South Africa Edition 2

areas difficult to reach by traditional brushing
and flossing. According to the product’s
instructions, a small mouthful (20ml) of
Listerine should be swished around in the
mouth for at least 30 seconds, and then spat
out, this should be done twice daily or every
12 hours for effective results.
Listerine’s proven ability to help fight
against gingivitis is just one of the reasons
for the product’s consistent popularity.
Gingivitis can lead to a more serious
condition called periodontitis, as well
as tooth loss. The brand advertises that
every 30-second rinse with Listerine
provides consumers with 12-hour
protection against germs that cause
plaque and gingivitis.
Named after the English physician
Joseph Lister, the “father of modern
antiseptics”, who performed the
first antiseptic surgery ever in 1865,
Listerine was packaged in a
glass bottle inside a corrugated
cardboard tube for nearly 80
years, before the first revamps
were made to the brand. In 1992,
Cool Mint Listerine was introduced
in addition to the original Listerine
Antiseptic formula, and in 1994 both
brands were introduced in plastic
bottles for the first time.
RECENT DEVELOPMENTS
Over the years the Brand has launched
numerous new products into the
market.
Listerine with Added Consumer
Benefits:
• Tartar Control Listerine® contains
Zinc Chloride, in addition to
Alcohol and Thymol which prevents
supragingival Tartar build up and
formation
• Teeth & Gum Defence Listerine®
contains Sodium Fluoride: in addition
to Alcohol and Thymol Fluoride
helps prevent dental caries -
Regular exposure of teeth to low
concentrations of Fluoride can
prevent dental caries
Listerine Less Intense Favours:
• Refreshing Citrus Listerine ®
• Vanilla Mint Listerine®
• Less Intense Listerine variants
but equally effective.
A combination of carefully
selected flavours to create a “Less
Intense” rinsing experience
Innovative packaging was launched to update the
Brands image, making a bigger impact on shelf
and easier for the consumers to identify the variant
they wanted store shelves.
PROMOTION
Listerine’s success is not only due to its efficacy
and popularity as a product, but is - in large part
- also due to its high-impact advertising. In the
1930s, Listerine gave birth to the famous slogan,
“Often a bridesmaid, never a bride”, yet another
advertising reflection on the
perils of bad breath. In the
1970s, the slogan, with a twist
of ingenious reverse psychology,
became “The taste you hate
twice a day”.
The launch of Listerine Cool
Mint saw the product swinging
Tarzan-like through the trees. The
“Swinging Bottle” ads picked up
Effie advertising awards in the
USA, and the advertisement was a
memorable one for consumers.
Following on the success of
the Swinging Bottle, a campaign
was created to raise awareness of
Listerine’s germ-killing properties.
The first TV advertisement in
the campaign was called “The
Bomb”, and showed Listerine
exploding inside a man’s
mouth. The payoff line, “It’s
dynamite against germs”, was
subsequently carried through
three more commercials
featuring a battlefield, a boxing
glove and exploding sticks of
dynamite between teeth.
Far from “bombing”, the
campaign was a major success
and cemented Listerine’s
position as number one
in the oral mouthwash
market, as well as driving
new growth for the
brand. The campaign
was also credited
with
bolstering
consumer acceptance
of mouthwash as
an important part of
everyday oral hygiene.
Listerine advertises in print, on TV and at
point of sale in supermarkets and pharmacies.
Ads are designed to keep Listerine top of mind
and encourage growth of the product. Given
its long history, many consumers buy Listerine
because it was the product their parents bought.
Brand loyalty is high and advertising expands on
it.
BRAND VALUES
The combination of strong product success, over 120
years of heritage, powerful brand communications
and consumer trust make Listerine a global leader
in oral care. Brand values include:
• Trust
• Innovation
• Concern
• Commitment
• Consistency
• Good health
These, along with new product innovations,
are sure to keep Listerine on consumers’ lips for
many years to come.
THINGS YOU DIDN’T KNOW ABOUT
LISTERINE
More than one billion people have tried
Listerine at some time
Listerine coined the term “halitosis”,
meaning bad breath. It is now part of the
English lexicon
Before the advent of Listerine, carbolic
acid - which has been known to burn
human tissue - was used as an antiseptic
product in surgeries
From 1921 to 1929, Listerine was used
for dandruff and dry scalp. It was also
used as a beauty treatment for skin, an
antiseptic for cuts, a deodorant and as an
aftershave lotion. During World War I, it
was even used to irrigate wounds
The Listerine slogan, “Often a bridesmaid,
never a bride”, written by Lambert and
Feasley in 1923, is ranked number 48
in AdAge.com’s Top 100 advertising
campaigns