173. PMC LUTO: “The Soap that Fights Dirt!” (1951)

Philippine Manufacturing Company (PMC) started as Manila Refining Co., way back in 1908 for the purpose of manufacturing candles and fertilizer. By 1917, PMC forayed into vegetable shortening production, but things too off when Procter & Gamble of Cincinnati U.S.A. purchased PMC in 1935, resulting in the expansion of its product portfolio.

PMC entered the soap business in 1950 beginning with Camay. The next year, PMC ventured into the detergent business with the introduction of PMC LUTO.  The laundry soap came in blocks of to, and the PMC trademark is carved in every genuine block of PMC LUTO Soap.

The early 1951 ads were all in English, using the campaign theme “The Soap that Fights Dirt”. In an age where advertising regulations were still no-existent, PMC LUTO  was described as “the most effective laundry soap—easy-lathering, fast-working”.

One of the comics-style ad shows a lavandera from Saluysoy, Bulacan, extolling the virtues of the product in perfect English—“PMC LUTO really lathers easily..makes laundry chores a pleasure!”

By 1954, the PMC LUTO print ads now were appropriately written in the Pilipino language.  There was a new power ingredient too—Lumina—“bagong pampasinag na sangkap!”. The ad copy was picturesque and flowery—“Limutin ang mga “Antuking Sabon”! Damit na nilabhan sa PMC LUTO ay nagiging higit na malinis, napakabango! Ang puti ay higit na pumuputi, ang mga kulay higit na marilag!

PMC LUTO would give way to a new, breakthrough detergent powder in 1957—a first in the Philippines—TIDE--which would make Procter & Gamble PMC an undisputed leader in the detergent industry.