Prell Shampoo was introduced by Procter & Gamble, of Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1947. This particular tube of Concentrated Prell Radiant Shampoo dates to around 1957 and was likely designed by Donald Deskey, a pioneer of modern industrial design. Deskey created packaging for many Procter & Gamble products, including the well-known Crest tube of toothpaste, Jif peanut butter, and Tide detergent.
Earlier in his career, Deskey designed the interior of Radio City Music Hall and worked on the 1939 New York World’s Fair. In the year before his death, Deskey gave some of his papers to the Smithsonian’s Cooper-Hewitt Museum in New York City.
Prell’s viscous green liquid and unbreakable bottle, featured in memorable advertising, made it fodder for many references in entertainment including television shows like Drawn Together, Seinfeld and The Simpsons. In the 1996 movie The Rock, Prell was used to represent the deadly VX gas. Prell was one of the highest selling shampoos in 1977 and is still sold today (2012) by Ultimark Products.
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