This document provides a SWOT analysis for Crest toothpaste by Procter & Gamble. It identifies several strengths, including Crest's superior products through innovation, diverse product line that appeals to all ages, and strong advertising. Weaknesses include a lack of recognizable endorsements and strong product competition. Opportunities include utilizing social media, catering to the growing elderly population, and expanding the Crest Be line. Threats include a limited children's line, challenges with brand recognition globally, and competition in the global market. The document recommends strategies like expanding demographics, merging Crest and Scope brands, and creating a Crest chewing gum.

1. Project Strategy ­ SWOT Analysis
Kolodzik Business Scholars
Team Procter & Gamble ­ Crest
Max Agranoff, Ashley Boggs, Austin Bolger, Kendall Cappel, Brad Chamblin, Hayley Coldiron,
Clement Coleman, Shannon Dowling, Katie Gepford, Nick Heiny, Stacey Helcher, Julia Heyl,
Parker James, Noah Kelley, Lauren Meyer, Zac Moore, Joe Ratterman, Edward Rivin, Erica
Switzer, and Chris Tankersley
Essentials of Business: MGMT 1051
Professor Ric Sweeney
November 5, 2014
1

2. Table of Contents
Overview: Procter & Gamble​…………………………………………………………………...3
Strengths​………………………………………………………………………………………….4
I. Introduction
II. Superior Products, Innovation, and Company Standing
III. Diverse Product Line
IV. Advertising
V. Conclusion
Weaknesses​……………………………………………………………………………………….8
I. Introduction
II. Lack of Recognizable Endorsements
III. Product Competition
IV. Conclusion
Opportunities​………………………………………………………………………………...…11
I. Introduction
II. Social Media
III. Growing Elderly Population
IV. Crest Be
V. Conclusion
Threats​…………………………………………………………………………………………..14
I. Introduction
II. Limited Children’s Line
III. Brand Recognition
IV. Crest in the Global Market
V. Conclusion
Strategic Recommendations​……………………………………………………………………18
I. Introduction
II. Expanding the Demographic
III. Merge Crest and Scope
IV. Crest Chewing Gum
V. Conclusion
References​……………………………………………………………………………………….22
Appendix​………………………………………………………………………………………...26
2

3. Overview: Procter & Gamble
Procter & Gamble (P&G) is a well­established company that has been present since 1837
when it was known as a soap and candle company. It was started by two brother­in­laws,
William Procter and James Gamble. Over 175 years of company there have been multiple
successes including the creation of iconic brands, such as Bounty, Charmin, Dawn, Pampers,
Tide, and Crest. Through innovation, determination, and listening to customers, P&G has
become a world­renowned presence in more than 180 countries. It serves nearly “5 billion of the
more than 7 billion” people on the planet (“Procter & Gamble”). There are over 8,000 employees
who are driving this effort, including more than 1,000 with PhDs. With a large amount of
employees comes opportunity for specialization, which P&G has accomplished. They hold
presence in beauty/hair/personal care products, baby/feminine/family care products, fabric and
home care products, and health and grooming products. This totals to 37 brands that bring in
anywhere from $500 million to $10 billion in annual sales (“Procter & Gamble”).
All of this great success could not have been possible without the establishment of their
mission and values. Procter & Gamble’s mission statement declares:
We will provide branded products and services of superior quality and value that
improve the lives of the world’s consumers, now and for generations to come. As
a result, consumers will reward us with leadership sales, profit and value creation,
allowing our people, our shareholders and communities in which we live and
work to prosper (“Procter & Gamble”).
Due to the percentage of the world P&G serves, they are always looking to improve “lives in
ways that enable them to thrive.” They are reaching for the remaining consumers of the world;
P&G is trying to increase quality of living through social responsibility programs. P&G feels that
their purpose “unites an extraordinary group of people” who are of over 140 nationalities
(“Procter & Gamble”). This diverse group comes together to “touch lives and improve life every
day” (“Procter & Gamble”).
In researching Procter & Gamble, specifically Crest, credible Internet sources were
pertinent. With access to a plethora of websites, articles, and news all pertaining to Crest,
researching was straightforward. Also, international websites allowed for global research of
Crest. In addition to Internet sources, employees of Procter & Gamble served as useful sources.
A tour of P&G’s Heritage and Archives Center was given to the research team, which provided
numerous insights into product advertisement and development that proved to be advantageous
in the project. Several employees were contacted via telephone or email, such as Zorya Kluska
and Donna Chamblin, who provided feedback on ideas, suggestions, and answers to questions.
3

4. Strengths
I. Introduction
Since the production of the first fluoride toothpaste in 1955, Crest has remained one of
the strongest dental hygiene lines. International expansion has enabled Crest to grow and develop
into one of the top fifty brands globally. The development of different products within the Crest
brand has allowed it to appeal to consumers of most ages. Procter and Gamble has spent millions
of dollars on advertising this brand over the last few decades, building a reputation and customer
base that has been loyal over the years. Ultimately, Crest’s superior products and operations,
diversity in markets, and advertising have helped to keep Crest a top competitor in its field.
II. Superior Products, Innovation, and Company Standing
Since the Crest brand was developed with the help of Indiana University researchers, it
has consistently led the market in research and development. Coming into the market as the
company with the first toothpaste holding an American Dental Association Acceptance, Crest
has a strong brand loyalty all across United States of America. While being the first in a market
category provides Crest with an advantageous position, continuable innovation is the most
significant sign of a company’s sustained growth. According to Assistant Brand Manager of
P&G Oral Care George Parker, not only does Crest innovate with considerable funding into
research and development conducted by PhDs and experienced researchers, the company has set
a precedent in past years to extend its product lines nearly once every six to twelve months.
Whether this is done through developing product lines such as “Crest Be” or “Crest 3D White,”
or even continuing social science research into the beliefs average Americans have about their
oral care, Crest has a robust history of sustained progress.
An example of Crest’s unique successes is the brand’s release of Crest Pro­Health in
2006. This was the first and the only toothpaste on the market that has an ADA Seal of
Acceptance for fighting bad breath, containing fluoride, having teeth­whitening ability, and
controlling plaque, gingivitis, sensitivity, and tartar (“ADA­Accepted Toothpaste”). Not only did
this product transcend the qualities of Colgate Total, it also lacked the negative facets of the
Colgate competing line. Colgate struggled significantly with the chemical triclosan on account of
finding that the chemical was harmful to humans. While Colgate fought the legal battle of
keeping the ingredient in their products, Crest progressed seemingly with the promise that “​P&G
doesn’t produce or market triclosan­containing oral care products anywhere” (Kary).​ ​According
to Robert Gerlach of the Crest Product Development Advisory Board, the key to Crest’s
achievement in producing world­class products comes from the fact that the company takes
decade­long ventures in researching. This approach undoubtedly allows for the great leaps Crest
takes in each new major product line release, including the release of Crest Pro­Health. Dr.
Robert Fazio, Assistant Clinical Professor of Surgery at the Yale School of Medicine, stated that
Crest’s innovative usage of the ingredients stannous fluoride, an active ingredient fighting
cavities and gingivitis, and sodium hexametaphosphate, a cosmetic cleaner, demonstrates the
integrity of the stellar research conducted within Crest. Dr. Fazio is also a member of the ​Crest
Pro­Health Advisory Board, a board comprising of two men and three women with professional
background experience ranging from college professors to personal dental care operations. By
4

5. having this diverse leadership, the brand promotes diversity in moving forward with innovations
in the Crest Pro­Health product line.
Outside of basic product development, Crest is extraordinary at protecting its internal
patents. Through its intensive legal protection of product patents covering lines like the 3D
White Strips, Crest has been able to disqualify the major competitors in its market of whitening
strips, which has a “total market size of close to three billion dollars” (Vasel). Recently, an oral
care company named Clio produced a product largely resembling the Crest 3D White Strips.
This provoked Deborah P. Majoras, P&G's chief legal officer, to “exert [P&G’s] rights as the
law allows" ​(​Dulaney​)​. Easily winning the federal court case, Crest solidified its 67% market
share, over $250 million in annual sales, and its dominance in North America (Chapin).
Demonstrating this pride in itself and its award­winning research illustrates Crest’s willingness
to prosper in the face of adversity.
III. Diverse Product Line
A broad range of markets have allowed Crest to remain a major dental line. Since the
introduction of the first fluoride toothpaste, the company has established continuity with
innovative products, releasing lines ranging from whitening strips to mouthwashes. The diversity
of markets Crest caters to keeps the brand ahead of its competition on the innovation frontier and
provides customers with an abundance of oral hygiene products, enabling and encouraging brand
loyalty.
Toothpaste has been the staple point in the Crest line since being founded. The toothpaste
market has extended from one type to separate toothpastes for adults and children, as well as
toothpastes for consumers’ unique needs. Different types of adult toothpastes include gum
protection, glamorous white, and cavity protection. Gum protection toothpaste serves the purpose
of reversing gingivitis, an inflammation of the gums. Gingivitis is a problem facing nearly fifty
percent of adults. While this approaches the borders of a nationwide epidemic, the Crest website
states that the gingivitis cycle can be reversed in just four weeks. Another corrective product,
stain protection toothpaste, removes up to ninety percent of surface stains in just two weeks.
Cavity protection toothpaste has the ability to fight cavities by strengthening tooth enamel. Kids
toothpaste uses a cartoon character campaign to encourage children to start taking care of their
teeth. This proactive approach will help to improve oral hygiene over time (“Crest Dental
Hygiene Products”).
Since the release of whitening strips fifteen years ago, they have grown in popularity and
dominated the respective market. They have been revolutionary, as consumers wishing to whiten
their teeth no longer have the expenses of professional whitening services. Similar to the
toothpastes, whitening strips come in multiple forms based on consumers’ specific needs. The
product promises to whiten teeth in twenty days; however, visible results can be seen in as few as
three days. 3D Luxe Whitestrips Glamorous White are considered to be twenty­five times
stronger than the leading brand of whitening toothpaste. Gentle Routine whitening strips are
produced for customers who experience soreness after using traditional whitening strips. This
helps open the market even further to consumers, providing Crest with a strong advantage. Crest
1 Hour Express Whitening Strips offer a quick alternative for consumers who are constantly
on­the­go. The strips are worn for an hour and are highly effective, showing visible results after
just one use. Supreme Flexfit Whitening Strips are the top of the line brand of whitening strips.
5

6. They are moldable to teeth, providing the ability to whiten each tooth evenly. Whitening strip
innovation has allowed Crest to satisfy a broad range of consumers through a diverse product
line (“Crest Dental Hygiene Products”).
Similar to other products made by Crest, multiple types of mouthwash are produced. 3D
White Glamorous White Rinse Mouthwash is part of the 3D line, which promises a whiter smile
in as little as seven days. Also, future dental stains are prevented while using this brand of
mouthwash. A recent innovation in the mouthwash front was the Crest Pro­Health Rinse, which
limits the burning sensation of alcohol. This has made the innovative rinse popular and the flavor
more enjoyable. Through its production of such a diverse range of products, Crest has the ability
to meet all the needs of its consumers, becoming an all­encompassing oral care brand (“Crest
Dental Hygiene Products”).
IV. Advertising
Through Crest’s strength in advertising, it has succeeded in becoming a billion dollar
brand within P&G and a household name. Over the years, Crest has reached many memorable
milestones. Crest found that recognizing and publicizing these noteworthy accomplishments
could become effective advertising for the brand. One of their most popular advertisements, the
“Look, Mom ­ No Cavities!” campaign, was launched in the late 1950s. This advertisement was
created to endorse Crest’s new fluoride toothpaste, the first of its kind in the oral care market. It
involved a commercial and poster which depicted smiling kids holding notices from their dentist
with the advertising slogan (See Appendix A). P&G spent over 1.6 million dollars on advertising
the year this campaign was released. The result of this attention­grabbing message was a raise in
the Crest stock to $18 in 1960 (Crest ­ America’s Greatest Brand).
Crest’s next major advertising campaign began when the American Dental Association
reported that Crest created “an effective decay­preventative agent”with its Pro­Health Toothpaste
and gave the product its official approval . When Crest began to advertise this statement on their
toothpastes, it increased customer interest and sales. This development enabled Crest to become
the leader of the sector. A few years later, the American Chemical Society listed Crest’s fluoride
toothpaste as one of the great discoveries of the past 100 years. In the 1980s, the Crest brand was
further consolidated with the introduction of new toothpastes, including cavity protection and
tartar control. These discoveries greatly helped Crest rise to become one of the top oral care
brands (​America’s Greatest Brands​).
A breakthrough for Crest occurred in 2006 when it launched a toothpaste that protected
against each of the seven areas that dentists check ­ plaque, tartar, sensitivity, stains, gingivitis,
cavities, and fresh breath. A year later, Crest transcended another milestone by launching Crest
Whitestrips Daily Multicare, the first five­minute­a­day­strip. Crest’s product development
became the main advertising campaign year after year (​America’s Greatest Brands​). The
effective advertising has enabled Crest to become a billion dollar brand within P&G, helping
their health care department grow to become 9% of P&G’s net sales and earnings (P&G 2014
Annual Report).
P&G has successfully turned Crest into one of the top 5 Oral Care Brands, one of the Top
50 Brands Globally, and One of the Top 100 Brands in the US (​Brand Ranking​). These titles
prove that Crest has successfully built its brand reputation, particularly through advertising to the
public. Crest is one of the biggest spending brands in the advertisement and awareness
6

7. department. P&G spent roughly 9.3 billion dollars on advertising for Crest in the last few years.
This is nearly seven times the amount P&G was spending on advertisements in 1987 (See
Appendix B). Its increase in advertising has helped them increase their sales by approximately
20 percent over the last 25 years, showing that there was a profitable return on this investment
(Johnson, See Appendix C).
Apart from ads, one other aspect of advertising that Crest has mastered is the packaging
and appearance of its products. Compared to other oral health care products, Crest has a much
more appealing and relatively simplistic presentation of its merchandise. The variety of colors
portrayed – reds, blues and greens – are more engaging to the customers, along with the
placement on shelves in stores. With every product line extension, Crest maintains the consistent
blue background of its products. Whether it is the bright flashy blue of the Crest 3D White boxes
or the blue Crest Scope line that is complemented with a mint green side, Crest’s consistency
supports brand recognition. Selecting the color blue is also advantageous for Crest in that it
portrays strength and dependability, supporting the notion of brand loyalty. In addition to colors,
Crest effectively utilizes shelf space by consolidating different product lines and categories. This
tactic is especially useful in reaching differentiated target markets. In doing so, the brand ,in
conjunction with Oral B, has attained “​five years of sustained growth and value­creation”
according to P&G’s CEO A.G. Lafley.
Crest’s success as a brand can largely be attributed to its ability to capitalize on the many
opportunities in the world of marketing. By turning major milestones into marketable
advertisements, Crest built a brand reputation that impressed consumers and earned their trust.
V. Conclusion
As one of P&G’s billion dollar brands, it is clear that Crest possesses expertise regarding the
oral care market. Crest’s dedication to innovation and developing products with the specific wants and
needs of its customers in mind has led it to offer distinct product lines that satisfy its diverse consumer
base. Expanding into the whitening strip and mouthwash markets further diversified the products of
Crest and allowed it to become a household name. Customer loyalty increased with the innovation of
products and publicity of major milestones, such as achieving the title of one of the Top 50 Brands
Globally. Due to these skills and strategies, Crest has excelled at its craft over the years and proved its
caliber as an oral care brand.
7

8. Weaknesses
I. Introduction
A weakness is defined as a ​characteristic that places the company or project at a
disadvantage relative to other companies. While statistics show that Crest continues to be a
largely profitable company, there are areas in Crest that, if slightly modified, could push sales
further than they already are. Areas that should be improved inside the Crest company include its
lack of recognizable endorsements and product cannibalism with Scope and Oral B.
II. Lack of Recognizable Endorsements
A point that is pushing sales away from Crest is its lack of recognizable endorsements in
the domestic market. Currently, the prominent endorsement that Crest holds is Shakira as a
global ambassador, with other spokespeople such as Todd Lowe, Jimmy Deshler, Brandon Tyler
Russell, and Eliza Roberts. These names have no pull on the domestic population because they
are unrecognizable and thus have no positive effect on the brand. While Shakira is a recognizable
name worldwide, she has not won any major awards for her music since the mid­2000s. It is
difficult to say that Shakira is still a prominent figure to younger generations. It is crucial that a
company that has settled in continues to innovate with endorsements. With a fading star, Crest
lacks in this crucial area and is hurting its brand reputation.
In general, Crest consumers are struggling to align with the values of the current celebrity
endorsers. With financially stable adults making the purchasing decisions, celebrities
representing Crest must be recognizable and memorable. Without widely spread celebrity name
recognition, the endorsement is not likely to make an impact.
Another disadvantage that stems from targeting specifically a younger generation of
buyers is the promotion of the family unit within ads. With advertisements that include attractive
families with crisp white smiles, Crest attracts consumers who are looking for a brand that is
family oriented. However, this conversely affects the college­aged population and single adults
because they are searching for a product that has visible results for a good value. To attract these
kinds of consumers, the brand must step away from the family aspect and focus on well­known
celebrities who are relevant to the modern American.
A large percentage of Americans may not admire Shakira or align with her goals and
values. She is a relevant spokesperson for the Hispanic community, but not the for the domestic
consumer base. To fully capitalize on endorsement opportunities, Crest needs to seek other
celebrity endorsers who will help reach the younger American generation and provide an
incentive to buy its products.
III. Product Competition
One of the biggest limitations placed on the brand was a second Procter and Gamble
product, Scope. When first introduced, the brand Crest stood only for quality in toothpaste and
toothbrushes. When Crest was introduced, the common belief among P&G executives was that
each brand could only stand for one category (“Crest Heritage”). This means that the company
would have one brand that would be in the manual toothbrush and toothpaste category, and a
8

9. separate brand for other categories, such as mouthwash or electric toothbrushes. For a period of
time that logic was very successful for Procter and Gamble. Recently however, that line of
thinking has been challenged.
In 2005, during its fiftieth anniversary, P&G tested the idea of having a brand stand for
high quality oral care in multiple categories. The launch of Crest Pro­Health Rinse moved the
brand away from a toothbrush and toothpaste manufacturer and toward a full line oral care brand
(“Timeline”). At the time Crest only offered one product in the mouthrinse category, Crest
Pro­Health Rinse. The logic behind this particular mouthwash was to complement the health
benefits of its toothpastes, fighting against plaque, gingivitis, and bad breath germs. Crest also
sought to create a mouthwash without the “burn of alcohol,” something many customers disliked
about traditional mouth rinses. This health minded and less intensive flavor focus differentiated
Crest Pro­Health from P&G’s existing mouth rinse brand Scope, a P&G brand since 1966
(Scope History). Scope focused on two important factors: creating a clean mouth feeling and
killing 99% of bad breath germs.
Since the launch of Crest Pro­Health, the brand has expanded its line of products in the
category. Today, Crest offers eight different mouth rinses, three more than its internal rival
Scope. Crest has not only expanded past Scope in the number of products offered, it has moved
into both Scope’s stronger flavored mouth rinse and killing 99% bad breath germs niches. Only
two of the mouth rinses listed on the Crest Mouth Rinse website now list “avoiding the burn of
alcohol” as a key benefit of the product. Instead, six of Crest’s mouth rinses use alcohol and five
of them list killing bad breath germs as an important product benefit, the same number of
products Scope has accomplishing that goal. Crest and Scope mouthwashes began as different
products for different customers, but in the nine years since the two have become competitors, a
situation many refer to as market cannibalization, has materialized.
Crest and Scope are not just competitors in their product descriptions; recent sales
numbers support the idea. From 2012 to 2013 the percentage change in sales of Procter and
Gamble mouth rinse products has decreased by 3.8% (Grocery Headquarters…Vendors).
Compared to the other top nine brands in the industry, this is the largest decrease in sales over
the time period. When the sales trends are broken down into the various products, we see the
change in sales is coming from different trends. For Crest’s mouth rinse sales, there has been
mixed results. Crest 3­D White had an increase of 27.1% and Crest Pro­Health rinse had a
decrease of 9.9% from 2012 to 2013. Scope on the other hand has had both their two largest
product categories, Scope Outlast and Scope Classic, see significant decreases in sales. Scope
Outlast had a decrease of 6.1%, and Scope Classic had a decrease of 19.9% of their sales from
2012­2013 (Grocery Headquarters…brands). While the Crest products produced mixed results,
all Scope products had a substantial decrease in sales.
Initially, Procter & Gamble believed that a brand, specifically Crest, could not extend
itself outside a category. Because of this, they created a different brand for their toothpaste and
mouthwashes. After experimenting with products under the same brand branching out into
different categories, they found a brand can stand for more than just toothpaste, but also for
excellence in oral care. This led P&G to create different brands of mouth rinse that served two
different purposes. The success of Crest mouthrinses caused them to expand their line of
products and somewhere along the line ended up in competition with their preexisting brand,
Scope. When they served different purposes, the existence of both brands made sense. However,
9

10. this is no longer the case and sales are beginning to prove this fact. Without differentiation, both
brands will continue wasting marketing budgets on pulling customers away from each other.
IV. Conclusion
Procter & Gamble does not have over glaring weaknesses that contribute to the loss of
revenue on a large scale. However, there are significant areas in which the company could
improve their internal workings in order to increase their revenues. By cutting sectors of their
company that are not performing or taking away from the potential growth of another sector and
using more modern endorsers, Crest can grow to be even larger in size into a company that has
the potential to have products in every American household.
10

11. Opportunities
I. Introduction
Although Crest is a very strong brand and is extremely profitable, there is always room
for improvement. Innovation is constant and it is important to continually improve, no matter
how successful a company or brand is currently. Crest clearly understands this, evidenced by
multiple new brands and product line extensions, but Crest still could improve in a few different
areas. Crest could potentially benefit from improvements in social media, products available to
the elderly market, and Crest Be.
II. Social Media
An area of opportunity for Crest would be to expand the brand’s social media presence.
Crest’s top competitor, Colgate, has a much stronger social media existence. For example, on
Facebook, Colgate has over three million people who like the page, allowing them to interact
with and keep up with changes in the Colgate line of dental care. The Crest Facebook page has
less than seven hundred thousand likes (“Crest Facebook Page”). A major opportunity for Crest
could be to invest money and expand this marketing tactic. If Crest can increase its Facebook
page likes to match Colgate, the brand could potentially gain market share. The people who like
Colgate on Facebook are most likely brand users. When a person is scrolling through their
Facebook news feed and sees a brand repeatedly, the specified brand will be more on top of mind
when they get to the store shelf, leading to a purchase. Colgate has the ability to place their
advertisements on the Facebook pages of over three million consumers, while Crest’s
advertisements are being seen by less than one million people. Increasing likes would drive
higher brand recognition for Crest and would, in turn, increase the market share. Social media is
an area that has a large room for improvement, as Facebook is commonplace across multiple
generations. This gives the brand the potential to advertise to people of various demographics.
Colgate has verified status on Facebook, signified by a blue check mark, while Crest is
not. Being verified on social media makes the company appear more professional, credible, and
trustworthy. Individuals on Facebook can see that Colgate is verified, and can see that the brand
has many followers. Since Crest is not verified, some consumers may not be as trusting of the
brand’s claims. If Crest becomes verified, they could earn the trust of consumers who use social
media to research products.
In the long run, a stronger social media presence will benefit Crest. With more supporters
on Facebook, Twitter, and other social media sites, Crest will have the ability to advertise to a
larger audience, which will increase market share and profits. There is an uncharted amount of
opportunity in the world of social media due to its exponential growth. With each generation,
technology and social media is becoming more prevalent and important. In order to keep up with
the amount of advertising that Colgate is doing on Facebook and the number of consumers that
their advertisements are reaching each day, Crest needs to improve their social media plan. If
Crest increases their number of likes and becomes verified, they would have the ability to
increase the number of individuals seeing what is posted about Crest and would appear to be a
trustworthy brand.
11

12. III. Growing Elderly Population
The era of 1946­1964 in the United States of America brought about the Baby Boomer
generation. In 2012, the Baby Boomers accounted for over twenty percent of the population in
the United States and is made up of Americans mostly above the age of fifty. It is known that the
health of a human being degenerates as the body grows in age, including dental health.
As the dental health of a person decreases, they should use more specific and
preventative dental care products. As people age, teeth become more sensitive and have a higher
chance of decaying or getting cavities. Procter and Gamble has an opportunity to develop a
dental line for seniors through a Crest line extension fighting tooth sensitivity. The brand has
continually innovated to create relevant products for its consumers and now it must cater to the
aging population. This would create an opportunity for Procter and Gamble to gain more of the
market, leading to additional revenue. After obtaining FDA approval and using Procter and
Gamble’s successful marketing tactics, Crest would be successful in the sensitive tooth space.
This opportunity falls in line with the mission of P&G in order to cater to the needs of the
company and make life easier and healthier for the individual.
IV. Crest Be
Procter & Gamble’s target market consists of catering to the customer with disposable
income. For this reason they have not focused as many resources into marketing towards
younger generations. P&G has started to market towards this next generation however, through
introducing Be toothpaste. Be toothpaste incorporates the hygienic properties that customers
have come to expect from Crest with bold new flavors that are different from the pro­health line.
According to Euromonitor, “​Consumers can influence others’ purchasing habits thanks to social
networks, so brands need to work harder than ever to earn consumer loyalty.” Because of this, it
is important that P&G has a large social media presence with the introduction of Be. The current
tag line for Be toothpaste is “Be Adventurous/Dynamic/Inspired,” which draws feelings of
adventure and fun for the young consumer. Be has the opportunity to draw in new customers to
the Crest brand. Competitors, such as Sensodine and Pronamel, have released nothing for
younger generations, as their products are associated with older consumers.
When comparing prices of toothpastes, Be is the most expensive product Crest offers,
even more so than Crest’s premier toothpaste, 3D White Luxe Glamorous White. As it is, there
are no visible added health benefits to using Be; it just simply says on the package fluoride
toothpaste. At this price point, the product is less affordable for their target market. There is no
incentive to buy Be, as consumers can buy a top of the line toothpaste for the same price. Be has
a large opportunity to capture its target market with its wild and bold new flavors, but it needs an
increased presence on social media and a change in price if it plans to reach its full potential.
V. Conclusion
For a large company like P&G, constant innovation is vital. With continuous innovation,
Crest could increase sales and revenue in multiple ways. Crest could potentially increase its
market share by having a stronger presence on social media through more advertisements. It also
could expand into products specialized for the elderly, as the aging baby boomers make up a
12

13. large portion of the market. Crest could also cater more to the needs of the adventurous
consumer by growing it’s Crest Be brand.
13

14. Threats
I. Introduction
As a business in the oral care industry, Crest has an established global market. Global
competition and a need to be strong in all product categories are also present with a global
market. With these global competitors, Crest’s brand recognition, credibility, and the fulfillment
of diverse needs is essential to differentiate their products. Currently, Crest is lacking not only in
its children’s line, but also in its brand recognition and global marketing compared to its main
competitors, including Colgate­Palmolive, GlaxoKlineSmith, and Johnson & Johnson, who are
all outshining Crest in these ways. This poses a major threat to Crest’s overall sales, brand
loyalty, and marketing strength.
II. Limited Children’s Line
A business in the oral care industry creates products designed to aid in “the practice of
keeping the mouth clean and healthy by brushing and flossing to prevent tooth decay and gum
disease” (“Oral Hygiene”). Such oral care products can include different types of toothbrushes,
toothpaste, dental floss and mouthwashes. The most successful companies offer diversity in their
product portfolio, allowing them to appeal to a diverse group of customers. Therefore, to be
successful in oral care business, companies must provide more than just the essentials needed for
oral hygiene. Most oral care brands branch out to meet the needs of various age groups, levels of
sensitivity, and whitening while providing different designs and features. Crest, overall, is a very
competitive brand in the oral care market, offering extensive adult products with whitening,
sensitivity, and flavor options (“Crest Dental Hygiene Products”). However, the children’s line
of products is falling behind Procter & Gamble’s competitors, Colgate­Palmolive, and
GlaxoKlineSmith (Firestein).
Crest’s current children’s line consists of eleven different toothpastes and three different
toothbrushes. Within the toothpaste line, both regular and two liquid gel toothpaste products are
offered in different flavors and in convenient packaging. Overall, ten Disney characters ranging
from Winnie the Pooh to the Avengers are featured on packaging. Three toothbrushes and
toothpastes are marketed as matching character sets featuring Disney Fairies, Hello Kitty and
Sesame Street. In addition to these three sets, there are eight other unique character toothpastes.
Crest’s matching sets, consisting of a toothbrush and toothpaste, offer options for girls, featuring
characters they are more likely to enjoy, while offering no matching sets with characters for
boys. Rather than segmenting products by age group, an encompassing line focusing on children
two and older is provided. No products are offered to younger children with the ideology that
fluoride is harmful to small children, as toothpaste is often swallowed (“Crest Kids Dental
Hygiene Products”). The limited selection of these sets for children are hindering the strides
Procter & Gamble’s Crest could be taking.
Crest’s top competitor, Colgate­Palmolive, takes a different approach with its child oral
care line. Rather than an encompassing line, oral care products are divided into segments based
on age, including ages two and under, two to five, five to eight, and eight to twelve. Children
grow up using Colgate­Palmolive products with each age group they fit into, with the products
tailored to meet each segment’s particular need. For children under the age of two, three
toothbrushes and fluoride­free toothpaste are offered. For the other age groups, various
14

15. toothpastes, regular toothbrushes, and battery­powered toothbrushes are offered. These products
are sold in matching character sets consisting of a toothbrush and toothpaste ­ a key packaging
setup. Concerning these matching sets, children have toothpaste, and then the option to choose
between three different manual toothbrushes or three different battery­powered ones. Unlike
Crest, Colgate offers matching oral care sets featuring characters for boys and girls. Colgate
holds the advantage not necessarily by featuring more children’s characters on their products, but
by offering more set options within the characters presented (“Welcome to Colgate Kids”).
Another top competitor, GlaxoKlineSmith, the manufacturer of Aquafresh, takes a
similar strategy to Colgate­Palmolive concerning the segment organization. However,
GlaxoKlineSmith’s oral care products are divided into fewer segments including ages two and
under, two to six, and older than six. Overall, the children’s line is smaller and the company
focuses more on adult products. In total, the children’s line consists of six different toothpastes in
various flavors and two toothbrushes. However, unlike both Crest and Colgate­Palmolive,
famous children’s characters are not featured on packaging. Instead, smiling teeth and toothpaste
squiggles dominate the containers (“A Great Start to a Lifetime of Happy Teeth”).
Overall, Crest’s children’s line is falling behind in several regards. Rather than offering
an age­segmented brand, an encompassing brand loses many of the younger customers. Parents
who buy a specific oral care brand for their children are more likely to stay loyal to that company
if they offer products that correspond to the growing child. Crest does not offer as many
matching character sets, especially when focusing on products for boys. Children tend to focus
not on the health benefits a particular toothpaste offers, but on their favorite TV show characters
on the packaging. In respects to matching character sets, Crest does not offer a battery­powered
toothbrush option for children who have trouble with using a manual toothbrush, which poses a
problem for younger children. Colgate­Palmolive and GlaxoKlineSmith are dominating the
market in the child oral care line, posing a serious threat to Crest.
III. Brand Recognition
Brand recognition is the extent to which the general public or an organization's target
market is able to identify a brand by its attributes and subsequently exhibit brand loyalty. Brand
recognition is when consumers can recall a specific brand without being explicitly exposed to the
company's name, but through visual signifiers like logos and slogans (“Brand Recognition”).
Brand recognition is vitally important in order for a product to be successful in today’s
competitive global marketplace. Domestically and internationally, Procter & Gamble’s main
competitor, Colgate, is beating out Crest in brand recognition and loyalty.
The American Dental Association, commonly abbreviated ADA, is the premier
organization for dentists nationally. The American Dental Association gives certain toothpastes a
Seal of Acceptance. According to the American Dental Association website, “the ADA Seal of
Acceptance program began in 1931 and to this day, dentists and consumers recognize the ADA
Seal of Acceptance as the gold standard when it comes to evaluating the safety and efficacy of
dental products (“ADA Seal of Acceptance”).” A big threat to Crest is that Colgate has twelve
different toothpastes that have Seals of Acceptance from the American Dental Association, while
Crest only has nine (“ADA Seal Product Category”). During a student­led survey of local
toothpaste shoppers at a Cincinnati Kroger store, when asked why consumers bought Colgate or
Crest, most people responded that they always had bought that brand or used it as a child.
15

16. Statistics show that 43% of consumers remain loyal to a particular toothpaste brand (Agredano).
With more dentist recommended toothpaste offered, consumers are more likely to purchase
Colgate toothpaste and will continue to make repeated purchases of Colgate products, further
increasing their brand recognition and loyalty. Colgate Total is the "only toothpaste approved by
the Food and Drug Administration to prevent gingivitis, as well as by the American Dental
Association to fight plaque and gingivitis (Williams).” This threat demonstrates Colgate brand
recognition that is unmatched in the marketplace. In 2010, Colgate­Palmolive had 33% of market
share in the toothpaste industry while Crest’s market share was listed at 20% (“Why Colgate
Beats P&G in Oral Care”). Because Colgate has a larger market share than Crest, more
customers are likely to recognize the Colgate brand and exhibit loyalty to the brand, both now
and in the future.
IV. Crest in the Global Market
While researching dental associations across the globe, it becomes clear that the Colgate
brand has more of a presence. Both through sponsorships and approved products by these
organizations, Colgate holds the upper­hand. Two associations, the British Dental Association
and the Hispanic Dental Association, are partially sponsored by Colgate, as clearly shown on
their websites (“Colgate”; “Sponsors”). Two other organizations, the Australian Dental
Association and the New Zealand Dental Association, do not have sponsors but have a list of
oral care products that earn their seal of approval, helping the public decide which brands to
purchase. The Australian Dental Association has approved 19 Colgate toothpastes, 22 products
total, and zero Crest products (“Toothbrush.”). The New Zealand Dental Association has
approved 10 Colgate toothpastes, 13 products total, and zero Crest products (“Approved
Products”). In addition, Colgate’s products are shown on their website printed in multiple
languages, which promotes inclusivity and familiarity. Consumers in foreign countries will feel
much more familiar with Colgate because the websites not only cater to their language, but show
the product names and benefits on the package itself in the respective language.
Out of all the dental associations researched, only one has an official connection to Crest.
The brand sponsors the Hispanic Dental Association, which is based out of the United States. No
other foreign associations have any products approved. Crest has some products printed in
different languages, but far less than the amount found on Colgate’s website (“Oral Hygiene
Products Crest.”).
Even Johnson & Johnson has more global awareness than Crest. Johnson & Johnson, the
producer of the Listerine mouthwash, sponsors the British Dental Association and is partnered
with the European Federation of Periodontology, one of the largest dental organizations in
Europe (“Johnson and Johnson”). The EFP includes 29 National Periodontal member societies
across the continent (“Welcome to the EFP Website”). The New Zealand Dental Association has
also officially approved five Listerine mouthwashes. In the global oral care market, Crest is
lagging in approvals, threatening the brand presence.
V. Conclusion
Consumers typically make their purchasing decisions based on availability in stores, wide
product selection and awareness of products. Availability and awareness of products has a direct
16

17. link to a brand recognition, which provides for a larger market share and more in­store shelf
space. Furthermore when dental associations are sponsored by or approve of certain brands, it
becomes a huge marketing advantage as it furthers brand credibility. Consumers are more likely
to purchase a brand they are familiar with in a positive way. Showcasing a well­known dental
association’s Seal of Acceptance on the packaging is powerful, especially considering most
consumers in the oral care market are sensitive to health benefits. In combination with health
benefits, many customers want to fulfill the needs of various age groups, levels of sensitivity,
and whitening. Crest is falling behind the competition and needs to create new, diverse products
and partnerships to stay relevant in the marketplace.
17

18. Strategic Recommendations
I. Introduction
After conducting research, data has been analyzed and conclusions have been drawn. The
result is a set of three recommendations for the Crest brand based on its current strengths,
weaknesses, threats and opportunities. The first recommendation is to increase Crest’s clientele
by expanding current product lines and targeting certain demographics. Next, Crest should avoid
confusion and product cannibalism by Scope mouthwash with the current Crest mouthwashes.
Lastly, Crest should enter into an entirely new market by introducing a Crest Chewing Gum. All
of these recommendations will expand Crest’s current profits and market share.
II. Expanding the Demographic by Reaching All Markets
With an increasing emphasis on oral hygiene in the growing population, an opportunity
for Crest is arising. Untapped markets for potential clientele and reworked marketing strategies
can provide Crest with an expansion in sales, clients, and research and development. Crest
should be marketed to all age groups. This can be done by dividing its market into three
segments: children, middle aged, and elderly, and then creating a different approach for each age
group. By using a multi­segment approach, Crest will be able to advertise to and satisfy the
needs of the entire market.
The first target market that Crest can reach is children. An external threat is that Crest’s
competitors all have a wide range of products for different age groups of children, while Crest
only offers toothpaste for those above the age of two. Because of this, customers with children
under the age of two are currently going to competitors for those children's toothpastes. With
proven brand loyalty, Crest should implement a toothpaste for children under two. By doing so,
Crest will increase not only its current consumer base but also its brand loyalty for existing
consumers. By attracting parents with children of this age, it will be likely to attract these
customers for life and in turn increase the percentage of consumers that remain loyal to its
toothpaste brand.
Another way to better reach the demographic of children is to expand its current
children’s line of products. Crest’s kids’ line lacks the organizational structure founded by its
competitors. Colgate found success through a structured, aged based kids’ line with matching
character products. By expanding and organizing Crest’s kids’ line in a similar way to their
competitors, Crest will effectively expand their target market to include children of all ages.
Crest also has the opportunity to create a multitude of different characters to choose from.
Children are more likely to be happy with their choices and look forward to brushing their teeth.
An excited and motivated child brushing teeth can lead to satisfied parents, increasing Crest’s
brand loyalty.
The second market segment encompasses middle­aged adults. Crest does not have to
modify any products or add new ones because the existing products already cater to this segment.
However, Crest should make the move to reach out to this age group through the use of social
media advertising. People of all ages are on social media websites including Facebook, Twitter,
and Instagram. In fact, 74% of adults use social networking sites (Facts) . Simply becoming
18

19. verified on these sites and actively posting updates will reach a large market of the middle­aged
demographic who are on social media and have the potential to be loyal Crest consumers.
The third target market that we believe Crest can reach is the baby boomer demographic.
As customers age, they have a larger chance of developing oral diseases. In response to this,
Crest could make a toothpaste and mouthwash line, similar to its Crest 3D White and Pro­Health
lines, targeted specifically towards those who are aging and concerned about the health of their
teeth. Therefore, this line of products, possibly called Crest Silver, will act as preventive and
protective agents for their teeth that have had decades of wear and tear done to them. The
toothpaste will help prevent darkening teeth, root decay, bad breath, and gum disease, which all
are more susceptible in elderly mouths (Prince). The mouthwash will also help fight bad breath,
keep their teeth clean, and help customers who have dry mouths (Dental). Producing Crest Silver
will both benefit Procter & Gamble and the largest and most influential demographic in the
United States.
Since toothpaste is a very elastic product and most customers purchase whichever is
cheapest, it is imperative that Crest strives to satisfy its entire market’s needs. By increasing
brand loyalty, Crest can make their toothpaste more desired. When someone thinks of toothpaste
and dental care, they should think of Crest, and in turn, grab Crest off of the shelves rather than
its competitors.
III. Merge Crest and Scope
Since the launch of Scope in 1966, Procter & Gamble has had an influence in both the
toothpaste and mouthwash markets. Scope dominates the mouthwash market, but Crest has
products in this sector as well. Scope’s past revenue sales have been increasingly lower than
Crest’s. This can be seen with one specific example regarding lines of Crest toothpastes. “Plus
Scope,” a toothpaste line, was released indicating that Scope had been added to various tiers of
Crest toothpastes. However, there are no Scope products infused with Crest. This in itself shows
how Scope, as a brand, is inferior to Crest.
Data shows that Crest mouthwash has outperformed Scope mouthwash in recent years,
even though the entire Scope brand’s focus is in this respective category. In 2013, Crest 3D
White accounted for 4.2% of total mouthwash and dental sales in the United States, Crest
Pro­Health Multi Protection accounted for 4.1%, and Crest Pro­Health Complete accounted for
3.4%. Scope Original accounted for 3.2%, and Scope Outlast accounted for 2.3% (Percentage).
All three of Crest’s mouthwashes outperformed the Scope mouthwashes in terms of percentages
of total mouthwashes sold in the United States. Moreover, the data from total sales of leading
mouthwash brands in 2013 provides further evidence to support this claim. In 2013, Crest
brought in $56.4 million from sales of Crest 3D White mouthwash, $54.9 million from sales of
Crest Pro­Health Multi Protection, and $45.5 million from sales Crest Pro Health Complete.
Scope only brought in $43.2 million from sales of Scope Original and $30.8 million from sales
of Scope Outlast (Sales Growth). In total, Crest made $156.8 million from mouthwash sales
while Scope only made $74 million. It is imperative in looking at these statistics to note that
Crest’s mouthwash is not the product of the brand with the highest priority, but rather its second
leading product is put out on shelves, yet Crest still more than doubled Scope’s sales of
mouthwashes in 2013.
19

20. Through the merging of Crest and Scope, new product innovation would result, and the
same recognizable brands would still exist. This is a more productive way of getting rid of Scope
than just selling it off which many speculate will happen after A.G. Lafley’s announcement
about cutting up to 100 weak P&G brands from their portfolio. By combining Crest and Scope
mouthwashes, all the Crest mouthwashes would still be in existence, but new Crest mouthwash
infused with Scope technology would be introduced. This idea of infusing Scope into Crest
products would be a widespread effort applying to all Crest products, including each tier of Crest
toothpaste and each tier of Crest mouthwashes. Most of Scope’s loyal customers will make the
transition over to these new Crest with Scope mouthwashes. Overall, the merging of Crest and
Scope would be beneficial to both brands.
IV. Crest Chewing Gum
The average Crest user has two interactions with its product per day. Both of these occur
when the user is brushing their teeth: once in the morning and once at night. However, with the
exception of those few who brush their teeth after lunch, the average user does not have any
interaction with the product between uses. During this time, the customer is eating meals and
drinking sugary sodas, along with enjoying the occasional snack. The majority of customers do
very little when it comes to oral care in the middle of the day. While Crest should not take on a
new strategy that would change the user’s habits and get them to brush their teeth in the middle
of the day, one could be tailored to a habit that they already possess: chewing gum.
The chewing gum industry is valued around $19 billion, with annual sales approaching
$2 billion every year (Topic). On average, an American chews approximately 280 pieces of gum
every year (Chewing). Users of chewing gum cite several reasons for the usage and habits. While
some chew gum simply for the favor, a majority use gum to remove any particles stuck in their
teeth and to freshen their breath. Crest customers use chewing gum in the middle of the day as a
substitute for brushing their teeth, so an innovative move would be to provide them with a
product that does just that.
Crest Chewing Gum will provide Crest users with a quick and easy way to tend to their
teeth in the middle of the day. This gum would not only provide the functions of normal chewing
gum such as freshening breath and clearing the teeth of particles, but would also contribute to the
health of the customer’s teeth. According to the American Dental Association, “clinical studies
have shown that chewing sugarless gum for 20 minutes following meals can help prevent tooth
decay” (Learn). The ADA does not endorse replacing the average sugarless gum with brushing
teeth, but instead using the two together for cleaner teeth. While this is an innovative idea, there
is proof that it is possible. Research for gum that can clean teeth has already been completed by
the United States Military. Soldiers can use its “Combat Gum” when they do not possess clean
water to use to brush their teeth (Tan). Procter & Gamble can use its research and development
department to make the product more affordable for consumers. The Combat Gum’s main
cleaning ingredient is ​anti­microbial peptide and can destroy the average oral bacteria in around
five minutes (​Morais​). Crest Gum would combine the benefits of sugarless gum with the
extremely effective peptide of Combat Gum to make a great product that could improve the lives
of Crest’s current and future consumers.
Crest Gum will have a stronger cleaning power than regular gum while freshening breath
and customers will purchase it due to its quick and easy way to do something healthy for their
20

21. teeth. When entering the chewing gum market, Crest will have a competitive advantage given
their great reputation and recognition in the oral health market. Crest can even expand their line
of Crest Gum to one modeling Crest Pro Health and another focusing on Crest 3D White. There
can also be a Kids Crest Gum for parents who are worried about the effectiveness of their child’s
brushing. Crest Gum is an innovative product that has potential in the existing oral hygiene
market, but also has potential to make a difference in underdeveloped countries. Procter &
Gamble has been dedicated to helping the 783 million people in the world who do not have safe
drinking water with its Children’s Safe Drinking Water Program and its Procter & Gamble Water
Purification Packets (P&G Children’s). Formulating a type of Crest Gum that could be focused
on the needs of people who do not have great dental services and clean water could change lives
around the world because this is a product that cleans teeth without using water. There are a
variety of opportunities with Crest Gum, and Crest has the resources to be a pioneer in this
developing field.
Crest can enter a whole new market by creating Crest chewing gum, providing our
customers with an alternative to brushing their teeth in the middle of the day. This product will
not only freshen the user’s breath and remove particles from their teeth, but will also be infused
with fluoride to promote the health of our user’s teeth. Crest’s reputation in oral care will greatly
contribute to the success of Crest Chewing Gum, and has the potential to be a market leader in
this category.
V. Conclusion
There are many opportunities seen here for Crest to grow. The first suggestion is that
Crest can monetize on its untapped demographics by standardizing and increasing their kids
lines, increasing their presence on social media to become more connected with the adult
demographic, and creating a Crest Silver line for the expanding Baby Boomer population.
Another recommendation is to combine Crest and Scope mouthwashes. This is an effective way
of moving the loyal Scope users to Crest Mouthwash, and it goes along with Procter & Gamble’s
plan of slimming down their portfolio of brands by getting rid of the weaker brands. Finally,
Crest Chewing Gum can provide customers with a new option for oral care and provide Crest
with a new product category that aligns with their existing lineup. By implementing these
strategic recommendations, Crest will further expand its share in the oral health industry.
21

22. Bibliography
"2014 Colgate Scholarship Taiwan." ​China Dental Association​. Association for Dental Sciences
of the Republic of China, 5 June 2014. Web. 17 Oct. 2014.
"ADA­Accepted Toothpaste." ​Crest​. Procter & Gamble, 11 Aug. 2006. Web. 01 Nov. 2014.
"ADA Seal of Acceptance." ​American Dental Association​. American Dental Association, 2014.
Web. 7 Oct. 2014.
"ADA Seal Product Category." ​American Dental Association​. American Dental Association,
2014. Web. 7 Oct. 2014.
"A Great Start to a Lifetime of Healthy Teeth." ​Aquafresh​. GlaxoSmithKline, 2014. Web. 29
Oct. 2014.
Agredano, Pablo. "Are You Ready for Chocolate­flavored Toothpaste?" ​Graziadio Voice​.
Graziadio Voice: Business School Blog, 2014. Web. 31 Oct. 2014.
"Approved Products." ​Healthy Smiles​. NZDA, 2014. Web. 29 Oct. 2014.
"Brand Recognition." ​Investopedia​. Investopedia, US, 2014. Web. 12 Oct. 2014.
Chapin, Adele. "Crest Got Greedy With Whitestrips, And Here's What Happened." ​Racked
National​. Vox Media, 3 July 2014. Web. 29 Oct. 2014.
"Chewing Gum Statistics." ​Statistic Brain RSS​. N.p., n.d. Web. 04 Nov. 2014.
Chumley, Cheryl K. “Army Develops ‘Combat Gum’ to Fight Soldiers’ Cavities in Field.” ​The
Washington Times. ​ The Washington Times LLC. Web. 27 Jan. 2014.
Ciotti, Gregory. "The Psychology of Color in Marketing and Branding." ​Entrepreneur​.
Entrepreneur, 15 May 2014. Web. 17 Oct. 2014.
CNN Library. “Baby Boomers Generation Facts.” ​CNN U.S. ​Turner Broadcasting
Network. Web. 1 Sept. 2014.
"Crest 3D White Fact Sheet." ​Crest Latest Innovations.​ Web. N.D. 1­2. Print.
"Crest." (n.d.): 1­2. ​America's Greatest Brands​. 2011. Web. 20 Oct. 2014.
“Crest Be.” ​Crest. ​Procter & Gamble. Web. N.D.
"Crest." ​Brand Ranking​. SyncForce, 2014. Web. 23 Oct. 2014.
22

23. “Crest Dental Hygiene Products.” ​Crest​. Procter & Gamble, 2014. Web. 15 Oct. 2014.
"Crest Facebook Page." ​Crest (Health/Beauty)​. Facebook, n.d. Web. 01 Nov. 2014.
"Crest Heritage." ​Crest​. Procter and Gamble, n.d. Web. 03 Nov. 2014.
"Crest Kids Dental Hygiene Products." ​Crest​. Procter & Gamble, 2014. Web. 9 Oct. 2014.
"Crest Sensi­Stop Strips." ​Crest Latest Innovations.​ Web. N.D.: 1. Print.
“Crest Toothpastes.” ​Crest. ​Procter & Gamble. Web. N.D.
“Crest Toothpaste.” ​Walmart. ​Walmart Stores Inc. Web. N.D.
"Colgate." ​British Dental Association​. British Dental Association, 2 Apr. 2011. Web. 13 Oct.
2014.
“Dental Care for Seniors.” WebMD LLC. 2014. Web. N.D.
Dulaney, Chelsey. "P&G's Patent Suit Win Helps Secure Market for Crest Whitestrips." ​The
Wall Street Journal​. Dow Jones & Company, 23 Sept. 2014. Web. 01 Nov. 2014.
“Facts and Figures.” ​2013​. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Nov. 2014.
Firestein, Max. "Colgate Marketing Plan 2011." ​Colgate​. Colgate­Palmolive Company, 2011.
Web. 13 Oct. 2014.
“Fresh Breath Products” ​Crest. ​Procter & Gamble. Web. N.D.
Grocery Headquarters. "Sales growth of leading brands of mouthwashes and dental rinses in the
United States in 2013 (change to prior sales year)."​Statista ­ The Statistics Portal​. April
2014. Statista. 03 November 2014.
Grocery Headquarters. "Sales growth of the leading mouthwash/dental rinse vendors in the
United States in 2013 (change to prior sales year)." ​Statista ­ The Statistics Portal​. April
2014. Statista. 03 November 2014.
Johnson, Bradley. "Procter & Gamble Co.'s Advertising Spending, 1987 to 2012." ​Advertising
Age​. SyncForce, 29 Oct. 2012. Web. 21 Oct. 2014.
"Johnson and Johnson." ​British Dental Association​. British Dental Association, 2 Apr. 2011.
Web. 10 Oct. 2014.
Kary, Tiffany. "Colgate Total Ingredient Linked to Hormones, Cancer Spotlights FDA Process."
Bloomberg​. Bloomberg, 11 Aug. 2014. Web. 22 Oct. 2014.
23

24.
Kasriel, Daphne. “The Top 10 Global Consumer Trends For 2014.” ​Euromonitor International.
Web. 14 Jan. 2014.
Katz, Dr. Harold. “Senior Oral Health.” ​TheraBreath. ​Dr. Harold Katz LLC. 2014. Web. N.D.
“Learn More About Chewing Gum.” ​American Dental Association. ​American Dental
Association. Web. N.D.
"Look, Mom – No Cavities!" ​Parkway Dental Center​. Parkway Dental Center, 9 May 2014.
Web. 01 Nov. 2014.
Morais, Betsy. “Zero Dark Cavity.” ​The New Yorker. ​The New Yorker LLC. Web. 27 March
2014.
"New Crest Toothpaste Combines Cosmetics and Science in One Tube." ​Lip­Ink International​.
Lip­Ink International, 7 June 2014. Web. 03 Nov. 2014.
“Oral Health for Seniors.” ​Colgate. ​Colgate­Palmolive Company. Web. N.D.
"Oral Hygiene Products Crest." ​Crest​. Procter & Gamble, 2014. Web. 17 Oct. 2014.
"Oral Hygiene." ​The Free Dictionary​. Farlex, Inc., 2014. Web. 18 Oct. 2014.
"Other Albums." Weblog post. ​Crest Whitestrips Red Carpet Celebrity Retreat​. N.p., n.d. Web.
04 Nov. 2014.
"P&G 2013 Annual Report." ​Annual Report​ (2013): 1­92. ​Crest​. Procter & Gamble, 2013. Web.
16 Oct. 2014.
"P&G 2014 Annual Report." ​Annual Report​ (2014): 1­94. ​Crest​. Procter & Gamble, 2014. Web.
16 Oct. 2014.
"P&G CEO A.G. Lafley Hosts Annual Shareholders Meeting." ​Seeking Alpha​. Seeking Alpha,
14 Oct. 2014. Web. 14 Oct. 2014.
“The P&G Children's Safe Drinking Water Program.” ​Children’s Safe Drinking Water. ​Procter
& Gamble. Web. 18 Sept. 2014.
“Percentage of Total Mouthwash and Total Rinse Sales in the United States, by leading brands.”
Statista. ​Statista. Web. 8 Sept. 2013.
Prince, Mary. “Oral Care for Elderly and Disabled.” ​Tooth Wisdom. ​Oral Health America. 1 Feb.
2013.
24

25. "Procter & Gamble." ​PG.com Company: Leadership Qualities, Common Purpose, Best Brands​.
N.p., n.d. Web. 04 Nov. 2014.
“Sales Growth of Leading Brands of Mouthwashes and Dental Rinses in the United States in
2013.” ​Statista. ​Statista. Web. 8 Sept. 2013.
“Sales of the Leading Mouthwash/ Dental Rinse Brands in the United States.” ​Statista. ​Statista.
Web. 8 Sept. 2013.
"Shakira Named Global Ambassador for Oral­B and Crest." ​Lossip Gettin Paid Shakira In
Endorsement Deal With OralB and Crest Comments​. N.p., n.d. Web. 04 Nov. 2014.
"Shakira." ​Shakira​. N.P., N.D. Web. 17 Oct. 2014.
"Social Networking Fact Sheet." ​Pew Research Centers Internet American Life Project RSS​.
N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Nov. 2014.
"Sponsors." ​Hispanic Dental Association​. Hispanic Dental Association, n.d. Web. 13 Oct. 2014.
Tan, Michelle. “Cavity­Fighting ‘combat gum’ in the works for Army.” ​USA Today Network.
Gannett Satellite Information Network. Web. 27 Jan. 2014.
"Toothbrush." ​American Dental Association​. American Dental Association, 6 Jan. 2014. Web. 7
Oct. 2014.
"Tooth Sensitivity Sufferers Rejoice at Treatment from Crest." ​Crest​. Procter & Gamble, 9 Sept.
2014. Web. 20 Oct. 2014.
"Topic: Chewing Gum." Statistica. N.p., n.d. Web. 04 Nov. 2014.
Vasel, Kathryn. "David vs. Goliath: Battle Brewing in Teeth­Whitening Industry." ​Fox Business​.
Fox News Network, 15 May 2014. Web. 01 Nov. 2014.
"Welcome to Colgate Kids." ​Colgate Kids​. Colgate­Palmolive Company, 2014. Web. 9 Oct.
2014.
"Welcome to the EFP Website." ​European Federation of Periodontology​. European Federation
of Periodontology, n.d. Web. 10 Oct. 2014.
"Why Colgate Beats P&G in Oral Care." ​Trefis​. Insight Guru Inc., 19 July 2010. Web. 10 Oct.
2014.
Williams, Sean. "Colgate or Crest: Can You Guess Which Is America's Favorite Toothpaste?"
The Motley Fool​. The Motley Fool, 2014. Web. 13 Oct. 2014.
25

26. Appendix
A. “Look Mom ­ No Cavities” Advertisement ​(“Look Mom­No Cavities!”)
B. P&G Statistics 2012 vs. 1987 (​Johnson)
2012 1987
Worldwide sales ($B) $83.680 $17.000
U.S. sales ($B) $29.500 $11.805
U.S. as % of worldwide sales 35.3% 69.4%
Worldwide ad spending ($B) $9.345 $1.386
Ad spending as % of sales 11.2% 8.2%
Research and development expenses ($B) $2.029 $0.576
R&D as % of sales 2.4% 3.4%
Worldwide employees 126,000 73,000
Fiscal years ended June 30. Source: Ad Age DataCenter analysis of Procter & Gamble
Co.'s 10­K and annual report disclosures.
26

27. C. ​P&G Worldwide Ad Spending as Percent of Sales (​Johnson​)
Year Sales ($B) Ad expenses ($B)
Ad spending
as % of sales
1987 17.000 1.386 8.2%
1988 19.336 1.594 8.2%
1989 21.398 1.660 7.8%
1990 24.081 2.059 8.6%
1991 27.026 2.511 9.3%
1992 29.390 2.693 9.2%
1993 30.498 2.973 9.7%
1994 30.385 2.996 9.9%
1995 33.482 3.284 9.8%
1996 35.284 3.374 9.6%
1997 35.764 3.414 9.5%
1998 37.154 3.638 9.8%
1999 36 .710 3.471 9.5%
2000 38.545 3.828 9.9%
2001 37.855 3.654 9.7%
2002 38.965 3.696 9.5%
2003 42.133 4.406 10.5%
2004 50.128 5.401 10.8%
2005 53.210 5.804 10.9%
2006 64.416 7.010 10.9%
2007 71.095 7.714 10.9%
2008 77.714 8.426 10.8%
2009 75.295 7.453 9.9%
2010 77.567 8.475 10.9%
2011 81.104 9.210 11.4%
2012 83.680 9.345 11.2%
Fiscal years ended June 30. Source: Ad Age ​DataCenter
analysis of Procter & Gamble Co.'s 10­K and annual report
disclosures. Some data reflect restated P&G figures.
27