Ad of the Day: Mr. Clean Is Freshened Up for Millennials With a Catchy Upgraded Jingle

With his sparkling white T-shirt and gleaming gold earring, the animated Mr. Clean character was developed by Chicago agency Latham-Laird and artist Richard Black in the late 1950s as a mascot for a new detergent-based product from Procter & Gamble. The big dude's obsession with making household surfaces shine has been featured in ads ever since, though this marks the first major update of his theme song—originally penned by Tom Scott Cadden—in decades:

Hey, slinging those axes makes Mr. Clean look kind of like Moby, but with a better sense of melody and more of a career. 

While the ripped dude is most assuredly iconic, "we also discovered that there is something magical in the jingle," P&G associate brand director Kevin Wenzel tells Adweek. "We recognized that there was a uniquely ownable and relatable campaign in the jingle that could span generations."

Lyrical tweaks reflect the changing times. For example, references to cleaning white sidewall tires and window sashes have been removed. Also excised: a line about shining a diamond ring, because of course, the American Dream died back in the Eisenhower days. 

Here's an early Mr. Clean commercial for comparison:

Back in '58, Mom was expected to clean house, while Dad was presumably off boosting the GDP over a three-martini lunch. 

"We wanted to renew the jingle for today's millennial households," says Heather Chambers, creative director at Burnett Canada, making certain to show the product "helping to make the cleaning process easier with people from all walks of life." 

Here's a Spanish-language version of the spot, though the brand name is sung in English:

P&G believes the concept cuts across generational and cultural lines, scoring points with those who grew up with the chrome-domed, ultra-hygienic hunk and appealing to folks unfamiliar with the Clean One's charms. 

"His inherent appeal is less about demographics, and more about the insight that people are still spending time they need to do a thorough clean in their homes," P&G's Wenzel says. "His strength and well-groomed appearance fit what the product promises. One glance at him and you know he represents cleaning power." 

As for the lingering debate over the character's sexuality—some say Mr. Clean is gay; others insist he's just a cartoon—Wenzel maintains: "His one true love is cleaning."

Sing along if you can, to whatever version suits you, below.

The Original Jingle

Mr. Clean will clean up dirt & grime & grease in just 1 minute!

A: Mr. Clean cleans anything!

The 2016 Reboot

Mr. Clean gets rid of dirt and grime