Chapter 11: Developing and Managing Products

Colgate-Palmolive Co. specializes in oral care, personal care, home care and pet nutrition. 

Colgate sells their products in over 200 countries and territories. Colgate-Palmolive Co. is the parent company of a lot of brands which consumers are not aware of. For instance Colgate-Palmolive Co. is the parent company of Ajax, a cleaning house product that was introduced in 1947. The Ajax name was successfully transferred to an entire line of household cleaning products and detergents; the line enjoyed its greatest success in the 1960s and early 70s. Ajax All-Purpose Cleaner with Ammonia, established in 1962, was the first major competitor to Mr.Clean.

Colgate Palmolive Co. is very innovative when it comes to producing new products and marketing them to consumers all over the world. They also have an area on their site open to the public to submit new ideas that can potentially be brought to life. Colgate values their customers.

Chapter 08: Segmenting and Targeting Markets

When it comes to market segmentation, Colgate carries five different brands of toothpaste which include: Colgate Total, Colgate Optic White, Colgate Enamel Health, MaxFresh, and Colgate Sensitive. All of the current toothpaste brands within Colgate have assorted benefits, flavors, and ingredients. There are only two main types of toothpaste products from Colgate which are gel/liqued gel and paste. Colgate provides a variety of products within oral care. 

Colgate takes pride in the fact they have a lot to offer different consumer needs. What one consumer may not like, another might love.

Chapter 15: Marketing Communications

Toothpaste is really a common product among consumers. However with the variety of brands now sold Colgate still has to do their best to promote their product as the best choice that can be made to benefit the buyer. When it comes to advertising, Colgate takes advantage of all possible outlets whether it be traditional media such as magazines or transit media such as bus stops. 

Traditional Media

Transit Media

The strides technology has made in the world has also allowed Colgate to advertise through social media using outlets such as websites, blogs, and social networks like facebook and twitter. Using these social channels as a way to engage with consumers, Colgate stays interactive to show that they care about their customers needs and concerns. 

Chapter 10: Product Concepts

Colgate Toothpaste is a excellent example of a consumer product. Consumer product being a merchandise of common or daily use, ordinarily bought by individuals or households for private consumption. "Brushing your teeth" is a part of an individual's daily routine which involves toothpaste. Colgate is a popular brand that gets chosen over other brands despite price or convenience. This is brand loyalty, consumers will walk in to a local store for toothpaste and come out with Colgate instead of competitors such as Crest.

Chapter 17: Personal Selling and Sales Management

When it comes to Colgate-Palmolive , they are more focused on advertising and sales promotion compared to personal selling. Relationship or Consultative selling is a multistage process that emphasizes personalization and empathy as key ingredients in identifying prospects and developing them as long-term, satisfied customers. Colgate toothpaste is a standardized product sold globally. Colgate has developed global commercial selling principles that apply to there relationships with customers, regardless of their size or location.

"In the United States, for example, Colgate learned that in stores with in-house pharmacies, nearly half of shoppers do not buy another product when filling their prescription. However, these shoppers want information on health-related products. As a result, messaging focused on Colgate Total toothpaste and the association between a healthy mouth and a healthy body is being communicated on prescription bags given directly to shoppers who purchase medications for diabetes and heart disease. Additionally, special displays for Colgate Total with similar health messaging are being placed adjacent to the pharmacy. Activities such as these not only build brand equity and sales for Colgate, but also help grow category sales for the retailers."