272. Wipe Out! TOILET PAPER BRAND ADVERTISING 1955-1967

The Covid-19 Pandemic put the world in panic, causing hoarding of essential sanitation products from alcohol, germicidal soaps, disinfectants—and even toilet paper! Americans, most especially, caused a temporary shortage of toilet paper in the U.S. shortly after the break-out of the corona virus infection.

The practice of wiping one’s self clean with paper sheets after taking a poop is an American habit. It began in 1857 when enterprising Joseph Gayetty invented aloe-lined sheets of manila hemp that were sold in boxes. This led to the commercial production of toilet paper and one of the pioneers was the Scott Paper Company.

 

SCOTTISSUE by Scott Paper Co., 1967

SCOTT Paper Company was the first to put toilet paper on a roll, devised by 2 brothers, Clarence and E. Irvin Scott in 1890. The product outsold Gayetty’s medicated sheets, and the brothers—upon seeing the success of their toilet paper—cast aside their initial shame about the nature of their business—and began branding their toilet tissue with their name in 1913. By 1925, Scott Paper Co. became the leading toilet paper company in the world. In the 1960s, it operated in the Philippines and marketed the SCOTTISSUE brand. Kimberly-Clark Corporation acquired the company in 1995.

 

KLEENEX AND TISS BATHROOM TISSUE, Kimberly-Clark 1967

KIMBERLY-CLARK Philippines Inc., began its Philippine operations in 1964. Started in 1872, it is now a leading global marketer of Family Care, Personal and Professional Care products for use in the home, business, and industry. Its most successful brand was KLEENEX facial tissue, and in 1966-67, introduced KLEENEX BATHROOM TISSUE, which claimed to be the softest. It was sold in 4’s, packed in plastic wrap.

TISS was another paper line with a more popular price. The brand name was carried by its boxed facial tissue, table tissue and toilet paper products. TISS BATHROOM TISSUE would eventually disappear from the Philippine market.

 

SUPER TISSUE, a Globe product of Keng Hua Paper, 1955

The first local producer of toilet paper can be claimed by the venerable KENG HUA Paper Products Co. Inc. of Malabon, which was a pioneer supplier of paper products for school and office needs like bond paper, pad paper, notebooks and carbon paper. It was the largest envelope manufacturer in the Philippines. In 1955, it began manufacturing SUPER TISSUE, a soft and absorbent toilet paper rolls of 1,000 sheets.

While there was much hoopla about toilet paper shortage in the U.S., Filipinos had a “much ado about nothing” attitude of the worldwide tissue issue. After all, there’s still the good old “tabo”—dipping cans—traditionally used to wash and clean their butts. No wiping, no toilet paper needed. Only a good soap washing afterwards!

SOURCES:

How America Convinced the World to Wipe:

https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/23210/toilet-paper-history-how-america-convinced-world-wipe

Scott Paper Company., https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scott_Paper_Company

Kimberly-Clark: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kimberly-Clark

178. Brand Names that Became Everyday Pinoy Words #5: KLEENEX TISSUES

KLEENEX IS TISSUE, TISSUE IS KLEENEX. Early Philippine ad. 1953.

To many Filipinos growing up in the 1960s and 70s, facial tissue was KLEENEX and KLEENEX was facial tissue. But the soft, gentle tissue actually began as crepe paper that was developed by Kimberly-Clark as a filter for gas masks during the first World War. This absorbent paper was refined for use in the company’s first consumer product—Kotex feminine napkins in 1920.

VINTAGE KLEENEX,www.kleenex.co.uk/history

Next, the paper was made thinner, more supple and softer, and introduced a new tissue product called KLEENEX in 1924, because it was meant to remove cold cream on a woman’s face, leaving it clean. The –EX was appended so that the brand name will be aligned to the Kimberly-Clark family of products that already includes Kotex. In fact, the early ads of KLEENEX showed movie stars wiping off theatrical make up with the tissue.

But by 1926, consumers were finding new usage for KLEENEX Tissue—as alternative disposable handkerchiefs for blowing noses, and even some, as wipes for the toilet. Thus Kimberly-Clark had to address this larger market, introducing innovations through the years such as multi-ply, printed tissues, packaging novelties, scented/ unscented versions, quilted, large sizes.

SOFT..STRONG..KLEENEX. 1962

KLEENEX was introduced in the  country in the 1950s, and the first print ads appeared in local magazines in 1953. Kimberly-Clark Philippines Inc., which began its Philippine operations in 1964, took over the manufacture and manufacturing of its consumer products that include KLEENEX.  

MAN-SIZE KLEENEX TISSUES. 1966

By then, KLEENEX had gained top-of-mind awareness in the local market, just like in other countries where it was marketed. You would hear Filipinos asking for “KLEENEX!”at stores,  when they need tissues. Today, KLEENEX still enjoys a high brand awareness, even if cheaper, lower quality tissues abound in the market. Though not a market leader , KLEENEX is one of the top leading professional brands of Kimberly-Clark for enhancing health, hygiene and well-being.

DESIGNER KLEENEX, 1968

SOURCES:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Facial_tissue

The Kleenex Story: https://www.kleenex.co.uk/history/