Toothbrush market bristles with new products

The toothbrush category continues to be a hotbed of new product development and innovation. And the moves are paying off. Toothbrush sales have been climbing for several years and show no sign of slowing down.

For the 12-month period ending April 1995, manual toothbrush sales in drug stores rose 4 percent to $133.4 million, according to Towne-Oller. During February, March and April 1995, toothbrush sales in drug stores jumped 10 percent to $36.2 million.

"In the past, consumers bought brushes based on one item, such as a special handle, or even the color of the brush," explained Steve White, U.S. marketing director for toothbrushes for Colgate-Palmolive. "Now brushes come with numerous innovations, such as tapered heads, different bristles, angled handles and a variety of colors. Consumers want a lot of benefits in one brush."

Most consumers, according to Procter & Gamble research, brush for only about 45 seconds, which is generally not considered to be a thorough cleaning. "The goal for manufacturers is to design an instrument that does more work for the consumer," said Giles Leonard, research fellow at "Procter & Gamble.

Manufacturers work hard to determine what consumers want. "Our consumer research shows that the number one thing people want is a brush that cleans teeth thoroughly," said Leonard. Cavity protection, and keeping gums healthy and plaque-free, are their second and third priorities.

Competition in toothbrushes began to heat up in late 1991 when Johnson & Johnson introduced the Reach toothbrush, which features rippled bristles and a multi-grip angled handle. By the summer of 1992, four other major manufacturers had introduced new products - Colgate-Palmolive introduced Precision; Beecham products debuted Aquafresh Flex; Oral B introduced the Indicator; and Proctor & Gamble created its first toothbrush, Crest Complete. All of these were supported by multi-million dollar advertising and promotion campaigns.

New entrants heat up the market

Up until a few years ago, there were only a few big toothbrush manufacturers on the market. That has changed significantly.

Toothpaste manufacturers already have a presence in the market and believe they can make a product that will complement their toothpastes," said Howard Sorenson, national sales manager for John O. Butler's professional division.

Chesebrough-Ponds is set to become the next national toothpaste manufacturer to enter the fray. This fall, the company is expected to launch a toothbrush based on Mentadent toothpaste, according to Advertising Age. With an estimated $20 million advertising and promotional campaign, the dual-color brush will feature uniquely tufted bristles that massage gums while cleansing teeth.

A Philadelphia dentist, Eric Spieler, DMD, has also just launched an innovative new toothbrush that monitors the pressure the user applies.

The Alert toothbrush has a transparent molded handle with a miniature built-in light that monitors every stroke and instantly signals when excessive brushing pressure is being applied to teeth and gums. The warning signal encourages patients to reduce the pressure.

Seven three- to five-unit drug-chains in Philadelphia recently started selling the brush, which retails for $11.99. With no advertising, toothbrush is quickly moving off the shelf

Meanwhile, existing players are constantly improving their products. For young children, Colgate-Palmolive recently launched My First Colgate and a Power Ranger brush. The company has also changed the name of its Precision toothbrush to Total to pave the way for the fall launch of Total toothpaste, according to White.

COPYRIGHT 1995 Reproduced with permission of the copyright holder. Further reproduction or distribution is prohibited without permission.
COPYRIGHT 2004 Gale Group