Dabur Challenges Colgate in India With Nationalist Toothpaste Campaign
Indian consumer goods giant Dabur is taking on American rival Colgate-Palmolive by turning toothpaste into a symbol of nationalism. The company has launched an advertising campaign urging consumers to choose homegrown products over foreign brands, reflecting a broader push for “Swadeshi” goods amid worsening U.S.-India trade tensions.
Modi Renews Call for Swadeshi Movement
Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently renewed his appeal for citizens to embrace locally made products. Speaking on Thursday, Modi encouraged children to “make a list” of foreign-branded goods and urged teachers to guide students away from using them.
The call followed fresh U.S. tariffs of up to 50% on Indian imports imposed by President Donald Trump. In response, Modi’s supporters launched social media campaigns, especially on WhatsApp, promoting boycotts of popular American brands such as McDonald’s, Pepsi, and Apple.
Dabur’s Nationalist Ad Targets Colgate
Seizing the moment, Dabur—valued at $11 billion—released a front-page advertisement in the Times of India. The ad featured unbranded toothpaste packs resembling Colgate’s iconic packaging, though without naming the U.S. company directly.
The campaign declared that India’s leading toothpaste brand was foreign-made, while Dabur was the true “Swadeshi” choice. One tagline read: “Born there, not here”—styled in red, white, and blue to mimic the American flag.
Neither Dabur nor Colgate responded to media requests for comment.
India’s Toothpaste Market Share
According to Euromonitor (2024):
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Colgate dominates India’s toothpaste market with a 43% share.
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Unilever’s Pepsodent holds the second position.
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Dabur ranks third with 17% market share.
With India’s 1.4 billion population, the toothpaste market represents a huge opportunity. American consumer goods have steadily expanded beyond metro cities into smaller towns, fueled by platforms like Amazon India, which accounts for nearly one-third of the country’s online retail sales.
Interestingly, Dabur’s ad even included a QR code linking to Amazon India, allowing consumers to buy its products online—despite the broader anti-American brand sentiment.
Nationalism as a Marketing Strategy
Experts say brands are using “moment marketing” to ride the wave of nationalism. Communications consultant Karthik Srinivasan explained: “How can we gain from that sentiment this week and next? That’s literally what these brands are doing.”
Other Indian companies have taken similar approaches:
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Amul, India’s largest dairy, shared cartoons on social media celebrating “Made in India” products, including an animated ad of its mascot waving the Indian flag while holding butter.
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Rediff, once a major local email provider, placed a newspaper ad branding itself as the “Mail of India,” urging users to keep their data and business intelligence within the country.
Growing Consumer Sentiment
As U.S.-India trade tensions intensify, Indian businesses are capitalizing on national pride to strengthen their market positions. With Dabur positioning itself as a patriotic alternative to Colgate, the toothpaste aisle may soon become a battleground where consumer choices reflect not just personal preference, but also political sentiment.