Colgate’s K-pop campaign with IU targets beauty-conscious Gen Z fans
Colgate’s latest toothpaste campaign features IU to capture the hearts and smiles of Gen Z fans
Colgate is dialing up the star power across Southeast Asia, naming South Korean singer and actress IU as the face of its latest campaign for Optic White Purple toothpaste.
The move reflects a growing trend among global brands: use pop culture icons not just for visibility, but to reframe everyday products as beauty essentials.
This article explores how Colgate is leveraging IU’s appeal, why K-pop fandom continues to reshape regional marketing strategies, and what brand strategists should keep in mind when chasing cultural relevance at scale.
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Here’s a table of contents for quick access:
- Colgate enlists IU for purple toothpaste campaign
- Why K-pop partnerships matter more than ever
- Lessons from Colgate’s fan-first strategy
Patrecia Meliana
Colgate enlists IU for purple toothpaste campaign
IU now fronts Colgate’s push for Optic White Purple across five markets: Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines, Indonesia, and Hong Kong.
The campaign revolves around short-form video content and branded posts where IU calls the toothpaste her “beauty hack” and “the secret” behind her radiant smile.
To stoke anticipation, Colgate teased a limited-edition merchandise kit via its social channels. While details are still emerging, assets like tote bags, photocards, and posters have already triggered buzz among fans. A cryptic pre-launch teaser hinting at “the queen of K-pop” helped fuel speculation, with many correctly guessing IU’s involvement before the official reveal.
Patrecia Meliana
Why K-pop partnerships matter more than ever
Colgate’s campaign is just one example of a broader regional playbook. Brands across categories are turning to K-pop to tap into youth culture, build emotional resonance, and turn content into currency.
In Indonesia, beauty brand Barenbliss recently signed girl group Hearts2Hearts as ambassadors, launching the partnership through an Instagram-native campaign called “We’re connected!”.
Snickers is also on the trend, launching its new oats dark chocolate bar with the help of Mingyu from K-pop group SEVENTEEN. And the Singapore Tourism Board partnered with BTS’s Jin to showcase city landmarks in his new music video, turning location branding into fan-centric storytelling.
@snickers.idn MINGYU(@min9yu_k) kelaperan pas lagi mau naik pesawat? Aman aja, ada SNICKERS 💪🏻 Ha? MINGYU ga bisa nemuin paspornya LAGI..? Aman aja—SNICKERS siap diandelin! 🍫 Laper pas lagi di jalan? Snickers aja dulu, biar tetap ON di kondisi apapun! Lo beda kalo lo laper. Nih, SNICKERS!! SNICKERS SNICKERSOnTheGo #LoBedaKaloLoLaper MINGYU #SNICKERSwithMINGYU
♬ original sound - snickers.idn - snickers.idn
K-pop marketing is no longer niche. It is regional, multiplatform, and rooted in community dynamics. For brands like Colgate, it offers an emotionally loaded shortcut to relevance among Millennial and Gen Z audiences.
Patrecia Meliana
Lessons from Colgate's fan-first strategy
This is more than just a toothpaste ad. Colgate is tapping into a full cultural ecosystem. Here’s how marketers can apply similar thinking:
1. Treat fandom like a media channel
IU’s fans don’t just watch content. They remix, react, and distribute it. Colgate’s early teasers turned speculation into earned media, amplifying reach before the first official post dropped.
2. Reposition function as beauty
Calling toothpaste a “beauty hack” may seem like a stretch, but in a K-beauty context it lands. The shift from health utility to aesthetic enhancer puts the product in a more aspirational light.
3. Localize without diluting
While the campaign spans multiple markets, Colgate used regional social channels to roll out content in phases. This builds hype locally while maintaining consistency in IU’s brand presence.
4. Physical merch drives digital engagement
From photocards to tote bags, the merch drop is as much about fan identity as it is about product promotion. It shows an understanding that in fandom marketing, tangible goods fuel intangible value.
By casting IU as the face of Optic White Purple, Colgate has executed a regional campaign that blends beauty, fandom, and influencer intimacy into one cohesive push. It avoids overt sales messaging and instead embeds the product within a cultural conversation already happening.
For brand marketers in Southeast Asia and beyond, this campaign is a strong example of what happens when you meet your audience where they already are — and speak their language without sounding like a brand trying too hard.
