4 ms·

Other than generic store brands, I haven't seen a toothpaste brand for sale that didn't advertise, so it isn't a really a fair or informative question.

freepor 7y ago
Well there’s your comparison. The store brands are chemically basically identical to the brand names. But their market share is relatively low. So the advertising must do something.
- vonmoltke 7y ago
  I didn't make the claim it didn't. I was just reacting to that particular rhetorical question. On this subject, though, there is more at play than just advertising. First is availability; smaller stores won't have a private label option available at all, so some chink of the market is not open to them. Second is quality; this is not as much an issue with OTC pharmaceuticals since it's all about the active ingredient, but for products where more than just the active ingredient matters (like flavor or consistency) there is sometimes a quality difference. There definitely is with food. That said, I frequently buy store brands over name brands. I also buy some "name brands" that I have never seen an advertisement for.
- karatestomp 7y ago
  Packaging and shelf placement probably do a lot of the work, compared with, say, web ads about toothpaste.
BurningFrog 7y ago
I think you're staring right at the point, without seeing it...
- vonmoltke 7y ago
  I don't see a point except "everybody is doing it". While I don't agree with the person you are responding to, I don't think this is really evidence to the contrary or says anything much about the value of advertising.
  - spaced-out 7y ago
    Can you name any large company that has gotten to where it is without advertising?
    - majewsky 7y ago
      Google won the search engine market because it was objectively better and thus spread through word of mouth. The first time I saw Google run actual ads was when they pushed Chrome hard. Facebook also spread mostly through word of mouth and only started doing ads when its public image deteriorated. (Side-note: I'm in Germany, so this is about German ad campaigns. Also I have had adblockers for a long time, so when I say "they run ads", I mostly mean TV, print and billboards.)
      - bkanber 7y ago
        You just described two companies that became the ad channels, so they certainly are a bit of an exception. Even Apple, who has the most word-of-mouth viral product line in all history, used advertisements from the beginning.
    - yazaddaruvala 7y ago
      Tesla technically.
      - Cerium 7y ago
        Tesla might not have advertisements on TV or radio, but it is not a coincidence that luxury malls have prime parking dedicated to Tesla chargers, that they have prominent show rooms and that their CEO is always getting in the news.
  - BurningFrog 7y ago
    Why do you think only brands with advertising make it on the store shelf? Or why doesn't one of the marketed brands stop the advertising? If it doesn't affect sales, it's a useless expense, and any profit maximizing entity would cut it. To me, the obvious answer is that advertising does work. Without it people don't by your product that much, and you get replaced on the store shelves by brands that produce sales. Also note that the store brands are being advertised when the store markets itself. They're not unadvertised.
- jeltz 7y ago
  Not really. There could be multiple possible reasons why everyone is advertising. Everyone buying ads does not necessarily prove that ads work. I personally think they do, but that is not any proof.
code_duck 7y ago
I've never seen ads for the higher end/natural/organic brands such as Tom's of Maine, Nature's Gate, Auromere, Neem, Organix, Dr. Bronner's, or Jason.
- BurningFrog 7y ago
  That's interesting. You could imagine these kind of brands can make a name for themselves by not participating in the vulgar ad rat race, and that would appeal to the sophisticated target group. Then again, when I google tom's of maine advertising, I get many hits saying the opposite, like https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcfhusG_iJcQyFSBEOyeucA https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcfhusG_iJcQyFSBEOyeucA I didn't check the other brands
  - code_duck 7y ago
    Most of those brands are owned by larger companies now. Tom's is primarily owned by Comgate-Palmolive. Jason is part of Hain-Celestial. I doubt it's financially feasible to advertise on TV for the sales they expect in their niche. I'm not sure if it's the best way to reach people interested in natural toothpaste. I don't know whether consumers would think they stand out for not advertising, but it's possible that some customers prefer a a less known brand for some sort of feeling of exclusivity.
    - BurningFrog 7y ago
      I'm guessing that segment needs to market in ways that doesn't look like advertising. Or at least not "hard sell" advertising.

freepor 7y ago

Well there’s your comparison. The store brands are chemically basically identical to the brand names. But their market share is relatively low. So the advertising must do something.

vonmoltke 7y ago
I didn't make the claim it didn't. I was just reacting to that particular rhetorical question. On this subject, though, there is more at play than just advertising. First is availability; smaller stores won't have a private label option available at all, so some chink of the market is not open to them. Second is quality; this is not as much an issue with OTC pharmaceuticals since it's all about the active ingredient, but for products where more than just the active ingredient matters (like flavor or consistency) there is sometimes a quality difference. There definitely is with food. That said, I frequently buy store brands over name brands. I also buy some "name brands" that I have never seen an advertisement for.
karatestomp 7y ago
Packaging and shelf placement probably do a lot of the work, compared with, say, web ads about toothpaste.

BurningFrog 7y ago

I think you're staring right at the point, without seeing it...

vonmoltke 7y ago
I don't see a point except "everybody is doing it". While I don't agree with the person you are responding to, I don't think this is really evidence to the contrary or says anything much about the value of advertising.
- spaced-out 7y ago
  Can you name any large company that has gotten to where it is without advertising?
  - majewsky 7y ago
    Google won the search engine market because it was objectively better and thus spread through word of mouth. The first time I saw Google run actual ads was when they pushed Chrome hard. Facebook also spread mostly through word of mouth and only started doing ads when its public image deteriorated. (Side-note: I'm in Germany, so this is about German ad campaigns. Also I have had adblockers for a long time, so when I say "they run ads", I mostly mean TV, print and billboards.)
    - bkanber 7y ago
      You just described two companies that became the ad channels, so they certainly are a bit of an exception. Even Apple, who has the most word-of-mouth viral product line in all history, used advertisements from the beginning.
  - yazaddaruvala 7y ago
    Tesla technically.
    - Cerium 7y ago
      Tesla might not have advertisements on TV or radio, but it is not a coincidence that luxury malls have prime parking dedicated to Tesla chargers, that they have prominent show rooms and that their CEO is always getting in the news.
- BurningFrog 7y ago
  Why do you think only brands with advertising make it on the store shelf? Or why doesn't one of the marketed brands stop the advertising? If it doesn't affect sales, it's a useless expense, and any profit maximizing entity would cut it. To me, the obvious answer is that advertising does work. Without it people don't by your product that much, and you get replaced on the store shelves by brands that produce sales. Also note that the store brands are being advertised when the store markets itself. They're not unadvertised.
jeltz 7y ago
Not really. There could be multiple possible reasons why everyone is advertising. Everyone buying ads does not necessarily prove that ads work. I personally think they do, but that is not any proof.

code_duck 7y ago

I've never seen ads for the higher end/natural/organic brands such as Tom's of Maine, Nature's Gate, Auromere, Neem, Organix, Dr. Bronner's, or Jason.

BurningFrog 7y ago
That's interesting. You could imagine these kind of brands can make a name for themselves by not participating in the vulgar ad rat race, and that would appeal to the sophisticated target group. Then again, when I google tom's of maine advertising, I get many hits saying the opposite, like https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcfhusG_iJcQyFSBEOyeucA https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcfhusG_iJcQyFSBEOyeucA I didn't check the other brands
- code_duck 7y ago
  Most of those brands are owned by larger companies now. Tom's is primarily owned by Comgate-Palmolive. Jason is part of Hain-Celestial. I doubt it's financially feasible to advertise on TV for the sales they expect in their niche. I'm not sure if it's the best way to reach people interested in natural toothpaste. I don't know whether consumers would think they stand out for not advertising, but it's possible that some customers prefer a a less known brand for some sort of feeling of exclusivity.
  - BurningFrog 7y ago
    I'm guessing that segment needs to market in ways that doesn't look like advertising. Or at least not "hard sell" advertising.