Kolynos is a line of oral care products created by Newell Sill Jenkins in 1908 and acquired by Colgate-Palmolive in 1995. The name is a combination of two Greek words, meaning "beautifier" and "disease preventer".[1]
The products were popular in the 1930s and 40s, and sponsored several well-known radio programs, including Mr. Keen, Tracer of Lost Persons.[2]
Although not now readily available in the US, the brand remains strong in Latin America, and also manufactured in Hungary, Slovenia (Henkel). In Brazil, Kolynos was the second best- selling product, after Colgate itself. Because of antitrust concerns at the time of the acquisition, Colgate-Palmolive agreed to suspend marketing Kolynos-branded toothpaste in Brazil for a number of years, but Colgate-Palmolive shortly began selling what was essentially the same product, with very similar packaging and marketing, under a new brand called Sorriso ("Smile" in Portuguese), successfully transferring most of the customer loyalty to the new line of toothpaste. Kolynos jingles have been written in several languages. In Peru, Kolynos is synonymous with toothpaste and a big smile can be called a Kolynos smile.
- ^ Segrave, Kerry (29 November 2014). America Brushes Up: The Use and Marketing of Toothpaste and Toothbrushes in the Twentieth Century. McFarland. p. 35. ISBN 978-0-7864-5684-0.
- ^ "Interesting Info". December 21, 2004. Archived from the original on 2004-12-21.