spanish football competition, La Liga, for the Latin American, African and Southeast Asian markets.[8]
References
- ↑ "About Us". Rexona. Archived from the original on 2020-09-20. Retrieved 2020-08-17.
- ↑ Collins, Glenn (1996-02-15). "Unilever Agrees to Buy Helene Curtis". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 2017-11-16. Retrieved 2019-10-04.
- ↑ Dealbook (26 September 2006). "P&G Sells Sure Deodorant Brand". DealBook. Archived from the original on 2012-03-09. Retrieved 2019-10-04.
- ↑ "Procter & Gamble Acquires Gillette". www.cbsnews.com. Archived from the original on 2020-08-03. Retrieved 2019-10-04.
- ↑ "UPDATE 2-Helen of Troy to buy privately held Kaz for $260 mln". Reuters. 2010-12-09. Archived from the original on 2021-01-17. Retrieved 2019-10-04.
- ↑ Glendenning, Matthew (2020-10-29). "Southampton joins Wolves, City and Chelsea in Sure portfolio". SportBusiness Sponsorship. SBG Companies Limited. Archived from the original on 2022-11-22. Retrieved 2023-07-04.
- ↑ "Rexona signs global partnerships with Premier League giants". SportBusiness Sponsorship. SBG Companies Limited. 2018-08-10. Archived from the original on 2023-07-04. Retrieved 2023-07-04.
- ↑ "LaLiga and Unilever reach worldwide sponsorship agreement for Clear Men and Rexona brands" (Press release). Liga de Fútbol Profesional. 2018-09-29. Archived from the original on 2023-05-03. Retrieved 2023-07-04.