Every One Gets Close

The Campaign Strategy for Close Up Toothpaste Introduction: The Unilever group is responsible for the creation and maintenance of thirteen successful global brands. Close Up is one of two oral health care brands under the Unilever umbrella, and is fairly unknown in the U.S. market and comparatively lacking marketing support. The American company that owns the licensing rights to Close Up, Church & Dwight Co., also leads the way in marketing some of the bigger name brands. The oral health care market in the United States is saturated with many household brands such as Crest and Colgate, and entry for Close Up will require prodigious strategy and an increase in marketing dollars. Close Up’s brand identity plays the fundamental human need for closeness. Reaching out the LGBT market in advertising and communication is becoming a new business trend, and Close Up could concentrate on this niche market in order to gain more brand recognition in the United States. By speaking with this often-overlooked market opportunity, Close Up can extend the brand message of gaining the confidence to get closer to the LGBT community. In turn, the LGBT community will be brand ambassadors of Close Up in the United States. Problem: Close Up is up against a huge challenge in the oral care market. First, the Oral healthcare is a well-developed category, and the toothpaste market is the biggest segment of the Oral care category. This toothpaste submarket is also saturated, especially in the U.S. market with limited market growth of 2% per year (Toothpaste industry market report). Secondly, in this competitive market, Close Up is far left behind by many other top of mind brands in the category. The top two leading brands

Close Up “Everyone Gets Close” Campaign 1

Colgate and Crest almost shared 60% of the market together, while Close Up only has 1.6% market share. The Unilever Group has been running a unique global partnership with the FDI (World Dental