Agency: Periscope - Italy.
Client: Unilever.
Context: A project on Mentadent aimed to define different typologies of toothbrushes in relation to different types of users, in order to support clearer product positioning within a highly fragmented category.
Tension: The toothbrush category appeared highly diversified in terms of shapes, features and claims, yet difficult for consumers to navigate.
Choice was often driven by surface elements or habits, rather than by a clear understanding of differences between products.
Insight: The analysis revealed that toothbrushes were not perceived as a structured system, but as a set of isolated options.
Visual and structural cues failed to clearly signal distinct usage logics, making it difficult for consumers to associate each product with a specific need or user profile.
Implication: This opened the possibility to reorganise the category through a clearer semiotic structure.
By defining coherent typologies of toothbrushes and linking them to specific user profiles, the product range could guide consumers more effectively in their choices.
Impact: The study contributed to the definition of new product positioning patterns and corresponding user types, supporting a more structured and meaningful category architecture.