CHENNAI – Dabur, India’s homegrown consumer goods company and a key rival to Colgate-Palmolive, has turned toothpaste into a symbol of economic nationalism, asking consumers to reject foreign brands as trade disputes with the United States escalate.
The messaging closely follows Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s renewed appeal on September 4 for citizens to embrace Swadeshi, locally made products. Urging schools to spread awareness, Mr Modi said children should list foreign-branded goods and teachers should encourage avoiding them.
The push came after US President Donald Trump imposed tariffs of up to 50 per cent on Indian imports last week, sparking pro-Swadeshi campaigns on WhatsApp where American brands like McDonald’s, Pepsi and Apple were targeted for boycotts.
In this charged climate, Dabur, valued at US$11 billion (S$14.16 billion), released a striking front-page advertisement portraying plain toothpaste packs resembling Colgate’s iconic packaging. While not naming Colgate directly, the ad described it as an “American” favourite, contrasting Dabur as the authentic Indian option. The tagline, “Born there, not here”, appeared in fonts styled with the US flag’s colours.
Colgate, which commands 43 per cent of India’s toothpaste market, did not comment, while Dabur, holding 17 per cent, also declined response. A QR code in Dabur’s ad linked directly to a shopping page on Amazon India, highlighting the irony of promoting nationalist consumption via a US retail platform.
Analysts view the trend as savvy “moment marketing.” Communications consultant Karthik Srinivasan said brands are leveraging patriotic sentiment during a sensitive period: “How can we gain from that sentiment this week and next? That’s what all these brands are doing.”
Amul, India’s largest dairy, has also released digital cartoons celebrating Made in India goods, while Rediff, once a major Indian e-mail provider, ran a print ad touting itself as the nation’s “mail of India,” urging businesses to keep their data on local platforms.
With India’s 1.4 billion consumers and expanding digital reach now deeply penetrated by US brands, the fight over everyday goods like toothpaste represents more than market share, it has become entangled with the politics of trade, identity and national pride.