Procter & Gamble refocuses China strategy on ‘premiumisation’... and the US$114 Bluetooth toothbrush
US consumer staples giant says it is making headway in China with a focus on premium brands, after conceding in 2015 it had failed to anticipate the rise of the ‘discerning’ mainland consumer
It is 8am and the alarm goes off. You arise reluctantly, abandoning the warmth of your bed and stagger into the bathroom. You turn on your electric toothbrush and set it to the “whitening mode” on a mobile app. Then your iPhone reminds you to “reduce pressure” when you brush too hard, and praises you for completing the dentist-recommended two minute session every day.
This might sound like science fiction, but it is really an example of how tech will overhaul our everyday lives through an upgrade to a broad array of daily necessities, from toothpaste to face cream.
“We plan to bring in the right tech that is useful and understandable -- the tech that makes meaningful differences,” Michael Yates, general manager Hong Kong & Taiwan at Procter & Gamble told the South China Morning Post in an interview.
We looked at China too much like a developing market as opposed to the most discerning market in the world
The 179-year-old US conglomerate that makes Crest toothpaste, Gillette razors, Pantene shampoo and SK-II treatment essence is now banking on innovation to retain increasingly tech-savvy consumers.
But Yates notes that price was not a barrier in Hong Kong, as the product has become a best seller.
“Most of the products that we bring in now are premium or super premium,” he added.
