be sold in the same outlets as other toothpastes, Procter & Gamble also determined that it could be sold in dental offices in a more powerful form. Research also provided some of the words used in the advertising, including "superior whitening vs. toothpaste" which helped differentiate the item from whitening toothpastes--including those already marketed by Procter & Gamble ("Research," 2003).
The product, called Crest Whitestrips, was launched through product placements, infomercials, regional launches and a Web site. This helped Procter & Gamble explain the new product and its use. The end result is that Procter & Gamble created almost single-handedly a market niche that they now dominate, although other competitors have since entered with similar products. In the first year, Procter & Gamble sold more than $200 million in Whitestrips product, which gained a more than a 50 percent market share. Procter & Gamble expects to use market research to help maintain this market dominance ("Research," 2003).
Procter & Gamble recognized even before it launched the product that marketing research would be an integral part of the new product's development. Procter & Gamble already had
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