Colgate and Ogilvy on cracking the snacking code in toothpaste marketing

If you’ve noticed an extra snack break or two creeping into your day, you’re far from alone. In fact, according to Colgate-Palmolive (India) Limited’s campaign, #TheDailyGrind, 44% of Indians are munching away at almost any given hour.

But it’s not just the expanding waistline that Colgate is addressing—it’s what constant snacking does to teeth. And for a company that’s been in the business for over two centuries, selling toothpaste, especially in a way that stands out, requires inventive tactics. 

Gunjit Jain, executive vice president-marketing at Colgate-Palmolive (India) Limited, said that eight out of 10 Indians suffer from cavities, only one out of 10 realise that they do, as per Kantar 2019 IMRB Study. “The extent of the issue is alarming because we all end up eating food multiple times in a day. This leads to teeth losing calcium through a process known as demineralisation,” he noted.

Frequent snacking will only increase during the upcoming festive season. This meant there was a need to make people aware about taking care of their pearlies.

The result? A witty campaign featuring relatable scenarios of dads in urban and rural India, guiltily giving in to the relentless temptation of snacks, much to their kids’ concern. But #TheDailyGrind isn’t simply an ode to India’s snack-loving culture; it’s a carefully crafted initiative by Ogilvy, under the creative guidance of Juneston Mathana, to reframe oral health around the nation’s eating habits. 

Juneston Mathana, creative director, WPP@CP.

He just had to look around the agency’s office to see that his colleagues were constantly munching on snacks; the empty snack packets in the brainstorming room were testimony to that. That’s when the penny dropped; as they were working hard to crack something, so were their teeth, almost as if, their pearlies were working overtime.

In fact, Daaton ka overtime’ (Teeth working overtime) was one of the early catchphrases Ogilvy toyed with for this campaign, reflecting the wear and tear of snack-induced calcium loss. While it struck a relatable chord internally, the public wasn’t as charmed by the wordplay, finding it slightly forced. "It sounded odd to the ears," Mathana, creative director, WPP@CP, confessed to Campaign, “and so it didn’t make the final cut.” 

Tapping into snack culture 

#TheDailyGrind campaign stemmed from a finding in Colgate’s National Mouth Audit 2023, which revealed this constant snacking trend was prevalent not just in big cities but in rural settings too. With this insight, Ogilvy saw a ripe opportunity to educate Indians on how snack-happy routines chip away at their dental health.

“We needed a solution that showed how Colgate Strong Teeth could genuinely add value,” said Mathana, “and it was all about connecting the product’s benefits to an everyday behaviour.” 

Colgate Palmolive India’s marketing director for the toothpaste category, Anaswar Rajagopal, pointed out, “The data shows us that in India, snacking culture is only getting stronger, and so is the need for consumers to understand the impact of it on dental health.” The campaign team knew that simply listing facts wouldn’t cut it. “It’s about making oral care relevant to everyday habits,” Rajagopal emphasised to Campaign. 

The ad shows a father caught in a whirlwind of snack offers, all while his son watches with growing concern. The film uses this perspective to let children explain why teeth lose calcium with frequent snacking and why Colgate Strong Teeth’s “Arginine + Calcium Boost” formula could be the answer. The agency ensured that the science angle isn’t left behind either: the film highlights the brand’s claim that Colgate Strong Teeth provides “2X stronger teeth.” 

The campaign’s upbeat yet grounded theme had to be mirrored in the background music, which Mathana’s team laboured over until they finally hit the right note. “The song needed to be catchy but not preachy,” he explained. Lyrics from Sidhant Mago, combined with the expert direction of Amit Sharma from Chrome Films, struck a balance between light-hearted commentary and informative messaging. 

Breaking through the noise 

Colgate’s approach here has a certain wisdom, especially for a category as unglamorous as toothpaste. While the emotional connections might not match other FMCG products, it used the timeless concern of parent-child relationships to build a bridge between product awareness and habit change. “It’s not about being preachy,” Mathana noted. “It’s holding up a mirror to reality, one that includes the small joys of everyday snacking.” 

But why is it so difficult to keep toothpaste fresh and appealing to consumers? According to Rajagopal, the challenge lies in the fact that brushing is a routine, not a luxury or an indulgence.

"Marketing toothpaste presents its unique challenges,” he explains. “But there’s a silver lining. If we can make people think twice about their oral health at a time when snacking is on the rise, we have the opportunity to create a product that genuinely becomes a daily ally.”

Anaswar Rajagopal, Marketing Director- Toothpaste, Colgate-Palmolive (India) Limited

As television remains king in terms of reach, Colgate’s main message will initially roll out across major TV channels, where the brand can reach a wider demographic. However, Rajagopal understands that younger consumers spend increasing time on digital platforms, where snackable content is the order of the day.

“Digital platforms let us target with precision,” he explained. “Video formats on social media, short GIFs, and static images allow us to reinforce the core message of ‘#TheDailyGrind’ in bite-sized pieces—quite fitting for a snack-themed campaign.” 

In tandem with TV, the company plans to monitor campaign engagement on social media channels, using a mix of pre-testing, monthly tracking, and real-time digital metrics to see if the message translates to actual purchases. Social listening will also allow the team to gauge if consumers are truly resonating with the story. “To see how viewers are responding in real-time gives us feedback we can act on,” Rajagopal said. 

Making data-driven choices 

For Colgate, the campaign isn’t just about selling toothpaste but about encouraging a shift in thinking. Its data-driven approach aims to encourage a habit adjustment, nudging viewers to add oral health to their list of priorities when snacking.

Ogilvy’s careful iteration on ad design, backed by the 2023 Mouth Audit study, shows how the creative process was directed by what Rajagopal describes as “the science of snacking.” 

Mathana summed it up, “All the work we do on Colgate comes from deep human and cultural insights. When we can tap into a real-life behaviour and show consumers a way to make positive choices, especially something as foundational as oral health, we’ve accomplished something truly valuable.” 

Looking ahead, Colgate is considering a broader reach across offline channels, but for now, the strategy remains heavily focused on digital. And with the category growing more competitive, Rajagopal hinted that Colgate is exploring premiumisation for consumers seeking high-quality, long-lasting toothpaste options. 

For ad professionals looking to create campaigns that stick, #TheDailyGrind offers inspiration in its ability to tap into cultural behaviours. It’s a reminder that even the most everyday products, like toothpaste, can find new relevance by tying them to simple yet universal insights. For Ogilvy, the campaign illustrates that sometimes the answer is right in front of us, or in this case, the empty snack packets strewn in the conference room.