“Colgate Palmolive in Thailand has started giving out ice creams and candy at annual events like Oral Health Month to remind target consumers, especially kids, to take better care of their teeth after eating sweets. The stick carrying the ice cream and cotton candy carries a hidden message. Once consumers have finished eating, the message printed on the tip of the stick shaped like a toothbrush reveals “Don’t Forget” with the Colgate logo. This simple message effectively reminded consumers to brush their teeth. It’s a change from the usual product samples that may or may not be used.”

– http://theinspirationroom.com/daily/2009/colgate-ice-cream-and-candy/#more-19659

I strongly disagree with how many others think about this advertising campaign – promoting the product line and as whole (primary demand) but specifying the brand itself as well (selective demand). Most viewers think this was a clever event held by Colgate as to promote its sales on toothpaste specifically and I do think this campaign is creative and attractive. Even though it is fairly costly in order to produce mass amount of modified ice cream bars (which is not a primary product line of Colgate-Palmolive), I see number of primary issues regarding this innovative marketing strategy because despite creativity, it is;

• Not practical – How many people would stare at what are left over after eating food? Most people would just enjoy the benefit of getting free ice cream and put value on the consumption of product itself. A few kids might find out this idea interesting but even if that’s the case, once the bars go into a bin this marketing strategy no longer communicate to people.
• Ironic – I feel that a personal hygiene company (which has a great  market power over toothpastes as well as other products) giving out free sweets to promote tooth pastes are like medicine companies spreading viruses to people.
• Dangerous (Safety Issue) – Those modifies ice cream bars (especially the top part covered by ice cream) look dangerous potentially threatening children’s safety while eating.
• Targets wrong marketing segments – Most people who benefit from this campaign are children who get those free seets provided. However, many of them have not much purchasing power both economically and socially. Some may argue that increasing stubborn children obesity grant them with market purchase power but it is not the case in many Asian countries including Thailand. Also even if they are, would any of them actually beg their parents to get a “Colgate toothpaste”?
• Why English? – The most part I just could not understand about this advertising campaign was that the message (“Don’t forget”) on ice cream bars are carved in English rather than in Thai. I am not so sure how the marketers are trying to communicate or at least deliver the certain message using different languages. (This point totally reminded me of the banned commercial promoting to learn English below)

Due to the reasons stated above I strongly think this marketing campaign was a failure and I think it would have been much better if they created a market campaign targeting women who are 35-55 or men/women who are 18-28 as they seem two largest target market with purchasing power over personal hygiene products.