DT News - UK - Mobile-phone manufacturer drives business with free teeth-whitening vouchers

Dental Tribune International

Fri. 1 June 2012

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LONDON – The increasing desire for the perfect smile has already been exploited by some shrewd business people, such as those who recently opened do-it-yourself bleaching bars in several countries. Now, a Finnish mobile-phone manufacturer has boosted business by rewarding customers with teeth-whitening vouchers.

Last weekend, a London-based mobile retailer gave away free teeth-whitening vouchers with every purchase of a particular mobile phone. “We teamed up with the Teeth Whitening Company, leading experts in performing the treatment. Vouchers redeemable at a convenient time and location were given to Lumia 900 buyers,” a Nokia spokesperson told Dental Tribune ONLINE.

The company based its marketing campaign on research recently conducted by OnePoll, a British company that conducts online market research. “Research shows that 64 per cent of Britons are chomping at the bit to follow in the famous footsteps of Simon Cowell and Cheryl Cole and improve their smile with teeth whitening,” Nokia stated.

The online survey of 1,000 British adults also found that people regard the smiles of Tom Cruise (39 per cent, category male) and Kate Middleton (37 per cent, category female) as most attractive. While there is no question that Tom Cruise’s smile is not natural, it is not clear whether Kate Middleton’s teeth have been enhanced. However, the media recently speculated about the duchess possibly having undergone a revolutionary form of dental surgery called harmonious asymmetry.

According to Nokia, customer response to the voucher campaign was positive: “Research showed that people are open to teeth whitening, and the reception of the campaign proved this. It was fun, and equally quite brave for us to take this approach. We’re delighted that it paid off.”

Whether dental professionals endorse this kind of marketing is uncertain. The British Dental Health Foundation has not yet responded to a statement request from Dental Tribune ONLINE.

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