UNILEVER TO BUY HELENE CURTIS
By Adnews Staff
The Anglo-Dutch multinational Unilever has agreed to buy U.S.-based Helene Curtis for $770 million(US). The deal is expected to close at the end of March. It will give Helene Curtis the money to provide the marketing needed to compete around the globe against larger companies such as Procter & Gamble of Cincinnati. Unilever gains strength in the personal products category, especially in the U.S. Helene Curtis had worldwide sales of $1.27 billion(US) last year, two-thirds of which were in the U.S. The company makes hair care products such as Finesse, Suave and Salon Selectives. On the grooming side, Unilever has Timotei and Natural Organics shampoos as well as Calvin Klein and Elizabeth Arden perfumes. Its product lines also include Vaseline creams and Q-Tips; Sunlight laundry detergent and dish soap; and Dove, Lux, Caress and Pears soaps. In Canada, advertising for Unilever is done by J. Walter Thompson, MacLaren McCann, Ammirati & Puris/Lintas and Ogilvy & Mather, all of Toronto. For Helene Curtis, Bozell Palmer Bonner handles creative and Media Buying Services of Toronto places media. Both agencies are based in Toronto. Unilever's last sizeable purchases were in 1989 when it bought Calvin Klein, Elizabeth Arden and Fabergé for a total of $1.86 billion(US).