The Minnetonka Corporation had a big selling product, going by the name of Softsoap. It was a liquid soap that was created by mixing soap with hartshorn, an oil created when ground deer bones or horns are distilled. 

They company also marketed Calvin Klein cosmetics. The company was obviously innovative in their marketing of consumer products. In other words, they used gimmicks and celebrity product lines to help build a sizeable market share. Building market share against Colgate & Lever Brothers was a hard task. During the mid 1980's, the company "invented" the toothpaste pump, it was created to give their brand of toothpaste a marketing edge against the major brands. Their brand of toothpaste was named Check-Up.

I have problems with the idea that they supposedly "invented" the toothpaste pump. The correct phrase would be, "re-invented the toothpaste pump." During the mid-1950's, Colgate marketed toothpaste in the same type and size of can that they still use today for their shaving cream. Mighty Mouse was a company spokes-rodent. Mr. Mouse was utilized for his abilities to convince the children to use the toothpaste in a pump can.

The only difference between the Colgate pump and the Check-Up pump was the size of the container and that the Colgate can was metal, as opposed to the plastic Check-Up pump. On October 11, 1984, The New York Times  printed a big story about the introduction of the toothpaste pump and how the other toothpaste manufacturers would have to scramble to put their products in a pump.

HISTORY REPEATS ITSELF.

Posted below is a photo of Colgate's response to the Check-Up pump.



You can also view the mid-1950's Colgate commercial with Mighty Mouse.












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