Colgate-Palmolive Wants SMS to Brush Up America’s Oral Health
On Thursday, Colgate-Palmolive announced a new partnership with the Hispanic Dental Association (HDA) to launch Colgate’s 2013 “Oral Health Month” campaign.
Beginning Monday, July 1st, this SMS-driven campaign will help educate Hispanic American families about the importance of proper oral care.
The campaign is specifically designed to reach Hispanics where they increasingly want to be reached – on their mobile devices via SMS. If the mobile channel is optimal for connecting with Hispanic youths and adults, this campaign should yield impressive results. And results are desperately needed today.
According to the HDA, nearly 40% of Hispanic adults live with untreated oral disease — nearly double the rate of non-Hispanic whites. Additionally, twice as many Hispanic children are likely to have untreated cavities, in comparison to non-Hispanic white children.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Minority Health reports that Hispanics have the highest un-insured rates in the U.S., which is often a barrier to scheduling professional dental visits.
During the campaign, consumers will be encouraged to text “SONRIE” and their zip code to 24474. For every pledge submitted during “Oral Health Month,” a dental clinic in one of the chosen cities nearest the participant will receive $1.00 worth of Colgate products, for a minimum donation of $5000 value and a maximum donation of $10,000 value per clinic (up to $80,000 worth of oral care products overall.)
“At Colgate, we care about improving oral health among Hispanic Americans. Our Oral Health Month campaign allows us to promote the practice of healthy oral care habits,” explains Carla Kelly, General Manager of U.S. Multicultural Marketing at Colgate-Palmolive. “By continuing our partnership with the HDA, we are able to leverage our mutual expertise and resources to reach these communities with the encouragement and information they need.”
