Colgate / Crest: Brand Profiles


Colgate vs Crest. It's one of those FMCG battles the marketing industry loves to love, like Coke vs Pepsi or Big Mac vs Whopper. Procter & Gamble's Crest spent 30 years as America's favourite toothpaste before being unceremoniously kicked from the top spot in 1988 by Colgate-Palmolive's Colgate. In fact the battle is more than a little uneven. Colgate has long been the undisputed champion in the global market, the #1 toothpaste brand worldwide with market leadership in more than 170 countries and global sales of around $2bn. The US remained its weak spot, the only significant market where it was forced to put up with the #2 place. All that changed with the launch in 1998 of Colgate Total, which seized leadership of the sector. P&G has been fighting back ever since, broadening its attack by expanding into other oral health segments such as whitening, floss, mouthwash and toothbrushes. After almost a decade of fierce competition, Crest regained the #1 position in the US during 2007.  

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Competitors: see Personal Care index for other companies and brands


The Adbrands Profiles of Colgate and Crest summarises the brands' history and current operations. Subscribers may access the following website links:

Colgate-Palmolive

Colgate Total Colgate Sensitive
Colgate Motion Colgate 2 in 1

Procter & Gamble

Crest Crest Whitestrips
Crest Glide Crest Pro-Health

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