Mr. Clean is the Strongest

When a brand is so pervasive that you can introduce new products or services different from the initial ones, and carry that branding across, why wouldn’t you?

Mr. Clean, an established and popular P&G brand of household cleaners, rather than focusing inward, has expanded nationwide to offer car washes. Delaware Online reported that, “spokesman Jeff LeRoy said it is licensed to operate in 41 states and the company plans to “make it as big as we can.”"

Despite the bad economy, despite household’s tightening their belts, and despite even the car wash industry suffering, P&G execs insist that the Mr. Clean brand itself is so strong that it can make the $15 to $24 car washes worthwhile. P&G’s VP of FutureWorks division Nathan Estruth said, “we start with an incredibly powerful brand, which is quite a difference versus the rest of the car wash industry.” But after P&G forecast that its total sales would fall for the current quarter, Mr. Clean must be a very strong brand to weather this climate.

But there’s more.

The car washes aren’t just about getting your vehicle clean. The car moves though a 160-foot wash tunnel that allows kids to shoot suds at the cars while adults can casually watch sports or news on flat-screen TVs sipping coffees. Sounds relaxing, but it’s the kids who are loving it! And now you’ve got your product.

Now, Mr. Clean doesn’t just cut the grease, he keeps your kids occupied for under $24. We may be in a tough economy and $24 seems a little steep for a car wash, but packing the kids up and providing at least a few hours of solid entertainment cannot be a bad idea.