• by Les Luchter , March 21, 2023

Procter & Gamble’s Crest has enlisted seven-year-old social media influencer Brody Hudson Schaffer as the official “Kid Correspondent” for its new Crest Kids Color Changing Toothpaste.

Specifically designed to get kids to brush their teeth for the dentist-recommended two minutes, the bubblegum-flavored toothpaste takes exactly that long to change color from blue to pink.

“Until now no other product on the market has been able to create a true change in children’s brushing habits,” claimed Luis Restrepo, senior director North America Oral Care at Procter & Gamble, in a press release.

The toothpaste is “sassy and shimmy and gorgeous,” declares young Schaffer in a one-minute video on his Instagram page, @BossBabyBrody, which has 662,000 followers.

The video also features the off-screen voice of Brody’s mom, Dani Schaffer, who herself is a social media influencer via @CityGirlGoneMom as well as a brand ambassador for Kohl’s.

Indeed, both mother and son appeared Monday in a 45-minute “Kohl’s Live” presentation, in which they provided Easter shopping recommendations.

Kohl’s doesn’t sell toothpaste, but Crest notes that Crest Kids Color Changing Toothpaste is now available at other retailers nationwide.

It joins three “Color-Changing” branded toothbrushes from sister P&G company Oral-B on the shelves: a manual model whose bristles signal it’s time for replacement when they change from green to yellow; and battery-powered and electric models whose bristles change from blue to white to signal replacement time.

P&G’s kids’ toothpastes and toothbrushes compete in a U.S, market for pediatric oral care that – including dentist visits - increased 6% last year to reach $1.34 billion, according to Grand View Research.

An increase in toothpaste brands for kids has helped drive the market, Grand View said, with new entries including Colgate’s Trolls Mild Bubble Fruit Toothpaste and Sanofi’s ACT Kids Toothpaste.

Also in the kids’ oral care market, Church & Dwight’s TheraBreath ln Tuesday launched a new mouthwash line. Officially labelled “TheraBreath for Kids! Anti-Cavity Oral Rinse,” the mouthwash comes in three flavors: “grapes galore,” “wacky watermelon” and “strawberry splash.”