At first peek, it looked like Indianis Dentris, a dazzling new flower species, with folks at Mumbai’s famous Botanical Garden and Zoo oohing and aahing over crisp macro shots. But squint again, and nope, it wasn’t a bloom. It was a super close-up of a worn-out toothbrush.
So, what’s the trick? Colgate cooked up this clever twist to spotlight a nasty oral health habit: nearly half of Indians use toothbrushes way past their prime, upping the odds of cavities, gum trouble, and other dental woes, according to the brand.
“It hit us that millions were quietly jeopardizing their smiles with old brushes. We didn’t just want to say it. We wanted people to feel it and think twice,” shared Gunjit Jain, Colgate-Palmolive (India)’s marketing EVP.
“We aimed to spark a lightbulb moment,” said Mathana. “Rather than lecture, we crafted something to nudge people into facing their routines,” he added.
The WPP@CP crew drove this campaign. “Seeing social media light up with gasps, wows, and ‘wait, me too?’ moments was a win,” grinned Juneston Mathana, the executive creative director.
Colgate’s been all about oral health vibes, not just pushing products, for a while in India. Remember The Sweet Truth? It showed families brushing with candy and pastries to poke at how many Indians cap their day with sweets but skip the brush.
“As a top dog in the market, Colgate gets to set its tone. It can be playful or pushy. What matters is the story. That’s what makes our ads stick in people’s heads,” Mathana told afaqs! This year.
Last November, they rolled out an AI dental checker on WhatsApp. “We’re handing millions of Indians a free, AI-powered dental scan tool via WhatsApp. It whips up a custom report and hooks you up with a nearby dentist for a no-cost consult, all mapped by postcode,” Gunjit Jain posted on LinkedIn.