When Colgate stepped into the Big Brother Naija house for the first time this season, the brand didn’t just bring toothpaste, it brought innovation, creativity, and a fresh take on how oral hygiene education can be delivered to Nigerians.

As a premium toothpaste brand under the Tolaram Group, Colgate’s message of zero cavities, fresh breath and yanga smile was delivered seamlessly with the high-energy, entertainment-packed atmosphere of the Big Brother house. The “let’s have a talk” commercial that aired during ad breaks brilliantly drove realization of the importance of good oral care hygiene to viewers by using kids with gapped smiles to remind elders that missing teeth may be cute on kids because their teeth will grow back. However, as an adult if you don’t brush regularly, your tooth loss is permanent.

The commercial delivered the metaphor brilliantly and was as a result of the research carried out by the brand where it as discovered that 60% Nigerian above 35 years of age have lost a tooth or missing teeth due to poor oral hygiene as we have an attitude where we don’t fix things until they’re broken beyond use.

From the moment viewers tuned in on the show, Colgate’s presence in Big brother house was impossible to miss, a snooker board designed with Colgate’s logo and Yanga with your smile message stood proudly in the game room, while stools that looked like giant teeth were placed strategically for housemates to sit on. These eye-catching additions created playful reminders of oral hygiene throughout the house, making the brand’s presence both fun and functional.

Beyond the visual branding, Colgate played a crucial role in maintaining the housemates’ oral hygiene in the house by providing a steady supply of its premium toothpaste of both Maximum cavity protection and Herbal variants with cameras rolling 24/7, none were caught with anything less than a dazzling smile.

Week six of the show brought Colgate’s brand to the forefront with a special task that showcased the importance of imbibing good oral hygiene habit using Colgate toothpaste and brush. Before the games, the housemates were given a box containing Colgate merchandise and cards containing oral care tips. They were to use the Colgate toothpaste to freshen up their smiles once more and then go through the oral care tips from the card.

The Housemates were then divided into pairs, embellishing the catchphrase from its TV commercial “Let’s Have a Talk” and of course the unique qualities of the Colgate brand, the teams were Team Strong Teeth, Team Zero Cavity, Team Fresh Breath, Team Yanga Smiles, Team Healthy Gum, Team Dental Checks, Team Gum Protection, Team Bright Smiles, and Team Calcium In.

The whole task was divided into three sections: the first was a question and answer game where the housemates’ knowledge was tested on different oral care and hygiene questions based on the tips shared earlier. The second was fixing a smile game and the third was an obstacle course game.

For the question-and-answer game, one team member read out the questions while the other answered them, for every correct answer, the housemates earned 10 points, and every wrong answer earned them a 5-point reduction. Each team had three minutes to attempt 20 questions, viewers also dropped their own answers on social media while tagging the brands page.

The second game called fixing a Smile was a two-minute game aimed at testing the housemates’ communication skills and speed. The housemates were provided with a caricature face on a board. One pair of each team went behind the board to fix the smile with the cut of piece cardboard paper, while the other issuing guidance from the front of the board. The team that fixed the smile correctly within the time limit got 10 points.

The obstacle course which was the final game tasked the housemates to go through each street of the obstacle course together while carrying a life size giant toothbrush without dropping it. Each street had instructions and a score allocated to it. The street was labelled with names such as Fresh Breath Avenue, Gum Drive, Fresh Breath Avenue, Tongue Lane, and Jaw Street. The housemates then collected Colgate toothpaste from a machine and brushed the teeth of an image with germs, stepping aside for their time to be recorded.

Reviews and highlights of the task went on social media platforms where viewers were showing support for their favs and at the end, Team Fresh Breath featuring Sooj and Chizoba were the oral care champions in the house as they won the task. Conversations about the task didn’t end that day as #BBNColgatetask started trending a day after the task on X as viewers dropped their favorite moments of the task the previous day thereby cementing the fact that Colgate had succeeded in creating a task that was both educative, fun, and entertaining.

For housemates and viewers alike, fresh breath and yanga smiles are the new norm, thanks to Colgate’s brilliant sponsorship debut.