Colgate Surprises with an Unexpected Yet Powerful #SmileStrong Campaign

This week’s #FridayAd really stood out to us as a powerful representation of resilience and hope. However, we were a little surprised when it revealed itself to be Colgate’s #SmileStrong campaign.

Collaborating with the advertising agency SoHo Square , 高露洁 Bangkok tells the story of a Thai boxer who is a single mother fighting to provide for her daughter. In Thailand, the number of single parents has reached 1.34 million, with 80% being single mums.

Beyond the financial and emotional struggles, they often bear the unfair stigma of being seen as inadequate, despite their tireless efforts to provide a better life for their children. Colgate have said that they “stand with these brave mums, believing everyone deserves a future worth looking forward to with a smile."

While the storyline is powerful and worth highlighting, its relevance to Colgate is questionable.

The campaign features minimal branding from Colgate, with the brand and campaign only introduced at the end. This type of subtle marketing is effective for well-known brands, as it allows them to explore narratives that don’t directly relate to their core products. However, this ad felt somewhat random. The story was beautifully told and the message was powerful, but the connection to Colgate seemed tenuous—why Colgate?

Colgate has numerous initiatives, including sustainability efforts and supporting women’s sports through sponsoring the Colgate Women’s Games. Despite their ongoing support for women, improving healthcare, and saving the planet—commendable qualities and initiatives for a brand—we, as marketers, missed the connection between this ad and Colgate.

As Kanye West said, ‘I like some of the Lady Gaga songs, but what does she know about cameras?’ referencing her being the creative director for Polaroid.

While the ad itself is beautifully put together, the brand reveal at the end caught us by surprise. Perhaps we were expecting to see ‘Dove’ rather than ‘Colgate.’

The storytelling – 10/10

The music – 10/10

Actors – 10/10

Relevance between brand and campaign? We're on the fence, let us know what you think.

Watch the ad here: https://www.dandad.org/awards/professional/2024/238348/the-boxer/