Mortein
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| Insecticide | |
| Industry | Household goods |
| Headquarters | Sydney, Australia |
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Area served
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Australia, New Zealand, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Philippines, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Mauritania and Papua New Guinea |
| Owner | Reckitt Benckiser |
Mortein is an Australian brand of household insecticide owned by British company Reckitt Benckiser. Together with its sister product Aerogard, a popular insect repellent, Mortein has become something of a in Australia, and it is marketed internationally. The brand has been represented in television commercials by cartoon antagonist, Louie the Fly, drawn and animated by Geoffry Morgan Pike since 1957. In a jingle created by Bryce Courtenay it was used in animated TV commercials since 1962, he proudly sings of his own dirtiness, claiming to be afraid of no-one except "the man with the can of Mortein."
Mortein's slogan is "More smart, more safe, Mortein." The word "Mortein" is a combination of the French word "mort" (dead) and the German word "ein" (one).
Mortein "Insect Seeking Fly Spray" uses the active ingredients Allethrin (2.09 g/kg) and Resmethrin (0.39 g/kg), both Pyrethroid neuro-toxins which are considered generally safe in typical doses, although one study have found an association between exposure to pyrethroids and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in male, but not female children. Another study found an association between exposure to pyrethroids and the prevalence of biochemical markers for ADHD in developing mice. Pyrethroids break down in the environment after one or two days. Mortein is also available in New Zealand and India. It is a very popular insecticide brand in Pakistan .
The music and lyrics were written by James Joseph White and the copyright of the music and lyrics was held by him until his death. The copyright then was inherited by his relatives. The copyright of the jingle is registered with the (Australasian Performing Right Association LTD) (A.P.R.A).
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