OFF!

OFF! is an insect-repellent brand owned by the American consumer-products company S. C. Johnson & Son. The brand was first sold in 1957 and is primarily associated with products intended to help prevent mosquito bites and other insect bites through application to skin or clothing. Its product technology has used active ingredients including DEET, or N,N-diethyl-meta-toluamide, and metofluthrin, depending on the product and market. These ingredients serve different delivery formats: DEET is commonly used in topical repellents applied directly to exposed skin or clothing, while metofluthrin is used in certain repellent products designed for spatial or wearable protection. The brand operates within S. C. Johnson's household and personal insect-control portfolio. Its principal consumer proposition is practical protection during outdoor activities, travel, and periods of heightened mosquito activity. The name and visual identity are built around a direct functional promise: helping keep biting insects away rather than treating bites after they occur. Products associated with the brand include topical sprays and other repellent formats, although the exact assortment varies by country and regulatory market. OFF! has also been marketed under the Skinguard name in Japan and North Korea. This alternate branding illustrates that S. C. Johnson has adapted the product identity to local markets rather than using a single global name everywhere. Reference material identifies the products as being produced in the United States. The brand has had distribution in multiple international markets, including Japan and North Korea, in addition to its American base. OFF! should be distinguished from unrelated uses of the word “off” and from other insect-repellent brands. It is a product brand rather than a separately listed company, and its corporate ownership, manufacturing, regulatory approvals, and market presence are tied to S. C. Johnson & Son. Publicly available reference material confirms the brand's launch period, ownership, principal use case, active ingredients, and selected international naming, but does not provide enough reliable information to establish a detailed chronology of advertising campaigns, leadership changes, financial performance, acquisitions, or major controversies.

OFF! was introduced in 1957 by S. C. Johnson & Son as an insect-repellent brand. From its beginning, the brand was designed for direct consumer use against mosquitoes and other biting insects. Its products are applied to skin or clothing, creating a protective barrier or repellent effect intended to reduce insect contact and bites. The brand's development reflects the broader evolution of household and personal insect-control products. OFF! formulations have used DEET, a widely recognized topical repellent ingredient, as well as metofluthrin in certain products. The particular active ingredient and delivery method depend on the product formulation and the market in which it is sold. This product-level variation is important because insect repellents are subject to national registration, labeling, and safety requirements. OFF! is part of S. C. Johnson & Son's wider portfolio of household and consumer products. The available reference material identifies production in the United States and describes the brand as being distributed internationally. In Japan and North Korea, products associated with the brand have been sold under the name Skinguard. The alternative name indicates a localized approach to international marketing and packaging rather than a separate corporate brand. Reference material also records that S. C. Johnson later sold the product in the North Korean market, describing this as a return to that market after an absence dating from 1999. No reliable date is provided for that return, and the available material does not establish the scale, commercial terms, or duration of the distribution. Beyond this market detail, public reference information is limited. It does not support a complete account of individual product launches, advertising campaigns, executives, sales, revenue, or corporate transactions specifically attributable to OFF!. The brand remains an active insect-repellent name within the S. C. Johnson portfolio.

• 1957

  OFF! first sold

  [1]Off! (brand)en.wikipedia.org

  S. C. Johnson & Son first sold OFF! as a consumer insect-repellent brand.

Practical consumer insect protection focused on reducing mosquito bites and other biting-insect exposure during outdoor use.

• Insect repellent · 1957

  OFF! topical repellents

  Topical products intended to reduce mosquito bites and other biting-insect exposure. Depending on the formulation, they may be applied directly to skin or to clothing. Reference material identifies DEET and metofluthrin among the active ingredients used in OFF! products, but does not provide a complete market-by-market product list.

• Insect repellent

  Skinguard

  The name used for OFF!-related insect-repellent products in Japan and North Korea. It represents a localized market identity for products serving the same general mosquito- and biting-insect-repellent purpose.

1. 1Off! (brand)en.wikipedia.org