Taking a Visit to the Procter & Gamble Archives: P&G History #PGMom
As I mentioned the last week in this post, I had a chance to attend a very exclusive event in Cincinnati, Ohio at P&G headquarters. We learned so much during our day with the Pampers team, so much so, I felt the need to break my knowledge down into a few posts.
P&G Connections
The day started in the P&G Archive’s which I was most excited about. As a proud P&G mom in Canada, I have had the opportunity to learn, review and test over 100 P&G products and really get to know the P&G brands.
We met Andrew in the Archives where he broke down the brand connections of P&G from their early start in 1837 to today 2013.
I could have listened to Andrew all day teach us about the history of the brands. Some brands were winners we still use today and some brands were fails that only made the next connection stronger. P&G took their brand fails and learned from them. That to me shows why their success has been growing strong for many decades.
Andrew has passion in P&G and his words were more than just a history lesson he was telling a story, for me the stories feed my love for entrepreneur’s. Andrew was answering the why’s and the how’s which helped connected the dots in the grid. Our time with Andrew was far to short, we barely covered the beginning of the web connecting all the P&G brands which all started in 1837, when Ivory soap met candles.
Procter, meet Gamble.
When William Procter (a candlemaker) and James Gamble (a soapmaker) married sisters Olivia and Elizabeth Norris. It happened that they all settled in Cincinnati, Ohio. The husbands then were persuaded by their father in law, Alexander Norris to become business partners. On October 31, 1837, as a result of the suggestion, Procter & Gamble was created. When Ivory soap met candles.
Classics
During our tour of the P&G Achives we had the chance to see some classic packages. Ones I remember seeing in my mom’s cupboards as a child. Like the Secret deodorant as seen below. How about the original Old Spice I can mentally see sitting on my grandpa’s table.
There were many moments as we walked through the P&G Archives that I was walking down memory lane. But there were even more moments that I learned something new. Like this….
Soap Opera
Since the exit of my all time favorite Soap Opera “All My Children” a few years ago, soaps have been vacant from my television. But there was a time when it was in the home of all. When house wives were known to enjoy their daily viewing of the “soaps”. Okay I know your thinking Tammy where are you going with this, right?
Did you know?
Procter & Gamble produced and sponsored the first radio soap operas in the 1930s (P&G having been known for detergents (soaps) as the content of the term “soap opera” came). When society switched to television viewing in the 1950s and 1960s, most of the new productions were sponsored and produced by P&G. The production The Young and the Restless is currently broadcast on CBS and is still partially sponsored by Procter & Gamble.
P&G are still very active in the world of production today. They have their hands in many productions you may have enjoyed over the years. ( Wikipedia says it best.)
Instead of a Diaper… Pampers
Since the focus of our trip was on Pampers, we were happy to learn some very interesting points on the first Pamper Diaper.
Did you know?
Pampers were created by a Grandfather! Back in 1956, P&G researcher Victor Mills, disliked changing the cloth diapers of his newborn grandchild. ( I am impressed he was changing them back in 1956!) At the time he assigned a fellow researchers in P&G’s Exploratory Division in Miami Valley, Ohio to look into the practicality of making a better disposable diaper. With much success, Pampers were introduced in 1961. ( Learn more on Wikipedia.)
The History on our P&G Achives tour was beautiful and something I will honor. I was inspired as I walked through the P&G Achives to embrace History a little more. To open my eyes up to the beauty in every story. To improve myself, just as P&G has done with their brands over time.
There is one brand that P&G has proved to me that even the best of products can be improved. This is with the innovation of the Pampers diaper. We can all learn something from the drive the Pampers team has to improve, an already incredible diaper. Stay tuned for my third post on my travels to Cincinnati as I break down the innovation of Pampers.
What is the one P&G brand that you can picture in your childhood home?
Thank you for reading In R Dream!
( I am a proud P&G mom. My views and opinion are always my own.I did refer to Wikipedia in this post. )
I cant believe so many of these products have been around for as long as they have! Their are tried and trusted products to say the least 🙂
Very neat! I couldn’t live without Tide.
Me either!
oh, heavens this takes me back to my childhood. I remember my mum rubbing our chests with Vick when we were suffering with a cough or cold. It was the little jar 5th from the left and I can smell it now! 🙂
That was my goal.
Hope your memories were sweet.
My Mum always used Ivory Soap Flakes to wash all her delicates!
Love old school ivory soap!
remember so many always liked the smell of vicks ♥
remember so many of these products from years ago vicks♥ the smell
What an amazing experience for you to attend! I really loved reading about it and seeing all of the old packaging! How fun 🙂
It was amazing, such a blessing. I would love to go back in a heart beat, so much more to learn.
What an interesting post and very informative also. I am a fan of P&G products and used many Pampers with my two kids.
This is neat experience! I remember Vicks!
This was a fascinating post. It’s hard to believe Ivory has been around that long and started out as candles. I remember the Vicks being in our home since forever. Pampers had only been out for 10 years when I was born…that’s amazing. I was one of those babies that couldn’t wear cloth diapers so I’m really glad that they invented these.
It was a fascinating trip. There were many “pinch me’ moments. Thanks Margaret for your comment!
My grandmother only ever washed her hair with Ivory soap. The smell today still reminds me of her 🙂
That’s pretty cool. I knew that Ivory soap was around for a long time, but not that long.
I wish I had the old Ivory boxes from my grandparent’s house – they were sought after by many family members.
The Old Spice and the Vicks stand out to me. My grandparents always had those around.
I had flash back of memories @ my grannies when I seen those photos…thanks
I find it amazing that a grandfather is the one that came up with Pampers! thinking back to my childhood all I can see is the Vicks, as soon as you got sick out came the bottle of Vicks all over the chest and back and throat, ugh
I did too! So glad he did 🙂
We always had Vicks in our house!! my parents always used it 🙂
I had flash back of memories of so many of the products pictured! Love Proctor and Gamble products! Great review thank you!
Vicks was always in our house, my mom’s favorite tool in her arsenal
This blog post is amazing to see! Wow!!…what a trip back in time. Thank you for the nostalgic review. It is so wonderful to see how things were and how they are today with the products.
Thank for sharing. My mom still uses Ivory soap and I think old spice for men was the only product around for men when I was growing up.
My grandmother use to slather my chest with VICKS Vapour Rub at the first sign of a cough or cold
Love seeing the old packing, reminds me of seeing some of these in my grandparents house. P&G products have been used in our family for years!
love seeing photos of old products
I LOVE stuff like this! Im kind of envious, I definately need to check that place out if I ever get the chance!
Hmm, let’s see, so many P&G products were in my home growing up (and still now). Crest, Head &Shoulders and Vicks are a few ones that were always around growing up. My dad has been using head and shoulders since before I was born!
This is so interesting! I always wondered how soap operas got their name!
October 31, 1837 Procter & Gamble was created. I love their products
I remember Ivory Soap as a staple in our home, although I haven’t used it in decades.
I remember that old Vicks jar! Was in my mom’s bedside drawer.
Neat to see some of the old packaging.
Cheers.
OH wow, I can remember so many P & G brands in our house growing up. Dad of course had the Old Spice. Mum with her Secret deodorant and Ivory soap. And Even as I grew up to adulthood and had children I use Pampers on my child. Early on I can remember when Pampers did not have elastic around the leg area and having a boy and knowing how little boys are built….welllll he would pee out the side of the leg during the night time and I’d have to change his clothes and literally everything! Then Pampers came out with the elastic in the leg area…yeahhhh problem solved!! I was so happy.
That’s so neat! I could picture the diapers in my childhood home.
My dad’s old spice was definitely always there on the counter and Tide has been an stand by product for us as long as I can remember and still is today!
I grew up with Ivory Soap and still use it today 🙂 P&G has always been a part of our family, we use many of their products!
This is very interesting! Thanks for sharing. I clearly remember my Dad using Old Spice after shave and we always had Ivory Soap in the bathroom! I love seeing the old packaging! It brings back a lot of memories!
They have been on the go so long. They sponsor the Young and The Restless. Watched the show for years. Thank god for pampers and all the other P&G products that make our lives easier.
Old Spice after shave was my dad’s favourite & I loved the smell of it. Love the old boxes and containers would love to have some of them to decorate my kitchen with.
I remember my Dad and his Old Spice after shave and deoderant. Every Christmas when I was a little girl this is what I got for my Dad . He always acted happy and surprised. One year I got him a big blue shaped ship with Old Spice products in it, it was also a piggy bank of sorts. This container we used to put all of our pennies in over the whole year and this is the money I used for my Christmas shopping.. Its so funny how products like this become part of a tradition.
Omg what a wonderful opportunity!
I remember using the herbal essence shampoo, the green one that smelled like Aloe. Vera. And the design was of a girl and the hair had flowers or something like that.
I can’t believe Pampers were made by a man,and i love all the old packaging everything was so simple back then,today we have to muck packaging garbage
I remember the big huge box of Tide powder detergent. Also, the Secret deodorant…..all things facinating on my mom’s bathroom counter!
I can’t believe Pampers were made by a man! Very cool blog post, thanks for sharing!
Very interesting history on P&G. I had read some before but not all.
Did not realize they where around so long? My father always used Old Spice. My mother still uses Ivory soap. Nice post. Thanks for sharing.
i remember the aerosol secret sitting in our medicine cabinet.
vicks for sure for as long as i remember lol mom putting it in the vaporizer or under my nose
Wow these pics bring back so many memories,I didn t know they have been around since 1837
My family used a lot of P and G products while I was growing up. It’s neat to see that I am continuing the tradition!
I did not know P&G produced and sponsored the first soap on radio.Wow all this information is amazing
I love the old bottles of Old Spice! Makes me think of my childhood. Amazing photos.
It is so amazing that P and G has been around so long! Growing up, I know my mom was a big fan of their products!
i would love a history tour of p and g. I only use pampers on my baby girl. Love them
I didn’t realize the company has been around for so long. I would have enjoyed that archive tour as well.
I love the smell of Old Spice.My husband uses it even now and I love Ivory Soap.Proctor and Gamble makes the most fantastic products.
Wow, it sounds like you had a great, informative trip. I love the fact that Pampers were created by a Grandfather! I remember my dad having Old Spice when I was a kid, he shaved with that every single day.
I can remember Pampers from when my brother was a baby!
I had no idea they have been around since 1837
I never knew they were around this long. Great story – thanks
That was an interesting article and I learned that Procter & Gamble produced and sponsored the first radio soap operas in the 1930s!
I found it interesting that a Grandfather designed Pampers especially back in the 50’s and 60’s.
Me too!
I learned that October 31, 1837 Procter & Gamble was created. They have great products!!
I would have loved to been there. It look like a really fun adventure. Very interesting that a grandfather developed the disposable diaper.
thanks for the great post. It sounds like it was a fun trip. I love the old packaging, some of it really brings me back to when I was a kid
Anything from P&G is trusted, they have built their business by being honest and accountable!
So true!
I learned that on October 31, 1837 Procter & Gamble was created. P & G is an awesome company!
I used to use the spray on Secret deodorant…loved it…thanks for sharing!
the connections thing is pretty interesting.. they seem to pretty much own everything
I learned as to why they were called soap operas and I did not know P&G produced and sponsored the first soap on radio. I still really miss AMC.
I found it most interesting that Pampers was designed by a grandfather…and that it came out in 1951! I didn’t know it came out that early. Here I thought it was discovered in the 70s!
Wow I had no idea how P&G started! Lots of interesting history there. Ivory soap sure is old!
Wow, I never knew that Proctor & Gamble were brother in laws! Also did not know that Pampers diapers were invented by a grandfather who hated cloth diapers! Who knew?
Wow, like you I think I could’ve listened to Andrew talk all day too! Secret was what my grandma wore, my mom, me.. my daughters… Old Spice is pretty strong in my family and still is. I love P&G products & thanks to them so much of our world is a better, more convenient place
Wow! Amazing that pampers were created by a grandfather and I am equally surprised that he was changing diapers in the 50’s!
I would love to visit! I’ve done a couple projects about P&G or on P&G product and I loved learning about the company history and product that doesn’t exist anymore, as well as some of the original packing. I loved the old Tide & Bounce packaging.
i loved to hear about the passion in the description of the company. their success of the pampers was interesting.
I learned the pampers was created by a grandfather would have never thought that lol
What an interesting trip down memory lane. I am sure that we had these P and G products in our home growing up but I can’t say I really remember. My mom does though!
I learned that P&G has been around since 1837 and was formed when Ivory Soap met candles
I too remember the Old Spice bottle in my dad’s bathroom. I also can’t imagine my kid’s childhood without Pampers!
I learned that On October 31, 1837 Procter & Gamble was created.
P&G is one of my favourite companies! Such great quality!
I never knew the origin of the name soap opera! Who knew??
a grandfather invented pampers and they have gone through so many innovations amazing
I learned that P&G has been around since 1837 and was formed when Ivory Soap met candles! I knew P&G has been around for awhile but I didn’t know it has been that long, and I found it interesting to learn how the company actually came to be.
I learned pampers were created by a grandfather.
I had no idea that William Procter was a candlemaker and James Gamble was a soapmaker and how it was they came about meeting each other.
That must really have been a fantastic trip and obviously very informative too. The only thing I can remember at home is the little jar of Vick (and that’s going back a long long way). I learnt that Pampers were introduced in 1961. I didn’t know that, maybe because I used cloth diapers on my children.
Great post. Sounds like an awesome trip. I found it most interesting that William Procter and James Gamble were married to sisters. I never knew that they were related in that way. I thought they were only business partners.
Wow…I had no idea that Ivory Soap or Old Spice was created by Proctor & Gamble…OR that Pampers was created by a grandfather, of all people…and in 1961! Crazy cool! What’s just as fascinating,, is the fact that he had one of his researchers (in 1956) figure out a way for non-cloth diapers, and 5 years later, Pampers was born! Fantastic!
It’s so awesome to learn about things like this…things that I never had a clue about. Who would have thought that P&G has been around since 1837…One thing that I DID know, was that Proctor & Gamble were two men who became relatives (in-laws) after marrying 2 sisters!
I enjoy learning facts like these too!
Sounds like a great time 🙂
i learn P & G has been around since 1837 ,i remember old spice from when i was growing up & my dad still uses old spice and now my boys use old spice body wash and deodorant
I learned that On October 31, 1837, as a result of the suggestion, Procter & Gamble was created.
I didn’t know that Procter & Gamble produced and sponsored the first radio soap operas in the 1930s
i was really impressed that P&G has been around since 1837 and they have great products and i remember 2 items that were in our home as a child Secret / old Spice what really impressed me was how the company has improved their inventory over the decades i loved the old boxes you couldn’t ask for any other company like this
I had no idea that Proctor & Gamble were related by marriage… good to know for trivia night 🙂
I cant believed that all those products are from P&G, I knew some of them but didnt realized how they were present in each part of the market
I learned that P&G brands started in 1837, after two brothers married sisters and became business partners!
that P&G first sponsored radio soap opera in the 1930’s.. wow,
I am super shocked to learn how old the P&G brand is. I can imagine how amazing it would have been to learn about how it all started and the different products and how they came about.
I didn’t know that P&G sponsored and produced the first radio soap operas in the 1930’s. That’s so cool
Surprised that pampers were created by a grandfather. Also that they have been around since 1956
I enjoyed reading your post! I learned that the company started in 1837. It’s neat to see all that old packaging! I remember that old Vicks glass jar.
Cheers.
I learned that Pampers were introduced in 1961
I loved learning about the products and how they have changed over the years
I just love seeing how the many different ‘brands’ are all connected. Until last yr I had no idea how many were linked. 🙂
I also remember the original Old Spice on my dads dresser never been in my grandfathers room
That P&G has been around since 1837.
I love this post, I learned so much! The pictures of the Secret deodorant brought back memories of my mom and my (much older) sisters using those!! I love the picture on the Pampers box – the baby face down, covered with a blanket, with toys beside her. All completely normal back then, but frowned upon these days! I like retro stuff like that, how you can tell certain things about an era just by a picture. And a funny fact I learned – that Procter & Gamble produced and sponsored the first radio soap operas in the 1930s. I didn’t even know there was such a thing back then! Cool post!
I learned that P&G was started in 1837 by two men actually called “Proctor” and “Gamble”
I learned that P&G is responsible for soap operas 🙂 I really love the photos. I remember some of that packaging!
The husbands then were persuaded by their father in law, Alexander Norris to become business. Thank you Mr. Norris, without your will and ways my favorite selection of brand a company I whole heartily trust would not exist.
I find it interesting that Pampers were created by a grandfather…lol
pampers were made by a man!? what?! that can’t be true lol
I find it amazing that P&G has been around since 1837.
I didnt know any of the history of P&G . a bit of an interesting read
Wow. I like the old pampers box. Very classic. I remember seeing tide and sunlight around the house when I was growing up.
All of them?!! Tampax, febreeze, tide… to name a few
i learned that proctor and gamble were soap and candle makers
As someone who has worked with P&G in a professional setting it was really interesting to learn how it all started when William Proctor and James Gamble became family 🙂
I remember my grandfather always had Old Spice aftershave in the bathroom. Pretty cool all the products created by P&G. Loved the history you shared.
This sounds like a great trip. I had no idea that they were real people and i learnt that it began way back in 1837!
Wow, what an interesting tour. I love seeing old packages and labels — brings back so many memories. We recently found old catalogues and newspapers from the 1950’s while doing a renovation in our house – they were so much fun to look at. I had no idea the Pampers were born in 1961 — I actually thought it would have been late 60’s early 70’s.
I had no idea that Procter and Gamble were real people. Imagine that, and they married sisters.
Never new that P&G was started in 1837 by two men actually called “Proctor” and “Gamble”
Ivory soap , always so excited that it would float when i was a kid
Ivory Soap was always a staple in our house growing up. In fact, I even remember having to wash my hair with it while camping!
Oh gosh! Ivory soap for sure! I still remember the smell! I can smell it from anywhere lol
What a great experience! I love how P&G has such a rich history! It shows that they care about their products and care about its future! We are a huge P&G family!
Wow Tammy, what an incredible trip you had! What a great education and a great way to learn about the things that came before us. Definitely a trip to remember, I am sure. My house is full of P&G products, but the one that comes to mind immediately is Pampers, LOL. We could not have survived without them!
Suz
There are a couple of P&G products that we can’t live without! Looks like you enjoyed your trip!
I love P&G. They’re one of those trusted household brands that are so timeless and reliable!
I love P&G products! Sounds like you had an amazing time on this trip. Thanks for sharing.
We love P&G products and so this was really fun to read about! I wouldn’t have ever guessed a grandfather created Pampers because he wanted a disposable option, so neat!
Living in Green Bay WI and having a P&G Plant right in town, we are very familiar with the different brands. Of all the brands under P&G’s belt, Pampers is definitely the one we use the most!