Crest + Oral B’s “Closing Canada’s Smile Gap” Campaign

Core deliverables
• Campaign and messaging development
• Video production
• Social media campaign with Indigenous content creators

Challenge
Indigenous communities face one of the greatest oral health disparities in Canada. Procter & Gamble’s Crest and Oral-B brand refers to this disparity as the “Smile Gap” and has been working with grassroots organizations to provide dental health products to remote regions and increase Indigenous representation in dentistry. In 2023, Crest and Oral-B partnered with Creative Fire to support the first year of their campaign to raise awareness of the Smile Gap and build connections with Indigenous communities. The challenge was to launch a campaign that resonated deeply with these communities, highlighted the severity of the oral health gap, and showcased positive role models who could inspire better oral health practices.  

Our Approach
Early in our planning process, the team identified the lack of visible role models as a significant driver of poor oral health in Indigenous communities. To address this, we collaborated with Dr. Sheri McKinstry, a proud Anishinaabekwe and pediatric dentist, to bring her inspiring story to life. Through a series of emotional and educational videos illustrated by an Indigenous artist, we highlighted Dr. McKinstry’s journey, passion for dentistry and her commitment to improving oral health for Indigenous children and youth. The videos were shared as part of a social media campaign and featured on the “Closing Canada’s Smile Gap” website, reaching thousands of people and starting important conversations about oral health in Indigenous communities. 

For the 2024 campaign, we identified Indigenous creators who could continue the work by producing authentic content that raised awareness of oral health concerns and Crest and Oral-B’s efforts to address them. These creators, known for their strong advocacy of their cultures and histories, developed impactful stories that were shared on their Instagram and TikTok platforms. The content was further boosted by Crest and Oral-B, maximizing reach and engagement.

Impact
The 2023 campaign set a strong foundation for future initiatives, and the 2024 campaign built on this success by deepening engagement with Indigenous communities. The combined efforts have raised awareness of the Smile Gap and inspired community members to take actionable steps toward better oral health. With authentic storytelling and culturally relevant content, Crest and Oral-B have established themselves as trusted partners in the ongoing effort to close Canada’s Smile Gap.

 “It’s honestly been nothing short of incredible. I really appreciate everything you’re doing for the Indigenous communities so much. I’m looking forward to doing more impactful campaigns with Creative Fire and P&G sometime in the future”.
– Marika Sila, Content Creator