In line with its new communication strategy, the product has also undergone a change in its packaging to clearly set out the message of "Freshness" and "Energy" to the consumer.

Even as the new communication has been clearly embossed on the packaging, the prices of gels post the focussed communication remain the same; ie. Rs 16, Rs 30.50 and Rs 40.50 for 50 gm, 100 gm and 150 gm tube, respectively.Earlier, the qualities of "Freshness" was only embossed on the packaging, that too in a small size font. The change in packaging encompasses a new bolder font on the packaging as well as the tube.

Says a company spokesperson: ``The company is making its communication strategy more focussed and relevant for consumers. Research showed that the key consumer aspiration from usage of gels was `Freshness' and `Energy'.''

To relate the new communication to the customer, a new high voltage advertising campaign is on its way to hit the media. While earlier the Colgate Gel television commercial talked about "Fresh Breath Energy", the new commercial will stress of the product as "Colgate Fresh Energy Gel".

Colgate Fresh Energy Gel comes in two variants of Blue and Red. The product competes with other gel toothpaste brands in the market place, such as Close Up of Hindustan Lever and Aquafresh of SmithKline Beecham.

While gels do not contribute in a major way to Colgate-Palmolive's turnover -with flagship brand Colgate Dental Cream forming half of the company's sales-the gels market has seen significant action after the launch of Aquafresh.

Targeted mainly at the youth, Colgate Gel is said to have a market share of about seven per cent in the Rs 1,000-crore toothpaste market. While overall Colgate leads with a share of around 51 per cent, Hindustan Lever too has cornered a neat 36 per cent.

Colgate-Palmolive had set out on a series of trend-setting innovations so as to revitalise its existing brands as part of its brand-building activities since the last two years. This is clear with Colgate shelling out nearly 16 per cent of its turnover on advertising expenditure during 1998-99. These come in the wake of rival Hindustan Lever getting aggressive on the market place front.