Unilever consolidates toothpaste market with Herbal Gel variant for youth

Unilever Nigeria plc is not leaving anything to chance in its efforts to continue to dominate the Nigerian toothpaste market as it introduces another Close-Up variant, Herbal Gel, targeting the youth market.

Globally, Nigeria is the second largest Close-Up market after Brazil, and the management wants to protect that strength by filling every gap of the market and meeting consumer needs.

The new herbal variant known as the ‘Close-Up Naija Herbal Gel’ has a blend of Aloe Vera, which serves as an anti-bacterial agent, Mint leaf extract that gives fresh breath and Lemon extract for white teeth. The management said at the launch in Lagos that the Close-Up Naija Herbal gel toothpaste was developed to celebrate the ‘Naija’ spirit.

“To honour the energy of Nigerian youths, as seen in the music, fashion, technology and movie industries, Close-Up created toothpaste for the Nigerian youth,” David Okeme, brand building director, Unilever Nigeria, said.

He explained that the essence of the Naija Herbal gel toothpaste was to encourage young Nigerians get close naturally, the Naija way. According to him, Nigerians are known as being energetic, resilient, creative, and differentiated in their style, so Close-Up created a mix that is not only unique to Nigeria but is an embodiment of the Nigerian spirit.

The brand building director believes that the product is a milestone achievement for the Close-Up brand and Unilever Nigeria, as it will help reach out to young Nigerians and satisfy their need. “The future is here, the future is now, the future is the Nigerian youth and we acknowledge and celebrate you,” he said.

Also speaking at the launch, Oiza Gyang, category manager, Oral Care, Unilever Nigeria plc, said “Unilever knows that Nigeria is a big market for Unilever and the population is growing,” stating that any operator who wanted to survive must work in Nigeria and work well. “That is why we are actually developing products to suit Nigerian market. If we win in Nigeria, we will win globally,” she said.

She further said the new variant would meet the needs of young Nigerians, who want to exhibit their uniqueness as Nigerians and create more opportunities for the youths to get closer and express themselves more confidently.

On the difference between the Close-Up herbal paste and herbal gel, the major difference is that one is a paste and the other is a gel. Both contain ingredients to take care of oral care needs. The Herbal Gel is positioned for the youth while the herbal paste is a family brand.

Close-Up has been able to clearly re-enforce its understanding of Nigeria’s oral care needs and re-state its commitment towards sustaining their position as the best oral care product in the market.