Toothpaste Industry Looking To Target Latinos

By Michael Lopez

Penélope Cruz, Shakira, William Levy…What do these celebs have in common? Sure they’re all Latino, but they also all have killer smiles. In fact, a new study is reporting that millions of Latinos across America have great smiles and place a lot of emphasis on good dental care. Armed with that knowledge, brands like Crest and Oral-B are now looking to target Hispanics with an onslaught of new marketing campaigns.

Procter & Gamble (which owns Crest and Oral-B) helped fund the new dental survey, which polled over 2,000 Latinos throughout the U.S. Of those who participated, 80 percent said they believed people with nicer smiles are more successful. Interestingly, 60 percent of those surveyed said they would rather be confident about their teeth than their body weight.

But the real goldmine for P&G came from the stat that showed the strong emphasis Latinos place on oral care. A majority of the participants said that they are less likely to leave home without brushing their teeth than washing their face or combing their hair (we prefer doing all three).

The study also alluded to a great deal of self-consciousness among Latinos and oral hygiene. More than 90 percent of those surveyed said they are worried about the health of their teeth and four out of 10 are embarrassed of their less than white smiles.

P&G is hoping to change all that with a new line of products that they’re aiming specifically towards the Hispanic community. The Crest & Oral-B Complete Collection includes whitening toothpaste, advanced flossing materials, and a "dual-action" mouthwash for fresh minty breath.

"We at P&G understand the unique needs of the growing Hispanic community and offer a vast collection of products tailored to [their] specific needs and habits," marketing director Dennis Legault said. "Our new Complete products provide noticeable improvements in oral health and appearance."

And just to prove they mean business, P&G is setting up Crest Complete booths at several high-profile Hispanic Heritage Month festivals. Look for them in cities like Dallas, Miami, and L.A.

Do you believe in good dental hygiene? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Blogger: Michael Lopez, Crest, Cultura, Dental Care, Hispanic Heritage Month, Oral-B, Procter & Gamble