Colgate
We helped a global brand change the way the world brushes.
#colgate #toothbrush #healthtech #innovation
Colgate-Palmolive is a caring, innovative growth company, and the worldwide leader in oral care. Colgate’s purpose is to reimagine a healthier future for all people, their pets, and our planet.
In order to help reimagine a healthier future for all, Colgate was looking to enter the connected toothbrush market and wanted as a partner an agile, innovative company with strong software development skills. Thanks to our extensive experience making connected devices, Colgate turned to Baracoda and we became official partners in 2016.
We helped Colgate successfully launch its first selection of connected toothbrushes and start changing the way the world brushes.
6
250%
16
The challenge
Colgate wanted to upgrade the electric toothbrushing experience by launching a new, connected product. They had two main goals: help people take better care of their oral health and challenge the market standards by offering a product with complex technology that’s still affordable.
What we did
We made it possible for toothbrushes to track movement with 95% accuracy
By integrating a Bluetooth chip and AI algorithms into Colgate’s Hum toothbrush, Baracoda made it possible to track its position in the mouth with 95% accuracy. We then connected it to a smartphone app, and in doing so, our technology made the invisible visible. Baracoda’s technology analyzes unbrushed or under-brushed areas, creating an entirely new oral health index: surface coverage.
We managed projects with our clients’ 3rd party partners
During the manufacturing logistical flow, Colgate wanted Baracoda to work with 3rd party partners to embed the firmware into the hardware. This was challenging as the development cycle was different from the manufacturing cycle. By offering our end-to-end business services to Colgate, we could handle the firmware, backend, and part of the manufacturing for this project. With many parts of the production process in-house, we could predict and address challenges before they arose.
We navigated international data regulations for our multinational client
Additionally, Baracoda faced the challenge of managing backend data with different providers across Europe, the US, and China, which have different rules and regulations. Baracoda navigated this by holding technical meetings to agree on operability standards so the project managers could synchronize and agree on which materials to deliver.
Results
The end result is something we can all be proud of—Colgate Hum users increased brushing time by 250% and brushed surfaces by 20%. Today, the Hum toothbrush has amassed hundreds of thousands of users, who have completed several tens of millions of brushing sessions!
The latest version of Colgate’s connected toothbrush, Hum Smart Rhythm, won an innovation award in 2022 due to the combination of complex tech and low market prices.
"Working with the Baracoda team, Colgate was able to launch an affordable connected toothbrush which helps people take charge of their health and well being. Brushing correctly is key to healthy teeth and gums which can, in turn, positively impact overall health. Our teams innovated together and are proud of Colgate Connected Brush's great user experience and positive impact on people's health."
