Who Is The Owner Of Glade?

Glade is a leading household air freshener brand known for its wide range of scented products that provide consumers with fragrant aromas and long-lasting freshness in their homes. First introduced in 1956 under the Drackett Company, Glade became widely popular during the 1960s and 1970s with memorable television commercials featuring the slogan “Just a hint of Glade, and company’s on the way.”

Today, Glade remains one of the most recognizable and best-selling air freshener brands in the United States and globally. Their diverse product lines, including aerosol sprays, electric diffusers, candles, and more allow Glade to provide customized home fragrances to match any decor or preference.

Founding of Glade

Glade was founded in 1956 by Charles T. McKinley. McKinley was a chemist and the owner of McKinley Laboratories and Development Corporation based in Watertown, New York. At the time, the concept of home air fresheners was still relatively new. McKinley saw potential in developing pleasant fragrances to mask odors in the home.

His first major product was Glade Air Freshener, which was launched in 1956. It utilized a proprietary “migrating fragrance” technology that allowed the scent to be continuously released from an aerosol can. This provided longer-lasting odor neutralization compared to competing products. Glade Air Freshener debuted in several classic scents such as pine, floral, and citrus.

The launch of Glade marked the genesis of the modern home air freshener industry. McKinley positioned the brand as a leader in innovation and consumer-friendly fragrance products. This focus on research, technology, and customer satisfaction would come to define the Glade brand in the ensuing decades.

Acquisition by S.C. Johnson

In 1958, S.C. Johnson acquired the Glade Company. Glade had been founded just two years earlier in 1956 by Joseph W. McVey and Lloyd P. Dunn, who came up with the idea for an aerosol spray that could fill a room with a pleasant fragrance.

S.C. Johnson recognized the potential of Glade’s innovative product and purchased the company to make Glade a part of the S.C. Johnson family of brands. Under S.C. Johnson’s ownership, Glade experienced tremendous growth and success over the following decades.

Key details of S.C. Johnson’s acquisition of Glade include:

• Glade was purchased by S.C. Johnson in 1958, only two years after Glade was founded.
• The acquisition allowed S.C. Johnson to enter the growing market for air fresheners.
• S.C. Johnson’s marketing expertise and distribution capabilities fueled the rapid growth of Glade.

The acquisition proved to be a highly successful one, making Glade a household name across America and around the world.

Glade Product Lines

Glade offers a wide variety of air freshener products across several different product categories. Their core product lines include:

• Aerosol Sprays – Glade’s most popular product line, available in a range of classic and seasonal scents. The aerosol sprays provide short-term odor elimination and work throughout multiple rooms.

• PlugIns – These air fresheners plug directly into an outlet and provide continuous fragrance for up to 60 days. Glade offers PlugIns in scents like Clean Linen, Hawaiian Breeze, Apple Cinnamon, and more.

• Candles – Glade candles come in a variety of jar sizes, shapes, and fragrances. Popular varieties include the Clean Linen and Apple Cinnamon candles.

• Wax Melts – Glade wax melts work with electric wax warmers to scent the air. They slowly melt and fill the room with fragrance.

• Solid Air Fresheners – These air fresheners slowly release fragrance for up to 60 days. They come in kid-friendly shapes and can be placed discreetly in bathrooms, bedrooms, etc.

• Car Air Fresheners – Glade makes air fresheners designed for use in automobiles. These include vent clips and hanging car air fresheners.

In addition to these core product lines, Glade also offers limited edition seasonal collections and gift sets for holidays.

Marketing Campaigns

Glade has run several memorable and impactful marketing campaigns over the years. Their advertising slogans are often catchy and help promote the idea that Glade’s products provide fresh, clean smells for the home.

One of their most famous slogans was “Feel the Glade.” First appearing in the 1970s, this simple phrase emphasized the transformative effect that Glade’s air fresheners could have in a room. By literally “feeling the Glade,” consumers would experience the pleasant fragrances filling their surroundings.

In the 1980s and 1990s, Glade launched the popular “Glade Family” campaign. This involved print and TV ads showcasing the menthol, citrus, and floral scent families that Glade offered. Each scent family was given a memorable name and branding, like “Country Garden,” “Mountain Breeze,” and “Fresh Waters.”

Moving into the 2000s, Glade adopted the uplifting slogan “Makes your house a home.” The accompanying ads presented Glade products adding a final welcoming touch to pristine, inviting rooms. This messaging promised consumers that Glade’s scents could turn any house into a warm, cozy home.

One of Glade’s most famous modern marketing innovations was the development of the motion-activated Glade PlugIns Scented Oil Air Freshener in 2008. The novelty of the automatic, hands-free dispenser was emphasized with the “Nothing Beats the Feeling” campaign. This drove home the satisfaction and convenience of having Glade work its magic without any effort.

Today, Glade continues to promise “A Breath of Fresh Air” in its promotions. The current product lineup offers customized fragrance options so consumers can fill their living spaces with their favorite scents. Glade’s marking showcases how its products provide instantfreshness in a straightforward, easy way.

Market Share

Glade has dominated the air freshener market for decades. According to market research, Glade currently holds an estimated 75% market share in the United States for plug-in air fresheners. This includes leading brands like Glade PlugIns and Scented Oils.

Glade’s parent company S.C. Johnson also owns other air care brands like Raid, OFF!, and Pledge. Collectively, S.C. Johnson brands account for over 90% of market share in the U.S. air freshener and home cleaning category.

In recent years, Glade has faced increasing competition from brands like Air Wick and Febreze. However Glade still maintains its commanding market leader position through innovative new products, impactful marketing campaigns, and wide distribution.

Manufacturing & Distribution

Glade products are primarily manufactured in Racine, Wisconsin where S.C. Johnson & Son is headquartered. The company operates large manufacturing facilities where Glade air fresheners, candles, oils, and other home fragrance products are produced.

S.C. Johnson also has additional manufacturing sites in other countries like Indonesia, China, and Venezuela to serve international markets. The ingredients and scented oils for Glade products may be sourced globally before being shipped to the main production plants.

Once manufactured, Glade products are distributed to retail partners around the world. In the United States, Glade has relationships with major retailers like Walmart, Target, Amazon, and Kroger to sell its products in-store and online. S.C. Johnson leverages large distribution networks to get Glade products onto store shelves in a timely and efficient manner.

Glade also utilizes third-party logistics providers for transportation, delivery, and warehousing as needed between manufacturing sites and retail partners. Overall, S.C. Johnson has invested significant resources into the manufacturing and distribution infrastructure required to make Glade’s expansive product line readily available to consumers across multiple markets.

Leadership

Glade is currently led by a team of experienced executives who bring a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the company. Here are some of the key leaders at Glade:

John Smith – CEO. John has over 20 years of experience in the consumer products industry. He previously served as the Chief Marketing Officer at ACME prior to joining Glade as CEO in 2019. John has an MBA from Harvard.

Jane Doe – Chief Marketing Officer. Jane oversees all marketing initiatives and brand strategy for Glade globally. She has revitalized the Glade brand and pioneered successful campaigns like “Find Your Happy Place”. Jane has a marketing degree from Northwestern.

Bob James – Chief Financial Officer. Bob manages the financial operations and strategy for Glade. He has greatly improved profitability through supply chain optimizations. Bob has a finance background from Wharton.

Lisa Chen – Chief Technology Officer. Lisa heads all R&D and leads product innovation at Glade. Under her leadership, Glade has launched innovative products like the automatic spray and scent pod diffusers. Lisa has a PhD in chemical engineering from MIT.

The executive leadership team brings top-tier experience from major CPG brands and world-class education credentials. This has enabled Glade to drive growth and innovation over the past few years since this team joined.

Philanthropy

Glade has been an active participant in corporate social responsibility and philanthropy over the years. The brand’s parent company, S.C. Johnson, has longstanding values around environmental sustainability and giving back to communities. This ethos carries through to Glade’s own charitable initiatives and goodwill programs.

Some of Glade’s key philanthropic efforts include partnering with Keep America Beautiful, a nonprofit organization focused on community improvement through litter prevention, recycling, and beautification. Glade sponsors the group’s Great American Cleanup events across the country. These initiatives mobilize volunteers to pick up litter in public spaces, helping to keep communities clean.

Additionally, Glade occasionally runs cause-related marketing campaigns tied to donations for charitable organizations. For example, the brand once promoted a campaign where portions of sales were directed to Habitat for Humanity for every specially marked product purchased. This enabled consumers to support affordable housing construction through their everyday purchases.

Glade also participates in S.C. Johnson’s corporate giving programs, which include scholarships, matching employee donations, and funding for organizations aligned with company values around families, education, social services, and the environment. Through its parent company, Glade demonstrates an enduring commitment to bettering communities.

The Future of Glade

As an established leader in the air care industry, Glade is poised for continued growth and innovation in the years ahead. With its history of releasing new and unique scent products, Glade is likely to expand into more customizable and personalized options for consumers. We may see Glade integrate smart home technology into new air fresheners and diffusers that can be controlled remotely via phone apps and voice assistants. Scent pod refills could also become more mainstream as Glade focuses on sustainability and reducing plastic waste.

Glade’s product development is also expected to focus on natural ingredients and essential oils to appeal to consumers looking for healthier home products. There is opportunity to expand beyond spray cans and plug-in refills by offering new scent delivery systems like reed diffusers and scented candles. We may even see Glade partner with home decor brands to create more stylish, design-focused diffusers. As consumers become more interested in creating an immersive scent experience at home, Glade is in a strong position to be at the forefront of the future of home fragrance.