How do you re-imagine a fairly standard category, give it a solid self-care spin, and have it all happen in under a year in the time of COVID? The extraordinary team at Colgate has the answer—and it’s coming in the form of something unlike anything the 200-plus-year-old go-to brand has ever delivered.
As Dana D. Medema, general manager, vice president of oral care, North America at Colgate recalls, she once heard a consumer equate brushing their teeth to “doing their taxes,” which led to a bit of a lightbulb moment.
“We wanted to reimagine the smile category and shake it up a bit, while still delivering products with efficacy,” she says of the company’s new CO. by Colgate collection, a first-of-its-kind oral beauty line—think more of a “look-forward-to-it” ritual, and less of a “you-have-to-do-this” chore—which exclusively launches at Ulta today.
Having a self-described “sink-worthy” look, the community-centered CO (a shortened version of Colgate, with a sideways smile as the logo that relies more on a sparkly silver-purple theme than the traditional white-red-blue color scheme) is decidedly created with Gen Z, as well as inclusivity, in mind. There’s a portfolio of seven products in the collection, including an enzyme-fueled toothpaste, toothbrushes, mouth rinse, teeth whitener, and on-the-go toothpaste tabs, all designed to deliver a bright smile at varying price points. While the line may skew toward a younger consumer, Colgate also sees it as being well-received by anyone looking for a moment of self-care and discovery.
“These products are based on substance and science, but still give you that ‘delight’ experience you get when you open up a new beauty product,” Medema adds. “It’s truly a beauty routine for your smile.”
