Mitchum is a brand of antiperspirant-deodorant, owned by US personal care company Revlon. It is widely known for introducing the first commercially successful sweat blocking antiperspirant and its marketing tagline, "So effective you can skip a day," in use until 2007.

The Mitchum Company
FormerlyParis Toilet Co. (1913—1927)
Golden Peacock Co. (1927—1959)
Company typeSubsidiary
Founded1927; 97 years ago (1927) in Paris, Tennessee, U.S.
FounderMitchum Warren family
ProductsPersonal care
ParentRevlon
Websitewww.mitchum.com

On June 16, 2022, its parent, Revlon, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.[1]

History

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Mitchum was purchased by the Revlon Corporation in January 1970.[2] Originally known as the Paris Toilet Company and then the Golden Peacock Company,[3] the company carried a full line of cosmetics. Bill McNutt[4] is credited with inventing the antiperspirant. Other products launched by Mitchum, include "Esoterica" which helped with removing age spots. Before the company was sold to Revlon, it had existed for two generations and was headquartered in Paris, Tennessee.

Composition

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Mitchum unscented antiperspirant stick

All versions of their product used to contain 20 percent of the antiperspirant Aluminium zirconium tetrachlorohydrex gly and the roll-on still does. In 2007, they re-branded their entire line with a new active ingredient, Aluminum sesquichlorohydrate 25 percent. They went on to release a Smart Solid line, a water-based solid with a differing texture from most deodorants, that contained the original active ingredient. A standard invisible solid was released with the old active ingredient as well, with the name "Mitchum Advanced Control."[citation needed]

Controversy

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During the 1990 media controversy surrounding Arthur Scargill's handling of money donated for striking British miners, Mitchum used an image of the NUM leader, without his consent, under the slogan "Mitchum, for when you're really sweating!"[5] Scargill complained to the UK's Advertising Standards Association who criticised the advertisement as "highly distasteful".[6]

References

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  1. ^ "Cosmetics maker Revlon files for bankruptcy in US". BBC News. 2022-06-17. Retrieved 2022-06-18.
  2. ^ Hammer, Alexander R. (January 15, 1970). "Revlon Acquires Mitchum Concern". The New York Times. No. January 15, 1970. p. 86.
  3. ^ "Golden Peacock Shampoo | National Museum of American History". Americanhistory.si.edu. 2012-12-17. Retrieved 2015-10-15.
  4. ^ "Bill McNutt ~ Feature News Article". Ewgrove.com. 2004-07-13. Retrieved 2015-10-15.
  5. ^ Routledge, Paul (1994). Scargill: the unauthorized biography. London: Harper Collins. p. 226. ISBN 0-00-638077-8.
  6. ^ Routledge, Paul (1994). Scargill: the unauthorized biography. London: Harper Collins. p. 229. ISBN 0-00-638077-8.
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