Procter sells Sure deodorant line

Procter sells Sure deodorant line

Procter sells Sure deodorant line

Procter & Gamble sold its Sure deodorant line Tuesday, saying the 33-year-old brand no longer fits its strategy of focusing on products with a global reach.

Innovative Brands LLC, established by Phoenix-based private equity firm Najafi Companies, is buying the line as part of its plan to acquire and build consumer brands that larger corporations no longer want. Terms of the sale weren't released.

Innovative also bought P&G's Pert Plus shampoo brand for an undisclosed sum in July.

Michelle Syznal, a P&G communications director, said Sure is the No. 1 unscented deodorant brand, but that it's marketed for use by males and females while the consumer products company wants to make gender-specific appeals with its deodorants.

She said Sure has about 3 percent of the $2.4 billion U.S. market for deodorants and antiperspirants. P&G's Secret is the No. 1 brand for women and Old Spice leads sales for men, each with double-digit shares in the market, Syznal said. P&G also offers the Gillette deodorant series for men.

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