How to evaluate whether an oral care brand fits your portfolio
An oral care brand usually fits your portfolio when it covers a family you are missing, or adds something to one you already carry rather than simply repeating it, and when you can explain why to your customer in one sentence. The template on this page helps you check this, family by family.
Template: your portfolio against the oral care shelf
This template is intended for distributors and importers who already carry other lines and are considering adding an oral care brand. Copy the table into a spreadsheet and complete one for each brand you are evaluating.
| Family | I already carry | Overlaps with | I am missing | How I would describe it to my customer in one sentence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| What to note | The brands and lines you sell today | The current line that serves the same need and the same customer | What your customers ask for and you do not cover | The sentence you would use to present the brand |
| Toothpaste | ||||
| Manual toothbrush | ||||
| Electric toothbrush | ||||
| Kids oral care | ||||
| Mouthwash and mouth spray | ||||
| Dental floss and tape | ||||
| Interdental brushes | ||||
| Floss picks |
If you work with other families, such as orthodontic products or accessories, add a row for each one.
How to use the template
The template is completed in four steps. We recommend filling in the columns from left to right, starting with what you already carry, so that the brand’s range does not influence how you describe your portfolio.
- Start with your portfolio. In “I already carry”, note the brands and lines you sell today in each family, before you look at the brand you are evaluating.
- Compare the brand’s range. With the brand’s catalogue to hand, note in “Overlaps with” the current line each of its products would coincide with. In this template, two products overlap when they serve the same need and the same customer, so belonging to the same family is not enough. It is also advisable to check whether any of your current agreements limits your ability to add a competing line.
- Identify what is missing. In “I am missing”, note what your customers ask for and you do not currently cover. It is also advisable to assess the rotation of each category in your channel.
- Write the sentence. For each family the brand would cover, write the sentence you would use with your customer. If you cannot find it, it is advisable to review that family before going further.
How to read the result. Each completed row leads to one of four readings. A brand does not have to cover every family in order to fit.
| Reading | What the row shows | What it suggests |
|---|---|---|
| Add | You are missing it and you have a clear sentence | The brand would add to your portfolio in that family |
| Complement | You carry the family, nothing overlaps and you have a clear sentence | The brand could coexist with your current lines |
| Decide | It overlaps with a current line and you have a clear sentence | It is advisable to decide whether the brand would replace that line or coexist with it |
| Leave out for now | You have no clear sentence | It is advisable not to include that family for now, even if the brand offers it |
An example: the Pierrot range, family by family
To show how the comparison works, this table sets out the Pierrot range using the product names published on this website. The columns that depend on your portfolio do not appear here, because only you can complete them.
| Family | Pierrot products | Family page |
|---|---|---|
| Toothbrushes | Manual (Gold, Energy, Action Tip, Oxygen Pro Care and Colours, among others), the specialist line, the Revolution electric toothbrush and kids toothbrushes (Sharky, Unicorn, Gusy and Junior, among others) | Pierrot toothbrushes for distributors |
| Interdental accessories | Interdental brushes, Tooth-picks, dental floss and tape (Expanding, Aloe vera, Dental tape and Orthodontic) and Flossers, Flossers Kids and Flossers Green floss picks | Pierrot interdental accessories for distributors |
| Toothpaste | Gum Protection, Healthy Gums, Whitening, Sensitive, Anti-plaque and Ultrafresh, and Piwy, Junior and Sharky kids toothpastes | Pierrot toothpaste for distributors |
| Mouthwash | Mouthwashes for adults, Piwy mouthwash and mouth spray | Pierrot mouthwash for distributors |
| Dental kits | Travel, orthodontic and kids kits (Sharky and Unicorn) | Pierrot dental kits for distributors |
| Other accessories | Orthodontic wax, cleaning tablets, tongue cleaner and the Revolution head, among others | Other Pierrot accessories for distributors |
All the families appear on the Pierrot range for distributors page.
A sentence based only on these facts could be: “A Spanish oral care brand, on the market since 1945, with toothpaste, toothbrushes, mouthwash and interdental care under one name.” Whether that sentence is suitable for your customers, and which families you would consider, depends on your portfolio.
Who is behind the brand and how to check it
A portfolio decision also requires knowing who you would be working with. For any brand, it is advisable to confirm who owns it, how long it has been on the market and how it sells. In the case of Pierrot, these are the published facts.
Who owns the brand
Pierrot is a Spanish oral care brand of Fushima S.L., based in Guarnizo (Cantabria). Its products are made in Spain.
Its track record
Pierrot has been on the market since 1945 and is present in more than 60 countries. It takes part in international trade fairs such as IDS (Cologne) and Cosmoprof (Bologna and Hong Kong).
How it sells
Pierrot sells through local distributors and is looking for distributors in new markets. It does not sell directly to consumers or to individual shops.
The brand facts page sets out the owner, the address, the official website and the contact details, so that you can confirm these facts directly with the company.
What the template does not settle
The template shows whether a brand fits your portfolio, which is only one part of the decision. The financial aspects, the documentation and the territory depend on each brand and each market. The documentation available for each market is confirmed during the application process.
- General points to raise with any supplier are set out under “What to check before choosing a supplier” on our oral care supplier for Europe page.
Are you considering Pierrot for your portfolio?
Pierrot is looking for distributors in new markets. Our announcement explains who we would like to hear from and how to apply for distribution.