Mr Muscle elbows out Pledge floor cleaners

SC Johnson is to withdraw Pledge from the floor cleaning market as part of a wider relaunch of its dust and dirt cleaning range.

The company will instead launch a floor cleaning line under its Mr Muscle brand this summer, transferring existing Pledge products such as the wet wipes floor cleaning system and sweeping kit to the flagship brand.

The Mr Muscle floor care line will be supported by an estimated &£1m advertising campaign this summer, according to industry sources, but SC Johnson promises a larger campaign if consumers accept the brand change. Banks Hoggins O’Shea/FCB handles the company’s creative account, with media buying and planning by Zenith Optimedia.

An industry insider says: “SC Johnson sees Mr Muscle as the more natural home for the floor cleaning products, although Pledge can certainly be said to have been a success in the market already.”

Meanwhile, the core Pledge aerosol cleaning range will be relaunched this summer in updated packaging. SC Johnson will put advertising support behind the brand in time for its revamp.

Competition in the floor wipes market has intensified recently, following the launch of a wet wipes version of Mr Sheen by Reckitt Benckiser last summer. Procter & Gamble also entered the market with Flash Express wet floor cleaner at the beginning of 2002.