When Church & Dwight acquired TheraBreath in 2021, the 28-year old brand had a low market share in the mouthwash category, 5.6%, which already consisted of a limited, but well-known consideration set (ahem, we see you Listerine and Crest).TheraBreath needed a breath of fresh air to break through, they were a silent underdog with 7% unaided awareness and had to shatter the deafening 70% brand loyalty to Listerine. Outspent and unknown, TheraBreath had to disrupt the sea of sameness in the category with advertising that stole market share from the established titans.

Smashing the stale dentist office clichés and clinical close-ups, TheraBreath fled from fear-mongering worst-case scenarios. It was time to inject a much-needed dose of positivity, flipping the script to reinvigorate the musty mouthwash aisle with a fresh perspective.

Inspired by transformative true stories, TheraBreath’s campaign celebrated positive affirmations and envisioning your best self. Frustrated by artificial ingredients and burning rinses, conscientious consumers craved an effective solution. Daily doubts, bad breath, and poor oral health blurred the mirror’s reflection. But TheraBreath sharpened the focus, helping you see your best self.

Swishing became a powerful ritual – trading insecurity for fresh breath and boundless possibility. “It’s Swishy Time” catapulted you to invincibility. No more fearing first impressions or close talkers. TheraBreath empowered you to conquer the day; one swish, and you’re unstoppable.

A key differentiator was TheraBreath’s dentist-formulated origins and an ironclad satisfaction guarantee. Dr. Katz developed TheraBreath to help his own daughter conquer her bad breath and delivered a promise to the consumer that every swish was 100% satisfaction guaranteed. This consistent detail would reinforce the product’s credibility setting it apart from the competition. No burning, no compromises, just

Our strategy shattered the monotony of the blue bottle aisle, allowing TheraBreath to capture new consumers and increase market share. We drove home the brand’s unique positioning to create a strong bias, “Don’t feel the burn, feel the swish!”, rallied fresh breath fanatics craving an alternative.

These fanatics are early adopters, looking to try new products. Uniquely, TheraBreath attracted a younger, 47% Millennial and GenZ versus 29% for the category leader, and more diverse fanbase, with over 50% people of color. We set out to showcase a relatable audience in the video spots, helping motivate our target to try, even at a premium price.

Throughout the purchase journey, we immersed fanatics in the swishy feeling that propels you to conquer your day. We optimized our media investment to drive meaningful connections. Video, influencers, and social platforms were at the center of capturing the hearts & mouths of younger consumers.

Swishy Time launched with a bang across TV, CTV & YouTube with consistent flighting to build brand bias and awareness. To build frequency and pull consumers to conversion we deployed video retargeting that delivered harder hitting messaging, highlighting TheraBreath as the mouthwash of choice. To amplify, Google search captured hand raisers looking for product information by driving them to educational content on the TheraBreath website, highlighting our unique benefits. Retail media tactics were laser-focused on winning new consumers across Amazon, Walmart, and Target.

But to truly disrupt, we needed to find white space with limited competition but had scale and significant cultural cache. We turned to TikTok and the #TikTokmademebuyit phenomenon. Launching with influencers who embodied the “Swishy Time” spirit, we aligned with seasonal and cultural trends- leveraging TikTok’s scale and cultural currency. We unlocked TikTok’s full potential as an unmined mouthwash marketing frontier, and the results spoke volumes.

TheraBreath's disruptive "Swishy Time" campaign catapulted awareness of the brand and truly shook the mouthwash aisle, skyrocketing share from 5.6% to 15.6%. It dethroned Crest as #1 Alcohol-Free Mouthwash and became the #1 total mouthwash brand on Amazon and at Target. A category revolution, TheraBreath accounted for 54% of Total Mouthwash Growth - the Fastest Growing Leading Brand outpacing ALL others combined. Media and marketing unleashed this meteoric rise and drove an amazing 70% increase in ROI.

But beyond market dominance, "Swishy Time" cultivated self-assurance in a new, younger generation. GenZ fell head-over-heels for the empowering brand ethos. "TheraBreath changed my life," one swisher gushed, "and helped me have more confidence." An unofficial TikTok sensation with over 500,000 followers on TikTok, up by 207% vs 2022 (+304K followers). TheraBreath ranked a Top 10 GenZ Brand of 2023 and 2024 -– democratizing self-love, one swish at a time.