Mascot
The product's mascot is the character Mr. Clean. In 1957, Harry Barnhart[10] conceived the idea.
The Mr. Clean character was developed in 1957 by the Tatham-Laird & Kudner advertising agency in Chicago for Procter & Gamble. Ernest C. Allen, a member of the agency's art department, is believed to have contributed to the concept development. The first visual depiction of Mr. Clean was created by Austrian-American commercial artist Frederick “Fritz” Siebel, who was commissioned by the agency to illustrate the character. Siebel also created several early print advertisements and the original packaging illustration for the product.[11]
According to Procter & Gamble, the original model for the image of Mr. Clean was a United States Navy sailor from the city of Pensacola, Florida, although some people may think he is a genie based on his earring, folded arms, and tendency to appear magically at the appropriate time.[12] (One of the live-action commercials has a character directly refer to Mr. Clean as a genie).
Hal Mason, the head animator at Cascade Studios in Hollywood, California modified the existing artwork in print-advertising to be more readily used for the television commercials written, produced, and directed by Thomas Scott Cadden. (Cadden also wrote the words and music for the original Mr. Clean jingle — see below.) The first actor to portray Mr. Clean in live action television commercials was House Peters Jr.
In a New York Times obituary for the original illustrator, Richard Black, the product Mr. Clean was referenced to as the "Genie in a bottle".[13]
Mr. Clean has always smiled, except for a brief time in the "Mean Mr. Clean" series of ads when he was frowning because he hated dirt. Although Mr. Clean is the strong, silent type, he did speak once in a few television commercials where actor Mark Dana appeared playing Mr. Clean in a suit-and-tie in the mid-1960s.
Mr. Clean's first name, Veritably, originated from a 'Give Mr. Clean a First Name' promotion in 1962.[14]
In 2005, Mr. Clean was shown in MasterCard's "Icons" commercial during Super Bowl XXXIX, which depicts advertising mascots having dinner together, where he is shown helping do the dishes, and receives some dirty ones from Charlie the Tuna.[15]
Mr. Clean appeared on the September 2010 cover of Biz X Magazine.[16]
Mr. Clean was redesigned by Chase Design Group.[17]
On September 8, 2016, Procter & Gamble announced a contest to find the replacement Mr. Clean. The contest was introduced with a new 60-second spot with actor Kellan Lutz spoofing an audition reel for the Mr. Clean role that took place in August 2016 Los Angeles, California. In addition to casting sessions at 404 NYC in New York on September 7, 2016, and Envision Studios LA in Los Angeles on September 14, 2016, contestants could also submit videos to the contest web site. The contest winner would receive $20,000 in mid-October, and be featured in the 2017 limited edition Mr. Clean calendar.[18][19]
In February 2026, Procter & Gamble held a marketing campaign in which Mr. Clean briefly "retired" as a mascot; posts on social media subsequently featured Mr. Clean attempting other hobbies and professions (including DJing and sports). Two weeks later, the mascot was relaunched alongside new and updated multi-purpose cleaner and Magic Eraser products.[20][21]
