Teen Spirit (deodorant)

Teen Spirit is an anti-perspirant/deodorant, originally sold by Mennen until the company was acquired by Colgate-Palmolive in 1992. [cite web | url = http://www.colgate.com/app/Colgate/US/Corp/History/1991.cvsp | title = Colgate History | accessdate = 2006-07-03] The Teen Spirit line of products has been steadily losing popularity since its peak in the early 1990sFact|date=October 2007. However, this peak was largely due to its inadvertently being featured in the 1991 popular Nirvana song "Smells Like Teen Spirit." Before this, the Teen Spirit line was much as it is now, small and relatively unheard of.

Teen Spirit was first released by Mennen early in 1991, and with heavy advertising campaigns, it had soon "established a market niche" with teen girls. [cite web | url = http://www.highbeam.com/doc.aspx?DOCID=1G1:10958371&num=6&ctrlInfo=Round20%3AMode20d%3ASR%3AResult&ao=&FreePremium=BOTH&tab=lib | title = Mennen Innovation Key | accessdate = 2006-07-03] However, one of its biggest boosts came from the grunge band Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit," a song that was inspired by a friend of lead singer Kurt Cobain, Kathleen Hanna (lead singer of the punk band Bikini Kill at the time), spray painting "Kurt smells like Teen Spirit" on his wall (because Tobi Vail, Hanna's band mate and Kurt's then-girlfriend, wore Teen Spirit). At the time the song was released, Cobain had no idea that the brand even existed; when he did find out, he was rather upset that the song had been named after a line of deodorant. [cite web | url = http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=416 | title = Smells Like Teen Spirit Song Facts | accessdate = 2006-07-03]

Nonetheless, Mennen wasted no time in taking advantage of the song's popularity. While legal restrictions limited the use of the song and its lyrics in their advertisements, the company made sure to get the point across. With slogans such as "Do you smell like teen spirit?" and "Deodorant made for "your" generation" it was believed that the references to the song would be obviousFact|date=October 2007.

When Mennen was acquired by Colgate-Palmolive in 1992, the Teen Spirit brand was said to be the most popular product of its kind, and was the favorite of nearly 1/4 of all teenage girls. Because of its immense popularity, Colgate-Palmolive planned to begin a new hair care line with the Teen Spirit Name. The new hair care products were released in August and sold well, as they were expected to. [cite web | url = http://www.highbeam.com/doc.aspx?DOCID=1G1:13906192&num=3&ctrlInfo=Round20%3AMode20d%3ASR%3AResult&ao=&FreePremium=BOTH&tab=lib | title = Colgate Aims to Capture Teens| accessdate = 2006-07-03]

Unfortunately for Colgate, the Teen Spirit name began to lose its share of the market, just as the song with the same name started to drop off the charts. Before long the company was forced to drop the hair care line, but kept the deodorants. Today, all that is left of the Teen Spirit franchise is "Teen Spirit Stick." Teen Spirit Stick is offered in four fragrances: Sweet Strawberry, Berry Blossom, Pink Crush, and NEW Pop Star. These scents can be bought in either the 1.4 or 2.3 ounce (40 or 65 gram) sizes. [cite web | url = http://physlabs.stores.yahoo.net/personal-care-deodorants-teen-spirit.html | title = Physlabs Store | accessdate = 2006-07-03] Both claim "all day extra effective protection" and a "long lasting fragrance." [cite web | url = http://www.colgate.com/app/Colgate/US/PC/TeenSpirit/HomePage.cvsp?cid=GoogleCorp_teen_spirit | title = Teen Spirit Main Page | accessdate = 2006-07-03]

References

External links

* [http://www.colgate.com/ Colgate-Palmolive Homepage]
* [http://www.colgate.com/app/Colgate/US/PC/TeenSpirit/HomePage.cvsp?cid=GoogleCorp_teen_spirit Teen Spirit Home Page]