P&G extends Oral-B brand

Procter & Gamble is launching the first toothpaste under its Oral-B dental brand in the UK as part of its “multi-dimensional innovation strategy”.

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The aim is to push its existing brands into adjacent categories as well as into higher and lower value tiers as part of CEO Bob McDonald’s “purpose inspired growth strategy to touch and improve more consumers’ lives in more parts of the world more completely”.

The FMCG company claims the Oral-B Pro Dental product is “the biggest breakthrough” in the market since the introduction of Fluoride.

The Pro-Dental range includes four toothpastes each developed to provide an all-in-one toothpaste that addresses the eight problem dental areas identified by dentists. P&G says it means that consumers do not have to compromise and choose their toothpaste based on either sensitivity or whitening for example.

It launches in the UK on 1 July.

P&G launched the range in Holland and Belgium in 2009 and currently holds 12% and 17% of the market respectively and achieves a 50% repeat purchase rate. P&G claims the launch has driven strong growth in a category that was previously in decline and is expecting similar results in the UK.

Ian Morley Oral B marketing director says: “This is a standout example of P&G’s multi-dimension innovation strategy. For the first time, we’re bringing the Oral B brand and its trusted reputation as a leader in toothbrush technology into the toothpaste market. This is white space for the brand and a fantastic opportunity to better serve existing consumers and reach new ones too. The growth potential is very exciting.”

“Consumers have always embraced and rewarded great innovation and this hasn’t changed. To continue to achieve sustained growth, we have expanded our innovation thinking in more dimensions. With Oral B Pro-Expert we’re bringing a breakthrough product to market… it will disrupt the category and deliver the ’new’ that excites shoppers. We’re broadening our portfolio offering by extending into an adjacency to grow our business in a new area.”

The launch will be supported by a major sampling campaign and activity across traditional and digital channels as well as heavy in-store presence.