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Mr. Clean is a brand name of a popular cleaning product. Mr Clean also makes a
melamine foam cleaner under the name-brand of
Magic Eraser.
Mr. Clean is known as
Mr. Proper in mainland Europe, probably to avoid confusion with Mr. Sheen and
Mr. Muscle. In the United Kingdom it is known as
Flash. In Canada, the French name is
M. Net (
nettoyer is the French verb for "to clean"'). In Spain, the name changed from
Mr. Proper to
Don Limpio (
limpiar is the Spanish verb for "to clean"), while in Mexico he is named
Maestro Limpio (Master Clean). In Italy he is named
Mastro Lindo (Master Clean, as in Mexico), in Germany
Meister Proper, in France
Monsieur Propre.
The product's mascot is the character Mr. Clean, a muscular, tanned, bald man who cleans things very well. According to the company, his image is supposed to be that of a sailor, although most people think he is a
genie based on his
earring, folded arms, and tendency to magically appear at the appropriate time. Mr. Clean has always smiled on the packaging, except for a brief time in the mid 1960's when he was frowning on the package. He also has never talked.
Jingle
Mr. Clean's theme song has been around since the product's introduction, initially sung as a pop-music style duet between a man (Don Cherry) and a woman (Betty Bryan). The Mr. Clean advertising jingle was written in 1958, the year the product was introduced, by Thomas Scott Cadden. The jingle is registered with ASCAP under title code 570098598 & 570006267. It has been played as recently as 2007, usually in a contemporary musical setting or instrumental version.
Mr. Clean in popular culture
- Mr. Clean's appearance with his tight muscle shirt, ear piercing, stylishly handsome looks, fastidious habits, and helpful but deferential persona in television commercials, has made Mr. Clean into something of a Chelsea Boys-style gay icon.
- Mr. Clean has been used as a derisive term in the same manner as List of idioms in the English language#G or Boy Scout, describing someone who displays conspicuous morally upstanding behavior. The term has been used by Dick Vitale to describe a basketball play that at first glance appeared to be a foul but, in fact, was not.
- In the American Broadcasting Company series Lost (TV series), James "Sawyer" Ford addresses John Locke (Lost) as Mr. Clean, in a reference to Locke's bald head and strong build.
- In Space Quest VI, by clicking on a Mr. Soylent machine, you will hear a jingle similar to that of Mr. Clean.
- State Military characters of the Fullmetal Alchemist anime#Alex Louis Armstrong from Fullmetal Alchemist anime and manga series has an uncannny resemblance with Mr. Clean and is jokingly known as "Colonel Clean" among fans.
- In the video game, NASCAR 2005: Chase for the Cup, an unlockable gives the player the ability to turn his regular pit crew into a pit crew of Mr. Cleans.
Mr. Clean Scenes Competition and Controversy
- In March 2007, an online competition (found at http://www.mrcleanscenes.com) was held in association with YouTube. The public was given the opportunity to create a commercial advertising the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser. The competition ran through June 30, 2007. Entrants were asked to use up to 60 seconds of time for their advertisement. A prize of $10,000 is slated for the announced winner, based on an independent judging corporation's scoring.
- In September 2007, the winning video "Here's To Stains" was announced on the website's main page, but the grand prize had not yet been awarded to the selected video's creator, due to an error by the contestant during the submission process. The entrant was supposed to submit his/her video into the "Mr. Clean Scenes Group" on YouTube before submission onto the Mr. Clean website, per Rule #3 of the website's "Official Rules and Terms." However, the contestant failed to do so, possibly resulting in forfeit of the prize and a different contestant being claimed the winner.
- As of October 2007, Procter & Gamble sent a letter to one of the contestants, the one who brought the controversy to the attention of the corporation, stating that Procter & Gamble is actively investigating the issue.
External links
- Product history
- Flash "Britain's Cleaner" Advert
- Flash "Britain's Cleaner" Advert Music on iTunes
- "Mr. Clean" USA Radio Commercial - MP3 Date Unknown