The document discusses Colgate-Palmolive Company's launch of a new toothbrush called the Colgate Precision toothbrush. It provides background on Colgate-Palmolive as a global consumer products company. It then discusses the competitive US oral care market and Colgate-Palmolive's development of the Precision toothbrush over 3 years through extensive research and testing to create a technologically superior product that more effectively removes plaque, especially between teeth and at the gumline. Colgate-Palmolive executives debated niche versus mainstream launch and branding strategies for the new Precision toothbrush.

1. A harvard business case
Colgate –palmolive company
the precision toothbrush

2. About the company

3.  The colgate palmolive company is an American
worldwide consumer products company focused on
the production distribution and provision of
household . With 1991 sales of $6.06 billion and a
gross profit of $2.76 billion ,CP was a global leader
in household and personal care products
What colgate palmolive is all
about?

4. Present situation

5. The situation is…
 in august 1992 the colgate palmolive was poisedd
to launch a new toothbrush in the US tentatively
called colgate precision .CP’s oral core division had
been developing this technologically superior
toothbrush for over 3 years but now faced highly
competitive market with substantial new product
activity

6. Objective is
 ¼ -to study the market competition faced by the
colgate precision toothbrush
 2/4 –to study the consumer behavior
 ¾ -to study the strategy that can be used to
position the precision toothbrush

7. Lets move on by going a bit
backwards
 In 1991 the US oral care market was $2.9 billion in
retail sales and had grown at an annual rate of
6.1% since 1986. dollar sales of toothbrush had
grown at an average rate of 9.3% per annum since
1987 ,but in,1992 they increased by 21% in value
and 18% in volume, due to the introduction of 47
new products and line extension during 1991 -1992

8.  Unit sales growth in 1993 however was projected to
be slower due to a build up in household
inventories of toothbrushes in 1992 as a result of
increased sampling of free brushes through dentist
and an abnormally high number of two for one
consumer promotions

9.  Another reason behind slow down in sales growth
was the increased competition with oral b johnson
and johnson and procter and gamble

10. Product segmentation
In the 1980s industry executives divided the
toothbrus category into mainly two segments: value
and professional.more or less all the market giants
had come with their respective products to cater
every segment

11. Segmentation based on cost
 Value priced on an average $1.29.accounted for
24% unit volume and 12% dollar sales.
 Professional priced between $1.59 and $2.09
.accounted for about 41% unit volume and 42%
dollar sales
 Super premium emerged out of the professional
segments priced between $2.29 and $2.89 .

12. consumer behavior
 CPs consumer research indicated that consumers
of the baby boom generation were becoming more
concerned about the health of their gums as
opposed to cavity prevention and were willing to
pay a premium for new products addressing this
Issue. Brand choice was based on features comfort
and professional recommendations

13. Precision product design and
testing
 The precision toothbrush was a technical
innovation. In laboratory experiments,researchers
used infrared motion analysis to track consumers
brushing movements and consequent levels of
plaque removal. With this knowledge and through
computer aided design CP developed a unique
brush with bristles of three different strength and
orientation

14.  In 1989, CP had established a task force
comprising executives from R&d and marketing
,dental professionals,and outside consultants .its
misson was to develop a superior technical plaque
removing device

15. 5 goals of the task force
 Understanding the varying techniques consumers
used when brushing their teeth
 Testing the between teeth access of different
toothbrush designs.
 Establishing an index to score clinical plaque
removal efficacy at the gum line and between teeth
 Creating a bristle configuration and handle design
offering maximum plaque removing efficacy
 Determining through clinical and consumer
research the efficacy and acceptance of the new
toothbrush design

16. Case conclusion 1
 Launching the precision toothbrush as a niche
market product is a better choice than launching it
as a mainstream product initial niche positioning
which could later be broadened to a mainstream
positioning as additional capacity came on line,
may prove as a better alternative

17. Case conclusion 2
 Branding is another issue that needs to be
resolved. CP executives debated whether the
brush should be known as “college precision” or as
“precision by colgate”. The brush should be given
unique identity and “precision” brand name should
be emphasised

18. Case conclusion 3
 Communication and promotion plays an important
role in defining the success of a product. It was
claimed that precision toothbrush removes plaque
better than any other toothbrush. It was also
claimed that preccision toothbrushes reduces gum
diseases that may arise due to excess plaque. CP
should make sure that it is delivering the promises
that it made during the promotions and remove
those that are exaggerated or are lies. This will
earn costumers loyalty and will promote the brand
name