When asked to name any oral care or specifically any toothpaste brand, the majority of people would name ‘Colgate’ first. The 220-year-old brand, which entered India in 1937 continues to be the leading toothpaste brand in many countries.

According to many marketers, Colgate has never seen a downfall, be it with any of their products- toothpaste, toothbrush, dental floss, mouthwashes, etc. So, what made an American brand rule the Indian market, so much so, that the brand name is synonymous with the product itself?

History

William Colgate, an American entrepreneur started a starch, soap, and candle business in 1806 in New York. The business grew, and even after his death, his son Samuel Colgate led the company as Colgate & Company.

In 1873, Colgate started making and selling toothpaste in jars. The product was well-accepted and sold in many countries.

In 1937, the brand made a foray into the Indian market, and within 50 years, the product became the go-to oral care brand, solving problems like bad breath, bleeding gum, and even preventing cavities along with whitening teeth.

Marketing strategies

The brand is still making use of many strategies to keep itself relevant and on top of consumers’ minds.

1. Building trust

The brand has always believed that an important way to connect with the audiences, would be to evoke a sense of trust for their brand in the hearts of consumers. For this, they took the tactical route of motivating audiences through social activities.

Over the years, it launched campaigns like ‘The Colgate Scholarship Offer program’, that helped children achieve what they were aspiring for. They also collaborated with various NGOs that work in different areas of upliftment in society.

Another campaign that struck a chord with many, was their recent 2020 ‘Smile Karo Aur Shuru Ho Jao’ campaign that featured real-life inspiring stories of people who wanted to make a change using the power of a smile.

2. Continuous Innovation

Colgate was successful in identifying the pain areas of the masses. And hence they started coming up with variants as solutions to tackle these pain areas.

For example, Colgate Vedshakti was made using Ayurvedic ingredients, while Colgate Slim Soft Charcoal used charcoal in its pastes and brushes with its many oral care benefits.

Similarly, to be seen as diabetic-friendly, the brand came up with a separate diabetic-friendly toothpaste.

3. Appealing and engaging packaging

Colgate toothpaste comes in many variants- Total, Visible White, Gum Expert, Sensitive Original, Vedshakti, and Diabetics. Apart from toothpaste, Colgate manufactures mouthwashes and toothbrushes too.

All of their products are sold in packaging that screams appeal and will stay in the mind of consumers, facilitating recall. The use of bright colors and a simple font in the perfect size facilitates easy identification.

4. Social media presence

Today doing business is incomplete without the use of social media. And using this as a medium of customer engagement and raising visibility, the brand has a massive presence on social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

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