History of Secret

Since 1956, Secret has been helping women bring out the best in themselves. By providing superior wetness and odour protection, Secret has given women the confidence they need to take on any challenge.

Secret was developed as a result of women’s desire for a product that would contribute to their feelings of femininity, daintiness and freshness. Secret Ice Blue roll-on was introduced in 1958, marking a significant moment in this era.

Tenley Albright, in 1956, became the first American woman to win an Olympic gold medal in figure skating. She later went on to graduate from Harvard Medical School and became a highly regarded surgeon in Boston.

In 1964, Secret Aerosol was introduced, also called Secret Super Spray. It helped keep women cool, calm and self-assured throughout the decade. In 1965, Secret launched in Canada, and in 1969, Secret Antiperspirant Spray was added to the already growing product line.

Jerrie Mock was the first woman to fly solo around the world in 1964. Flying a single engine Cessna 180, the flight took 29 days. She was subsequently awarded the Louis Blériot medal from the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale in 1965.

In 1972, the now-famous Secret tag line ‘Strong enough for a man, but made for a woman’ was introduced. The tagline still remains one of the most famous advertising lines of all time.

In a 1973 media event dubbed “The Battle of the Sexes,” women’s tennis champion Billie Jean King defeated former men’s champ Bobby Riggs before a worldwide television audience of 50 million.

During the 1980s, three new scents were introduced: Powder Fresh, Spring Breeze and Sporty Clean. By the end of the 1980s, Procter & Gamble had established Secret as the best deodorant for sweating, making it the leading women’s deodorant brand. During this time, Secret also began a relationship with the LPGA in 1987, Motorsports in 1987, and the Miss America Pageant in 1986.

In 1983, at the age of 32, Sally Ride became the first woman in space, on board the space shuttle Challenger. She also still holds the distinction of being the youngest astronaut to go into space. Sally left NASA in 1987 to then work at Stanford, and later, the University of California San Diego.

The 1990s brought more exciting innovations with the launch of Ultra Dry and Sheer Dry, which pushed the limits of strength and protection. Then in 1999, we introduced Platinum Soft Solid, the strongest over-the-counter form of protection available at the time. It quickly jumped to the head of the pack as one of the best deodorants for women. In 1998, Secret launched relationship-marketing efforts directed at teens and their mothers to encourage building self esteem in girls.

Manon Rheaume, a goalie from Canada, became the first and only woman to play in an NHL game when she served as the starting goalie for the Tampa Bay Lightning in a preseason exhibition game in 1992. She also played on the Canadian women’s national hockey team, winning a Silver Medal at the 1998 Winter Olympics.

In 2001, Genuine, Ambition, and Optimism were introduced as the newest Secret scents in the US and Canada, providing women with new aromas to reflect their individual style. In 2007, Secret’s strong innovation pipeline led to the development of Secret Clinical Strength, the first product to deliver clinical strength wetness protection that can outlast a woman’s day. And in 2008, Secret with Olay was awarded the Allure’s Editor’s Choice Award.

Sophia Danenberg becomes the first African American and the first black woman to climb to the summit of Mount Everest, the world’s tallest mountain.

P&G and Glee’s Amber Riley began a partnership for the Secret “Mean Stinks” program to combat bullying on social media. It provides opportunities to donate to Pacer’s National Bullying Prevention Center, in addition to educational resources for schools. Then, in 2012, Secret continued pushing boundaries by introducing Secret Outlast and offering 48-hour odour protection.

On September 2, 2013, Diana Nyad completed a 53-day swim from Cuba to Florida, the first ever to do so without the assistance of a shark cage. Nyad first gained national attention in 1975 when she swam around Manhattan and in 1979 when she swam from the Bahamas to Florida. She has since been inducted into the United States National Women’s Sports Hall of Fame.

We share the same spirit of individuality, femininity and strength that these fearless women possess, and use it to continue innovating as a brand. Our goals will always be to provide excellent odour and wetness protection, be the best deodorant for sweating, and help women take on each day as fearlessly as they can.