Background
We at Xavier’s Consulting Club are motivated to take up live projects that create an impact on the businesses of our clients.
In July 2023, we partnered with a company planning to launch an AI-based toothbrush to monitor brushing strokes and patterns, recommend oral hygiene, and maintain oral healthcare.
The Opportunity
Toothbrush Co. wants to launch an AI toothbrush equipped with advanced features designed to tackle the common challenges faced by children regarding oral hygiene. This AI-powered toothbrush not only monitors brushing techniques in real-time, and offers personalized recommendations, but also aims to differentiate itself from any upcoming competition in the product space by incorporating cartoon characters and elements designed to encourage children, thereby fostering increased engagement. The company’s holistic approach, bundling the toothbrush with toothpaste, aimed to reshape oral care habits from an early age. The potential impact of this product extends beyond convenience as it addresses a significant need for parents, caregivers, and children alike. By providing an effective solution to enhance oral care practices, they can positively influence dental hygiene habits from an early age, contributing to long-term oral health and reducing the risk of dental issues in the future.
Xavier’s Consulting Club recognized Toothbrush Co.’s innovative vision to revolutionise children’s oral hygiene. Understanding the significance of this AI-powered toothbrush, the club saw an opportunity to contribute its services towards creating a product that not only addressed oral care challenges but also encouraged healthy habits in children, fostering a positive impact on their overall dental hygiene from an early age.
The Challenge
The foremost challenge was to assess the feasibility of its upcoming product and determine whether it aligned with market demands. The company aimed to understand whether consumers would indeed purchase this product, necessitating a comprehensive market analysis and consumer research. The company was determined to delve deeper into the challenges faced by potential consumers to ensure that their product could address and incorporate solutions for these issues. A key objective here was to meet existing market needs and anticipate and proactively resolve problems consumers might encounter with their product. The company also sought feedback and validation from dental professionals, recognizing their expertise as vital for product efficacy, safety, and relevance to ensure that the product meets the highest dental care standards, enhancing its market acceptance.
The company sought to ascertain whether consumers would be willing to purchase the toothbrush at its premium price. Aligning advanced technology with affordability while maintaining an aspirational status in both premium and niche sectors posed a significant hurdle. Strategies involving tailored pricing approaches, such as promotional offers and bundled packages, were essential to cater to diverse consumer segments.
The company aimed to understand if integrating popular cartoon characters into toothbrush designs and emphasizing AI technology would influence consumer choices among children, a significant demographic. Their strategy focused on comprehending the preferences of both children and parents by merging cartoon characters with advanced AI features, including monitoring brushing techniques, assessing toothpaste efficacy, and utilizing mobile phones for functionality. This endeavour involved understanding the psychographics and behaviour of children as well as parents, as well as the potential impact of branding on their product choices.
Furthermore, the company sought to explore the viability of its product within the gifting segment of the market. The company wished to evaluate whether its product could gain traction as a smart gifting option for gift-givers and recipients alike.
Additionally, the company wished to explore the potential synergy between its product and complementary items such as toothpaste.
The Approach
We encountered a significant disparity between our primary target audience, children, and the marketable audience, their parents. These groups differed in various aspects, encompassing age groups, adaptability, and preferences toward elements like cartoon characters and other marketing channels. While children might
be more inclined towards certain marketing strategies like cartoon characters, their parents might have contrasting views and considerations.
To address these discrepancies, we implemented a structured approach. Our first step involved gathering primary data through two distinct channels: engaging directly with dentists and oral healthcare professionals, and conducting consultations with parents having children in the target age group of 2-12 years. This approach aimed to gain comprehensive insights into the diverse perspectives of both the dental professionals, who offer expertise in oral care, and the parents, who serve as influential decision-makers in their children’s product choices.
Dentists provided insights into children’s dental visit frequency, the prevalence of dental ailments, and recommendations for children’s oral healthcare, along with assessing the feasibility of integrating AI analytics into their practices. Concurrently, parents of children in the specified age group shared their experiences and concerns regarding their children’s oral healthcare, including tracking dental appointments and the frequency of children’s teeth brushing. Our objective was to secure over 100 primary data points from both groups, ensuring a nuanced understanding of the oral healthcare sector, awareness levels, and perceptual insights for a more profound perspective. Additionally, we conducted extensive industry research to comprehensively understand the market dynamics. This involved a meticulous market overview, analyzing consumer preferences, assessing competitors, and conducting a value chain analysis. Our focus encompassed understanding the industry landscape, discerning the preferences of both children and parents, evaluating competitors’ strategies, identifying each step within the value chain, and gaining a comprehensive understanding of how these elements interlinked and contributed to the overall process. These insights were pivotal in shaping informed decisions and recommendations within the industry.
Following the data collection and the research phase, we began with the preparation of a comprehensive Go-to-Market Strategy. Our primary objective was to synthesize the gathered data and market insights, creating a strategic plan that maximized the company’s market penetration and customer acquisition. This involved defining marketing channels, establishing pricing and promotional strategies, and integrating in-depth market and competitor analysis to ensure a holistic approach to entering the market successfully.
Lastly, we performed a sanity check of the Total Addressable Market (TAM), resulting in a value of 287.5 Million USD (taking 80 rupees to the dollar). This process aimed to validate the TAM provided by the client through a meticulous analysis of the collected primary and secondary data. By cross-referencing these insights with the
client’s initial TAM assessment, we ensured a realistic and data-driven understanding of the market’s true potential and opportunities.
The Impact
Firstly, our meticulous market sizing exercise aligned impeccably with prevailing market perceptions, providing the client with a concrete understanding of the industry landscape and the potential market space available for their AI toothbrush designed for children.
Moreover, our efforts yielded a deeper comprehension of market dynamics and consumer sentiments toward the product. This insightful understanding allowed the client to tailor their offering better to meet the preferences and expectations of the target audience.
We actively engaged with parents, valuing their concerns and suggestions, and integrated these insights into the product’s development. This approach not only enhanced the product’s alignment with parental expectations but also augmented its potential acceptance in the market.
Our collaboration culminated in formulating a robust strategy encompassing marketing and distribution channels. With a well-defined strategy, our client is now better equipped to navigate the competitive landscape upon product launch. This strategy encompasses leveraging targeted marketing campaigns and identifying optimal distribution channels, ensuring a more effective and focused introduction of their AI toothbrush for children to the market.
* We take our clients’ confidentiality seriously. While we’ve changed their names, the results are real.