Colgate

There are several brands that have become virtually synonymous with their discipline. One of them is Colgate, one of the best-known brands of toothpaste and other oral hygiene products. A global company with over two centuries of history that sells its products in 222 countries of the world and supplies hundreds of millions of customers. The firm’s current annual sales exceed $10 billion.

Today Colgate supplies shops with toothpaste, toothbrushes, mouthwash, dental floss, and other products for oral and dental hygiene. It regularly collaborates with dentists, promoting the prevention of tooth decay and taking part in raising awareness about dental care. The company is one of many that operate on the principle of corporate social responsibility. The Colgate slogan is a healthy and beautiful smile for the whole family.  

Their product portfolio includes several special ranges – Colgate Total Pro-Gum Health, Colgate Sensitive Pro-Relief, Colgate Max White, Colgate Whitening, Colgate Herbal, and more. Their extensive programme for children includes products suitable for the care of children’s teeth.

The founder, William Colgate, was born in 1783 in Kent, England. Starting as an apprentice in a factory where they produced soap, he gradually worked his way up to the position of a respectable, wealthy industrialist. Colgate itself was founded in 1806 in New York and its production potential was completely focused on classic soap and candles at the time. It was only many years later that the firm began making perfumed soaps and toothpaste. The toothpaste and dental hygiene products still carry the name of their founder, while the perfumed soap division was renamed Palmolive Soap in 1889. The official name of the company is now Colgate-Palmolive.

Today, Colgate-Palmolive focuses on four main areas of trade and production. Alongside Colgate, the best-known oral hygiene brand, these are Palmolive, the body and hair care brand, Hill’s pet foods, and Ajax household cleaning products.

Just a couple more interesting points. Did you know that Colgate was the first to sell toothpaste in a tube? Previously, it was only sold in glass jars. In a huge global survey on brand success and credibility in different countries, Colgate took first place in Australia and Mexico and even beat giant mobile technology and software manufacturers (e.g. Microsoft won in the Czech Republic).