To highlight the social advantages of fresh breath, Colgate is choreographing an online dance contest to promote its MaxFresh line of toothpastes this month. The contest, which targets 18-34 crowd and runs until Aug. 17, invites users to download a track from the Get Fresh and Dance website, videotape themselves dancing to it and then upload the video to the site. The top 20 dancers with the highest votes (based on performance, creativity, enthusiasm and technique) will then be judged by a panel that includes Canadian recording artist Shawn Desman, and the top five are sent to Toronto to compete at Yonge and Dundas Square on Sept. 25 for a chance to win the $10,000 grand prize. Those without rhythm can still win one of five iPod Nanos by voting for their favourite video.
Andrea Nickel, brand manager Colgate MaxFresh, tells MiC the contest is a perfect way to highlight the social advantages of MaxFresh, because it targets the group most likely to go out socializing and dancing at clubs, adding that a UGC contest is a good way to reach them due to their social media savvy, since 86% of the demo has broadband access. The campaign, says Nickel, also leverages the popularity of dance shows like So You Think You Can Dance and Dancing With the Stars.
Young & Rubicam, which developed the site based on a template from social media platform provider File Mobile, will also develop a Facebook group to draw attention to the contest. The Get Fresh and Dance Team, managed by 6Degrees Communications, will also be spreading the word across Toronto, and allowing Torontonians to make their own videos on the spot in front of their pop-up backdrop, and upload them to the contest website. A launch party is being held on July 17 at the Tattoo Rock Parlour in Toronto, featuring Shawn Desman. Colgate will also be using an existing partnership with Lavalife, which was arranged by Mediaedge, to alert Lavalife users of the contest via the dating website’s e-blasts.
