The product has been launched in Mumbai and the company is in the process of formulating an advertising strategy through HTA which handles the Close Up account for Levers.

Priced at Rs 37.50, Rs 27.50 and Rs 14.50, Close Up Oxyfresh comes in three sizes of 150 gm, 100 gm and 50 gm, each.

According to a company spokesperson, Close Up Oxyfresh is a new breakthrough in oral care as it is a co-extruded product consisting of a white paste and a green gel. The breakthrough in this category, which took place at HLL's research centre in Mumbai, is the first in the world, and the second one for HLL after the launch of Close Up Renew (with macrogranules) last year.

Close Up Renew, relaunched in mid-January and coinciding with the launch of Colgate's Sensation Whitening, has garnered a marketshare of 1.7 per cent in one month, up from 1.3 per cent in the pre-relaunch stage. Colgate Sensation Whitening is said to gave garnered a share of around 0.2 per cent, as per the ORG Urban retail audit.

HLL has a market share of 32 per cent in the Rs 1,000 crore plus toothpaste market, where Colgate is a leader with a share of 56 per cent. The two multinationals have been fighting marketing wars, with Colgate resisting HLL's moves to eat into its pie. In fact, the ad war on which toothpaste is more effective have landed in the MRTPC corridors.

HLL had taken a price markup in its fast growing Pepsodent brand of toothpaste to Rs 42 for a 200 gm tube from the earlier level of Rs 40. The MRP of Close Up Renew was also increased Rs 37 for 150 gm from Rs 35.