Message decision for Close up
Close Up began as a revolutionary brand. It’s very first formula was the bright red, spicy cinnamon-flavoured gel. At a time when white toothpaste was indicative of good toothpaste, Close Up introduced the gel quality which slowly and steadily gained popularity and prominence worldwide. Close-Up toothpaste was different in other ways from its inception. It was also the first U.S. toothpaste to combine mouthwash and toothpaste into one product.

Close-Up toothpaste debuted in 1967. From the beginning, Close-Up has been marketed with a sexual undertone. Advertisements for Close-Up gel toothpaste always included cuddling couples with bright white smiles. Today's Close-Up toothpaste advertisements promise to give you "the confidence to be playful during close encounters".

In the earlier times, Close Up also focused on competing with the white toothpastes and therefore focused more on telling their consumers that their product has more of fluoride content, telling which makes the consumers think that the toothpaste has that essential component which is required for healthy teeth. As an extra, Close Up focused on making it a one for all toothpaste, so the commercials focused on telling them that the toothpaste can also function as a mouth wash which was something unique that they were offering over the other products.

From the very onset, Close Up had focused on being a brand of toothpaste which has been responsible for the increased confidence of people around. Over the years, the brand has not given up on its traditional identity which is to make people feel good about them and boost their confidence. Also, Close Up has played with the desirability of human emotions by leveraging love and romance as a key perpetrator of its results. Close Up has, over the years shown that after using this brand the models come together, fall in love, harbor a desire to kiss each other and stay on. This is primarily what Indian audience, or more generally audience across the world desires to harbor, to gain approval from the opposite gender.
Here Close Up promised to be the brand which not only gave them approval from the other gender but also targeted on attracting them towards one self.

The new Close up commercial stays true to what seems like the brand's age-old story - paas aao na. What changes is a reflection of how times have changed, and how kissing is now seen as acceptable even in India. Some commercials of this product end up being very cheesy, but all around the coming closer theme. So obviously the 'kiss karne ka ji chahe' is like a universal thought and works everywhere. But what is nice is how they have kept in mind the cultural sensitivities of the country and brought in the quintessential 'flowers coming together'. Says it, without making it uncomfortable for the traditional Indian 'family' audiences, and says it with a smile.

In short, Close Up commercials have never really focussed on the family aspect, which is generally harboured by most other toothpaste brands. Close Up’s target audience has always been the youth and in these commercials Close Up ensures that its young target audience is focussed at. Even its models have been iconic to youth. Close Up used Deepika Padukone in one of its commercials, who regarded as youth icon in the country. The punch line of the advertisement was ‘Kya aap Close Up kartey hain’ and it went on to enumerate all the good qualities of the toothpaste. This advertisement had targeted the mature youth of the country, who though are enamoured by the iconic image of Ms. Padukone are also keen on evaluating the merits of the product that they buy. This advertisement was perceived as ‘Cool’ by the target consumers.

Even the promotional strategies of Close Up indicated their youth focus. Close up received and followed the customer insight that people are conscious about their breath and want to get close with each other with confidence. Based on this insight the brand was positioned on the Fresh Breath platform. The campaign was executed showing "Happy couples having fun together". Even film Theatres had corners called as "Close Up Corners". The brand had the aspirational persona in it. Close Up has used films and songs to appeal to the Indian youth. Close Up was the first brand to introduce the "Self Check" of breath. The famous " HA HA" was the idea of Close Up introduced in year 1987.