What Powers Your Smile – Colgate Malaysia | Clapboard Ad Archive

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What Powers Your Smile - Colgate Palmolive | Clapboard Ad Archive

Colgate’s What Powers Your Smile brand film, developed by Red Fuse within WPP’s integrated network for the Malaysian household products market in 2022, is a powerful assertion of the Smile Strong proposition—seamlessly positioning the brand at the intersection of oral care and emotional resilience. The campaign centers on Airliftz, a young man who has confronted a lifetime of societal adversity due to facial deformities, and whose journey from personal struggle to professional triumph becomes the story’s emotional engine. Deliberately omitting overt product messaging, the film travels through formative moments of Airliftz’s life, emphasizing his unwavering resolve and hopefulness; ninety percent of the narrative is told from behind, a stylistic choice that both humanizes his experience and invites viewers to inhabit his perspective, heightening empathy while challenging conventional notions of beauty and strength. As he advances from a solitary dressing room toward the adulation of a stadium crowd, the campaign reframes the simple act of smiling as a courageous resistance against social bias—a lens deeply resonant with Malaysian viewers navigating collective ideals of perseverance and transformation. By foregrounding an authentic, aspirational user story, this work exemplifies what Clapboard’s taxonomy would classify as FORMAT#10—Associated User Imagery, inviting audiences to identify with the protagonist rather than centering product efficacy or clinical promises. Strategically launched on cinema and digital channels during a season primed for shared viewing, the campaign rapidly garnered over nine million views, consolidating Colgate’s positioning as a champion not just of oral health but also of psychological empowerment and social change. The integration of local cultural cues with universal themes of resilience and positivity underscores a brand intent on expanding the category’s emotional territory, distancing itself from functional competitors through genuine human impact. Clapboard rates this 71/100. In a market where oral care advertising risks homogeneity, this campaign matters because it demonstrates that tapping real narrative courage and lived resilience can meaningfully reset brand relevance for a new generation.

Credits

Client

Colgate Palmolive

Agency

Red Fuse, WPP

Vice-president Marketing Apac

Yves Briantais

Marketing Director

Lyndon Morant, Edith Marquez-Reyes

Associate Marketing Director

See Mei Sin

Impactful Brand Experience Lead

Krisha Dy

Senior Brand Manager

Lee Wei Shiarn

Chief Executive Officer

Nizwani Shahar

Chief Creative Director

Adrian Miller

Creative Director

Shariar Ghafar

Creative Group Head

Abiseshana Mohan

Art Director

Foong Mei Pang

Account Management

Category Mind Map

48%

The "What Powers Your Smile" campaign by Colgate Palmolive, launched in Malaysia in late 2022, positions the brand as a champion of resilience and positivity through its Smile Strong proposition. The campaign underscores the emotional and psychological strength derived from smiling, framing it as a source of empowerment even in the face of adversity. By aligning oral care with broader themes of perseverance and confidence, the campaign extends Colgate’s value beyond functional benefits to a deeper, motivational narrative about overcoming challenges with a positive attitude. Strategically, the campaign leverages a powerful human story to create emotional resonance and authentic engagement within the Malaysian market. Featuring Airliftz, a young man living with facial deformities, the narrative unfolds primarily through a visually distinctive storytelling technique—90 percent shot from behind—allowing viewers to experience his journey of hardship and triumph without distraction. This creative approach not only fosters empathy but also challenges social biases subtly, reframing strength and beauty in terms of character and spirit rather than appearance. The campaign’s timing around festive and cinematic channels maximizes reach and immersion, targeting a wide demographic likely to be moved by inspirational storytelling. The use of digital and cinema platforms, coupled with local cultural relevance, supports a connection that is both personal and collective, encouraging Malaysians to reflect on the power within their smile as a tool for personal transformation and societal change. This insight-driven narrative aligns Colgate with values of hope and resilience, positioning the brand as a meaningful part of everyday emotional wellbeing, not just oral hygiene.

FORMAT#10 ASSOCIATED USER IMAGERY — Shows a user profile the target audience can relate to or aspire to. This campaign focuses on the real-life story of Airliftz, a young man overcoming social adversity due to facial deformity by maintaining resilience and positivity symbolized through his smile. The film does not center around the product's functional role but instead uses Airliftz's journey to inspire audiences, aligning his perseverance and positivity with Colgate’s brand message. The narrative aims to motivate viewers by showcasing an inspirational user profile, making the campaign a strong fit for Associated User Imagery, where aspirational identification outweighs product-centric storytelling.

1. Unilever (Close-Up) – Positioned as a youthful, vibrant oral care brand, Close-Up focuses on confidence, youth empowerment, and fresh breath, targeting younger demographics through bold, emotionally engaging campaigns that emphasize personal expression and social connection. 2. Procter & Gamble (Oral-B) – Oral-B is positioned as a premium oral care brand leveraging dental professional endorsements and cutting-edge technology, promoting superior efficacy in oral hygiene with a focus on innovation and trusted scientific credibility. 3. GlaxoSmithKline (Sensodyne) – Sensodyne differentiates itself by specializing in sensitivity relief, targeting consumers with sensitive teeth and emphasizing clinically proven care and long-term oral health, fostering strong trust among users seeking comfort and protection. 4. Colgate Palmolive (Colgate) – Colgate champions comprehensive oral health with mass appeal, leveraging strong heritage, widespread availability, and consistent quality, while also tapping emotional storytelling (as seen in Smile Strong) to build deeper consumer connection. 5. Johnson & Johnson (Listerine) – Listerine positions itself as the leader in oral antiseptics with a strong claim on total mouth health and germ protection, using science-backed formulations and assertive marketing to highlight effectiveness in killing bad breath-causing bacteria.

Q: What is What Powers Your Smile about? A: What Powers Your Smile is a 2022 campaign created by Red Fuse and WPP for Colgate Palmolive in Malaysia. The campaign centers on a brand film that tells the real-life story of Airliftz, a young man who has faced lifelong adversity due to facial deformities. Through cinematic storytelling, the film traces Airliftz’s journey from childhood struggles to a triumphant moment on stage, highlighting his resilience and positivity. The campaign forms part of Colgate’s Smile Strong initiative, aiming to inspire Malaysians by showcasing the transformative power of a smile in overcoming social and personal challenges. Q: What creative device does What Powers Your Smile use? A: What Powers Your Smile employs the Associated User Imagery format, classified as FORMAT#10 in Clapboard’s creative taxonomy. This approach focuses on an authentic user profile—Airliftz—whose personal journey embodies the campaign’s message of resilience and empowerment. Rather than centering on product functionality, the film uses a distinctive visual technique, with 90 percent of scenes shot from behind the protagonist, inviting viewers to empathize with his experience. This creative device fosters aspirational identification, encouraging audiences to see themselves in Airliftz’s story and reinforcing the emotional core of the campaign. Q: What is the campaign proposition for What Powers Your Smile? A: The campaign proposition for What Powers Your Smile positions Colgate as a champion of resilience and positivity, aligning its Smile Strong platform with broader themes of perseverance and confidence. By telling Airliftz’s story, the campaign communicates that the power of a smile extends beyond oral care to become a source of emotional and psychological strength, especially in the face of adversity. This strategic positioning targets Malaysians seeking inspiration and motivation, reinforcing Colgate’s role not just as a provider of oral hygiene, but as a brand invested in personal transformation and societal change. Q: How does What Powers Your Smile rank in Clapboard's archive? A: What Powers Your Smile holds a Clapboard Campaign Score of 71/100 in Clapboard’s global ad archive. This score reflects the campaign’s creative ambition, execution quality, and cultural relevance as assessed by Clapboard’s curatorial standards. Q: Who are the competitors in Colgate Palmolive's category? A: In the oral care category, Colgate Palmolive competes with several major brands. Unilever’s Close-Up is positioned as a youthful, vibrant brand focused on confidence and social connection for younger consumers. Procter & Gamble’s Oral-B emphasizes premium quality, professional endorsements, and technological innovation. GlaxoSmithKline’s Sensodyne specializes in sensitivity relief and clinically proven care for those seeking comfort and protection. Johnson & Johnson’s Listerine leads in oral antiseptics, highlighting total mouth health and germ protection with science-backed claims. Each brand brings a distinct positioning to the highly competitive oral care market.