OMO
OMO’S GLOBAL SUCCESS
Omo, short for “Old Mother Owl” was originally registered by Lever Brothers in 1908. The original product was a household bleach, but it remained on the market for only a short time before being pulled from shelves. Omo was re-released as a ready-to-use simple washing powder in 1909. OMO quickly expanded into international markets and became a leading household detergent brand throughout Europe, Africa, Latin America, and Australia. By the 1960s, Omo had become one of the world's leading washing powders, benefiting from the growing popularity of washing machines and modern household appliances.
A STAPLE IN THE WASHING INDUSTRY
Omo continues to evolve with new advances in technology and in 1929, the Lever Brothers merged with the Dutch company Margarine Unie to form Unilever, creating a global organization that helped expand OMO mass produce into international markets. Unilever promoted the Omo brand through newspaper advertisements, magazines, radio programs, television ads, and colorful store displays, helping make it a familiar household brand nationwide. Omo expanded rapidly into international markets in the 1950s, launching in Kenya in 1953 where it became one of the country's most successful household brands, entering the United Kingdom the following year. Omo's popularity continued to grow throughout the second half of the twentieth century, becoming one of Unilever's best-selling household products.
