The Challenge
The mass-market toothpaste category had become commoditized. While premium oral care products commanded higher prices through technological innovation, most consumers still relied on traditional white paste formulations that looked and felt the same as products from decades past. We faced several critical challenges:
- Category Stagnation: Mass-market toothpaste hadn't meaningfully evolved in appearance or sensorial experience despite advances in dental science
- Premium Gap: Consumers wanted premium benefits but couldn't justify premium prices for daily essentials
- Commoditization: Undifferentiated white paste made it difficult for innovations to stand out on shelf or in use
- Manufacturing Constraints: Creating premium aesthetics at mass-market production scale and cost structures
The Opportunity
Our R&D team had developed breakthrough transparent gel technology with unprecedented HD clarity. This wasn't just a formulation advance—it was an opportunity to fundamentally transform how consumers perceived and experienced mass-market oral care. We needed to translate this technology breakthrough into compelling product design that delivered premium experience at everyday prices.
My Role & Approach
As Design Lead for Industrial Design and CMF (Color, Material, Finish), I was responsible for translating the breakthrough HD transparency technology into a complete product experience that would resonate with mass-market consumers while commanding premium positioning. My responsibilities included:
- Industrial Design Leadership: Creating distinctive product form and packaging architecture that showcased the HD gel technology
- CMF Strategy: Developing color, material, and finish strategy that elevated perceived value while maintaining mass-market manufacturability
- Sensorial Experience: Designing the complete user experience from first impression through daily use
- Shelf Presence: Creating premium retail presence that stood out in crowded mass-market environments
- Cross-Functional Collaboration: Working with R&D, marketing, and manufacturing to balance innovation with feasibility
"The HD gel technology gave us an unprecedented canvas—literally transparent—to reimagine toothpaste. But transparency alone isn't a product. We needed to create an entire experience that made consumers feel they were getting something genuinely special every time they brushed."
The Design Process
Consumer Insight & Category Analysis
We conducted extensive consumer research to understand perceptions of premium vs. mass-market oral care. Key insight: consumers equated visual clarity and precision with advanced technology and superior performance. The transparent gel became both a functional innovation and a visual signature of breakthrough.
Technology Translation
Working closely with R&D, I helped shape the gel formulation aesthetics—ensuring the transparency was pristine and the micro-polishers were visible but elegant. The gel needed to look as advanced as it performed, with crystal clarity that felt premium in-tube and in-use.
Packaging Architecture & CMF
I led the development of packaging that showcased the HD gel as the hero. Premium materials, thoughtful graphics, and a sophisticated color palette created shelf presence that commanded attention. Every detail—from cap design to tube graphics—reinforced the premium positioning at mass-market price points.
Sensorial Experience Design
Beyond visual appeal, we designed the complete sensorial journey: the cooling sensation on application, the smooth gel texture, the clean rinse, and the long-lasting fresh feeling. Each touchpoint reinforced that this was a fundamentally different—and better—oral care experience.
The Breakthrough: HD Clarity Transparent Gel
First-in-category crystal-clear gel with visible precision micro-polishers—making advanced whitening technology visible and tangible for consumers. The transparency wasn't just aesthetic; it was proof of purity and precision.
Key Innovations
Crest Pro-Health HD represents a complete reimagining of mass-market toothpaste through integrated product and design innovation:
HD Clarity Technology
Revolutionary transparent gel formulation with unprecedented clarity. No cloudiness, no imperfections—just pristine transparency that signals purity and advanced science. The clarity itself became a competitive advantage.
Visible Micro-Polishers
Precision whitening particles suspended in transparent gel—visible evidence of advanced whitening technology. Consumers could literally see the active ingredients working to polish away stains.
Premium Sensorial Experience
Breakthrough cooling sensation combined with smooth gel texture created a noticeably superior brushing experience. The clean rinse and long-lasting freshness elevated expectations for what mass-market could deliver.
Advanced Stain Prevention
Not just whitening, but active stain prevention technology that kept teeth brighter longer. The formulation worked proactively to prevent new stains from forming—extending results between brushings.
Premium Packaging Design
Sophisticated CMF strategy with premium materials, refined graphics, and shelf-stopping presence. The packaging communicated quality and innovation while maintaining mass-market manufacturability and cost structure.
Enamel Protection
Advanced formulation that whitened while actively protecting enamel. The micro-polishers were engineered to be effective yet gentle—delivering results without compromising long-term oral health.
Business Impact
Crest Pro-Health HD became one of P&G's most successful toothpaste innovations, demonstrating that breakthrough product design could command premium positioning even in mass-market categories. The impact extended beyond revenue:
- Category Leadership: Established new standards for what mass-market toothpaste could be, forcing competitors to respond
- Premium Mass Positioning: Successfully bridged premium benefits with accessible pricing—a difficult balance in CPG
- Consumer Perception Shift: Changed how consumers evaluated toothpaste, elevating expectations across the category
- Retail Success: Strong shelf presence and turnover validated the premium positioning strategy
- Portfolio Halo: Elevated perception of entire Crest Pro-Health line through association with HD innovation
Key Learnings
Technology Needs Translation, Not Just Application
The HD transparency technology was scientifically impressive, but technology alone doesn't sell products. Success required translating that technology into visual, tactile, and emotional benefits that consumers could immediately recognize and value. Design was the translator between science and desire.
Premium is Possible at Mass Market
Conventional wisdom said you couldn't deliver premium experience at mass-market prices. Crest HD proved that with the right innovation and thoughtful design, you could create products that felt premium while remaining accessible. The key was authenticity—delivering genuine innovation, not just premium aesthetics.
Visibility Creates Credibility
Making the technology visible—seeing the micro-polishers suspended in crystal-clear gel—gave consumers tangible proof of innovation. In a category where most products look identical, visible differentiation became a powerful competitive advantage. Transparency literally made the technology credible.
CMF Strategy Drives Perceived Value
Strategic use of color, materials, and finishes was critical to commanding premium positioning at mass-market price points. Every detail—from the clarity of the gel to the sophistication of the packaging—contributed to perceived value. CMF wasn't decoration; it was fundamental to the product's commercial success.
Outcome
Crest Pro-Health HD represents one of the most successful innovations in P&G's oral care portfolio—generating over $500 million in topline sales and establishing new standards for mass-market premium positioning. By leading the industrial design and CMF strategy, I helped translate breakthrough transparent gel technology into a complete product experience that consumers could see, feel, and value.
The project demonstrated that thoughtful design can bridge the gap between mass-market accessibility and premium experience—a balance that's notoriously difficult to achieve in consumer packaged goods. More importantly, it showed how design leadership can transform technology breakthroughs into commercial success by making innovation tangible and desirable.
Crest HD didn't just succeed in the marketplace—it fundamentally changed category expectations, proving that consumers don't have to choose between advanced technology and affordable pricing. This project reinforced my belief that great design isn't about luxury or cost; it's about creating authentic value that resonates with real people in their daily lives.