In this episode of SMARTIES Studio, Rohit Dadwal goes behind the scenes of Colgate’s Oral Health Movement with Gunjit Jain and Shekhar Banerjee, unpacking how a real consumer problem, technology, organisational commitment and radical collaboration came together to create impact at scale.
The starting point was a striking gap: while 9 in 10 Indians have some form of oral-care issue, fewer than half realise they do, and only around 1 in 10 visit a dentist. The challenge was to change behaviour from reactive treatment to proactive care.
The team used technology as a utility rather than a gimmick. Consumers could scan a QR code on Colgate packs, answer a few questions and submit three photographs through WhatsApp to receive an AI-enabled dental screening.
They could then connect with one of more than 50,000 dentists for a physical check-up. The campaign ultimately generated more than 4.5 million screenings in its first year, with more than six million being tracked subsequently.
But the bigger story is how Colgate built the organisational infrastructure to make the initiative sustainable. More than a campaign, this is a conversation about building the organisational capability, resilience and commitment required to create lasting marketing impact.
