Listerine, the brand that invented halitosis in 1921, is rolling out a new positioning that refers to emerging scientific evidence that gum disease might be a factor in health problems such as heart
disease and diabetes. An ad running in Wednesday editions of
USA Today shows a stethoscope-bedecked bottle of Listerine and states: "If you think it's just for your mouth, think bigger." There
are no studies definitively proving a connection between oral health and overall health, but the wording that "emerging science suggests" a link was broad enough for the American Dental Association to
give its seal of acceptance to the claim. Listerine is also sponsoring an ADA brochure entitled "Health Mouth Health Body: Making the Connection." Listerine, the No. 1 mouthwash from Pfizer Inc., is
feeling pressure from Procter & Gamble Co.'s Crest Pro-Health, which came to the U.S. market in early 2005. "The reality is that there's more competition out there and so the perennial category
standard bearer, Listerine, is feeling it," says Robert Passikoff, president of Brand Keys Inc.
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