Colgate Palmolive India Ltd., one of the most trusted brands, is a subsidiary of Colgate Palmolive USA, listed in stock exchanges in both the US and India. Talking of Colgate, the brand trusted by Indians for over 7 Decades, one can relate back to a time when it was a household Essential. Reminds me of a time when Colgate tooth powder was a huge hit in Indian markets. It was more of a commodity For customers than a distinct brand. Toothpaste meant Colgate to us all. The Brand Ambassadors have changed over a period of time but the message stayed intact “for Superior Whitening and cavity protection”.
With time the brand came out with more variants to cater to different segments as they were identified, be it Max Fresh or Active Salt. In order to Increase its appeal amongst young consumers the brand ambassadors also changed over time With B-town stars being featured and also cricketers.
Third party association for Colgate helped build up a brand image stronger than ever, and increased reliability over the brand. The collaboration with the Indian Dental Association has had a huge impact on its success. Colgate has been sponsoring all major dental conferences and meets across the country. Colgate actively and closely supports the efforts of Professional Dental Associations to continuously update the knowledge and skills of dental professionals through various forums. The range of activities undertaken through this collaboration has also been setting up free dental check up camps. It offers an opportunity to people across the spectrum to avail free dental check-ups either through free in-clinic visits or via the mobile dental vans that will be travel across cities covering schools and underprivileged areas as well.
The tenth year of Colgate Oral Health Month was rolled out for two months that ended this November. Supported by a fully integrated 360 degree marketing campaign encompassing print, outdoor, digital, mobile, radio and on-ground activities – to increasingly encourage participation by families to take the Healthy Mouth Pledge.
Thus, over the years, Colgate has built a complete brand centered around its very credible Third Party Associations, and this has helped the brand maintain its strong grip on the market. This example shows just how a brand can bank on things other than its product or service, and move out of the realm of primary brand elements to create a highly effective marketing campaign.
Author: Saurabh Rai
A Pure Marketing Soul From IFIM B-School, his include playing cricket and volleyball and listening to music. He is currently doing his internship at Britannia.
Follow him on Twitter: @saubzone
Brand Worms 
Nice work saurabh,keep going.