Toothpaste Wars: Colgate versus Crest

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Colgate versus Crest is one of the marketing industries most famous battles. While Colgate has enjoyed the lead around the world with sales in over 170 countries and over 2 billion dollars, the United States has been their fiercest battle ground and one that Procter and Gamble’s Crest dominated for thirty years as America’s favorite toothpaste. That came to an end when Colgate Total was launched in 1998, Colgate took the lead in the United States. Procter and Gamble to compete began expanding their family brand into other oral health products, which included whitening, toothbrushes, mouthwashes and floss. Finally in 2007 Crest once again regained its top ranked position. (adbrands.net, 2013) We will begin to delve deeper into both companies brand equity, the elements of their Points of Differences, what their past and current brand positioning is, what is included in their brand portfolio, future targets, any segmentation and the marketing mix which makes up each company’s current marketing strategy.
Procter and Gamble’s, Crest from here on out, represented as Crest, has since 1955 been building its brand equity as a product that is constantly striving to improve oral health. Crest, as it states on its website is considered one of the most trusted household brands and is accepted and validated by the American Dental Association, ADA. Crest states that it is their dream to lead the way in the passionate pursuit of perfect oral health so that everyone can have a healthy, beautiful smile for life. (Crest Corporate, n.d.)
Crest began in the early 1940’s when Procter & Gamble (P&G) began their research to find ingredients to add to toothpaste to lesson tooth decay. Dental disease was one of the most prevalent hea...

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...population to truly distinguish the true differences between the two brands at present Colgate holds the lead in toothpaste while Crest holds the lead in teeth whitening and oral hygiene products.
References

adbrands.net. (2013, Nov). Retrieved from http://www.adbrands.net/us/crest_us.htm
Alexandra DeFonce, M. P. (2013). Strategic Marketing Plan - 2013 . Retrieved from http://eportfolios.ithaca.edu/gpresor1/docs/essays/mktgplan.pdf
Colgate Corporate. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.colgate.com/app/Colgate/US/Corp/History/1901.cvsp
Crest Corporate. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.crest.com/: http://www.crest.com/about-crest/crest-heritage.aspx
Kantar, UK Brandz. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.uk.kantar.com/business/brands/brandz/
Kramer, L. (2007, Jan 17). New York Times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/17/business/media/17adco.html?fta=y&_r=0

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