Gillette Sues Colgate for False Advertising Claims On "Colgate Total Professional" Toothbrush.

BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 5, 1998--The Gillette Company today sued Colgate-Palmolive Company for an injunction and damages.

Gillette's lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, challenges Colgate's advertising for its new Total Professional toothbrush, where Colgate claims that the toothbrush provides "at least 75% of the cleaning benefits of flossing," is "almost flossing," and solves the "problem" of consumers not having enough time to floss. Gillette claims that Colgate's advertising is not only false and misleading, but also jeopardizes public health.

Bruce Cleverly, president, Oral-B Laboratories worldwide, said that the Colgate advertising "is calculated to mislead consumers to believe that they do not have to floss, or that they do not have to floss as often if they use the Total Professional toothbrush. There is no basis for such messages."

"Flossing provides a benefit distinct from that of toothbrushing," Mr. Cleverly said. He continued, "Colgate's ads are irresponsible, because they encourage people not to floss, or to floss less often. If people don't floss, they are more likely to develop gingivitis and other gum diseases. Brushing - with the Total Professional toothbrush or with any other brush - is not 'almost flossing.'"

Headquartered in Belmont, California, Oral-B Laboratories is a world-leading toothbrush company. A subsidiary of The Gillette Company since 1984, Oral-B captured the No. 1 spot in the half-billion-dollar U.S. toothbrush market in 1995. Oral-B markets a complete line of consumer oral care products worldwide, including toothbrushes for adults and children, flosses, toothpastes, and rinses. Oral-B also markets a line of professional products for dentists' offices.