47M+
Impressions exclusively from Reels campaigns
6.5M
Reach on Meta (Colgate Total Max White)
+30%
Engagement Rate
5%
Completed View Rate
4M+
Post Engagements across the two core product lines
Reels
with up to 15% View Rate
CPM 1€
across all Reels campaigns (INDUSTRY AVG DOUBLE)
The case
Colgate leveraged the power of Instagram Reels as the primary communication vehicle across all its sub-brands - from the whitening line Colgate Max White to the prevention-focused Colgate Total.
Reels became the core storytelling format: fast, trend-driven, native, and closely connected to high-interest moments such as Valentine’s Day, MadWalk, Fashion Shows, and #SmileStrong.
Through a continuous always-on strategy and a combination of influencer content, owned assets, and native variations, we built a repeatable digital visibility engine that significantly strengthened brand affinity and Colgate’s overall presence across social media.
The challenge
At a time when TikTok sets video consumption trends and audiences demand authentic, low-complexity, and immediate content, Colgate needed to evolve from a conventional social media presence into a video-first brand that stays at the center of cultural moments.
The challenge was multi-layered:
- Expanding the power of Reels across the entire brand ecosystem, not just isolated campaigns
- Maintaining high engagement from the very first second, without increasing production complexity
- Integrating creative and media best practices into an always-on, trend-driven content plan
- Transforming Reels from a “supporting format” into a core driver of performance and brand presence
The objective was clear: to establish a consistent brand vehicle that not only reflects the present, but also sets new standards in digital communication.
Our approach
We developed a comprehensive strategy that leveraged cultural moments, lifestyle insights, and multiple Reels formats to place Colgate at the heart of everyday consumer life:
- Max White: Connected with beauty and fashion culture through the line “Max White Your Smile, Max Out Your X”, activating content around events such as Valentine’s Day (X = love), MadWalk, and Fashion Shows.
- Colgate Total: Focused on active prevention through #SmileStrong, delivering content around fitness, nutrition, and wellbeing, including collaborations such as Alterlife.
At the digital media level, we implemented:
- Always-on presence using Reach & Engagement objectives
- Trend-driven videos with strong hooks from the first seconds
- Sequencing from influencer → native → branded assets to balance KPIs
- Paid media amplification, with 75% of the budget allocated to Reels formats
- Continuous content refresh and granular reporting
- Precision targeting (lookalikes, behavioral signals, interest splits, exclusions)
The alignment of content, timing, and media created a repeatable growth engine, establishing Colgate as a consistent video-first brand.
The outcomes
Sleed’s Reels-first strategy led to one of Colgate’s most successful years in terms of visibility, engagement, and cost efficiency.
We delivered 47M+ impressions and 6.5M reach, achieving a +30% engagement rate and a completed view rate exceeding 5%, outperforming industry benchmarks. Influencer Reels reached view rates of up to 15%, while 85–90% of the media mix was dedicated to Reels, with CPM consistently below €1.
With 2.9M engagements for Colgate Total and 1.1M engagements for Max White, we demonstrated that vertical video can function as the most powerful storytelling engine for a global brand like Colgate.
Reels activated milestone campaigns, connected the brand with lifestyle-driven moments, and established a flexible content model that delivered high value with low production complexity.
The overall strategy was recognized with a BRONZE award at the Social Media Awards, confirming that creative innovation and consistency in Reels can drive exceptional performance.
