Pantene Shampoo: History of the Product. Advertising Analysis

Pantene Shampoo History
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Pantene Shampoo History
Pantene shampoo is one of the most popular hair products in the world today. Owned by Procter & Gamble (P&G), the product is sold in numerous markets around the world. This paper traces the history of Pantene shampoo.
Discovery
In the 1940s, scientists from Swiss-based Hoffman-La Roche drug firm by chance discovered what would grow to be one of the world’s popular hair care products (Pantene, n.d.). In 1945, it was launched in Switzerland with the name Pantene, which came from the key ingredient ‘panthenol’ (Mahalli, 2019). According to Clow and Baack (2012), the product was launched in Europe in 1947, which marked the beginning of its international expansion.
Pro-V Science
In the 1960s, Hoffman-La Roche collaborated with Dr. Gustav Erlemann to come up with a special formula for use in hair care products (Pantene, n.d.). Innumerable hours were spent engineering and testing and eventually, a haircare formula for Pantene was developed. This laid a foundation for Pro-V science that is still part of the product name today.
Acquisition by Proctor $ Gamble
In its acquisition of Richardson-Vicks in 1985, P&G gained the rights to manufacture and sell Pantene (Clow & Baack, 2012). It is important to note that Richardson-Vicks had earlier acquired Pantene in 1983. However, it was when P&G took control of the product that it became a global brand. According to Hawes (1985), the before the acquisition, Unilever had tried a hostile takeover of the company. Richardson-Vicks, however, agreed with P&G for an acquisition that was worth over $1.2 billion. With the acquisition, Pantene was ready to become a global brand.
Controversial Campaign
A key factor that contributed to the popularity of Pantene in the 1980s was the launch of the campaign "Don't hate me because I'm beautiful." According to the website of the company, the advertising campaign is no...