Colgate Marketing Strategy: 14.5% of Sales on Advertising
Colgate marketing strategy is a spend-first plan: Colgate-Palmolive raised advertising 19% in 2023 and 15% in 2024, then spent $777 million on advertising in the second quarter of 2026, about 14.5% of net sales. The plan pairs science-led products with retail media and AI-tested content. The cost shows in North America, where organic sales fell 3.0% in that quarter.
Colgate-Palmolive is the New York company behind Colgate toothpaste, Palmolive, Speed Stick and Hill's Pet Nutrition, sold in more than 200 countries and territories. Retail media is advertising bought on a retailer's own site or app, such as Amazon Ads or Walmart Connect. Organic sales growth is net sales growth that excludes currency, acquisitions and divestments.
How much does Colgate spend on advertising?
Colgate spent $777 million on advertising in the second quarter of 2026, up from $678 million a year earlier, and $1,511 million in the first half, up from $1,346 million, per its second quarter 2026 earnings exhibit.
In that exhibit, CEO Noel Wallace described a 15% increase in advertising for the quarter and said the strong level of investment would continue in the back half of 2026. The company's full-year guidance in the same exhibit says advertising will rise in dollars and as a share of net sales.
The increases build on earlier ones. In his letter in the 2024 annual report, Wallace wrote that Colgate used strong margins to fund a 15% rise in 2024 advertising on top of a 19% rise in 2023. Net sales passed $20 billion for the first time in 2024, and reached $20.38 billion in 2025, up 1.4%, per the Business Wire results release.
Colgate bases its market share figures on Nielsen data and internal estimates. The 14.5% figure is EPR's calculation from the $777 million and $5,361 million net sales in the same SEC exhibit.
What is Colgate's 2030 strategy?
Colgate's 2030 strategy centers on premium, science-led innovation and omni-channel demand generation, according to Wallace in the second quarter 2026 release.
The company points to scale as proof the base is strong. Its 2024 annual report states that Colgate is the most penetrated brand worldwide per the Kantar Brand Footprint 2024 report, and that Hill's is the number one brand recommended by U.S. veterinarians. The Hill's claim shows the professional-recommendation play in pet food: a trusted expert supplies the endorsement that advertising alone cannot buy.
The strategy asks consumers to pay more for each purchase, which is why science claims lead the messaging. For the main rival's approach, see EPR's Procter & Gamble reference, and for the wider category, EPR's CPG coverage.
How does Colgate use AI and retail media?
Colgate tests digital content with AI before it runs and is merging its retail media, sales and brand marketing teams in North America, per two reports on Wallace's September 2026 remarks at the Barclays Global Consumer Staples Conference.
WARC reported that Colgate scores digital content with AI against the results of past content, works with WPP, and sees improving returns on its media and promotional spending. Consumer Goods Technology reported that the company is moving from separate promotional budgets to data-led spending across the full path from awareness to selection, and putting retail media, sales and brand marketing into one North American team. For the retail media platforms involved, see EPR's report on retail media walled gardens.
Is the advertising working in North America?
Not yet in North America, where Colgate's organic sales fell 3.0% and organic volume fell 3.9% in the second quarter of 2026, per the SEC exhibit.
Per the same exhibit, total company organic sales rose 2.4%. Growth came from Latin America and Asia Pacific, while North America, now 17% of sales after Colgate recast its regions, shrank. Wallace said organic volume growth improved for the third quarter in a row worldwide. Per an Investing.com summary of the earnings slides, management plans to address North America through price gap management, more brand support and heavier advertising in the second half.
A spend-first strategy carries three risks that Colgate's own numbers show: costs rise before sales do, volume can fall while price rises, and one region can offset the rest.
Per the same SEC exhibit, selling, general and administrative expenses, the line that includes advertising, rose to 39.7% of net sales in the second quarter from 38.4% a year earlier. In North America, pricing added 0.9% while volume fell 3.9%, so price was not the problem to solve. Hill's grew sales 2.1% while its organic volume fell 1.8%. Wallace also said Colgate expects volatile market conditions to continue through the rest of 2026. EPR's read: advertising increases need a regional test and a volume target, not only a sales target.
What can marketers take from Colgate's approach?
Marketers can take three moves from Colgate: fund advertising from margin gains, merge retail media with brand and sales, and score content against past results before spending.
Move
What Colgate reports
Check before copying
Fund advertising from margin gains
Strong margins paid for 19% and 15% advertising increases
Whether volume, not only price, is growing in your weakest region
Merge retail media with brand and sales
One North American team for all three
Whether retailers share the data your single team needs
Score content against past results
AI scoring of digital content and improving returns, no figure given
Which metric the score predicts, and how you measure the return
Tie every advertising increase to a margin gain and a named regional test, as Colgate did, and read volume by region before you decide the spending worked.
Colgate spent $777 million on advertising in the second quarter of 2026, up from $678 million a year earlier, and $1,511 million in the first half, up from $1,346 million, per its second quarter 2026 earnings exhibit. In that exhibit, CEO Noel Wallace described a 15% increase in advertising for the quarter and said the strong level of investment would continue in the back half of 2026. The company's full-year guidance in the same exhibit says advertising will rise in dollars and as a share of net sales. The increases build on earlier ones. In his letter in the 2024 annual report, Wallace wrote that Colgate used strong margins to fund a 15% rise in 2024 advertising on top of a 19% rise in 2023. Net sales passed $20 billion for the first time in 2024, and reached $20.38 billion in 2025, up 1.4%, per the Business Wire results release. MeasureFigurePeriodSource Advertising growth19%, then 15%2023, then 20242024 annual report Net sales$20.38 billion, up 1.4%Full year 2025Business Wire Adver
What is Colgate's 2030 strategy?
Colgate's 2030 strategy centers on premium, science-led innovation and omni-channel demand generation, according to Wallace in the second quarter 2026 release. The company points to scale as proof the base is strong. Its 2024 annual report states that Colgate is the most penetrated brand worldwide per the Kantar Brand Footprint 2024 report, and that Hill's is the number one brand recommended by U.S. veterinarians. The Hill's claim shows the professional-recommendation play in pet food: a trusted expert supplies the endorsement that advertising alone cannot buy. The strategy asks consumers to pay more for each purchase, which is why science claims lead the messaging. For the main rival's approach, see EPR's Procter & Gamble reference, and for the wider category, EPR's CPG coverage.
How does Colgate use AI and retail media?
Colgate tests digital content with AI before it runs and is merging its retail media, sales and brand marketing teams in North America, per two reports on Wallace's September 2026 remarks at the Barclays Global Consumer Staples Conference. WARC reported that Colgate scores digital content with AI against the results of past content, works with WPP, and sees improving returns on its media and promotional spending. Consumer Goods Technology reported that the company is moving from separate promotional budgets to data-led spending across the full path from awareness to selection, and putting retail media, sales and brand marketing into one North American team. For the retail media platforms involved, see EPR's report on retail media walled gardens.
Is the advertising working in North America?
Not yet in North America, where Colgate's organic sales fell 3.0% and organic volume fell 3.9% in the second quarter of 2026, per the SEC exhibit. Per the same exhibit, total company organic sales rose 2.4%. Growth came from Latin America and Asia Pacific, while North America, now 17% of sales after Colgate recast its regions, shrank. Wallace said organic volume growth improved for the third quarter in a row worldwide. Per an Investing.com summary of the earnings slides, management plans to address North America through price gap management, more brand support and heavier advertising in the second half. RegionShare of Q2 2026 salesOrganic sales changeOrganic volume change North America17%Down 3.0%Down 3.9% Latin America26%Up 5.3%Up 2.6% Europe, Middle East and Africa21%Up 2.0%Up 3.2% Asia Pacific14%Up 5.2%Up 4.1% Hill's Pet Nutrition22%Up 2.1%Down 1.8% Total company100%Up 2.4%Up 0.8% Source: Colgate-Palmolive second quarter 2026 earnings exhibit.
What risks come with a spend-first strategy?
A spend-first strategy carries three risks that Colgate's own numbers show: costs rise before sales do, volume can fall while price rises, and one region can offset the rest. Per the same SEC exhibit, selling, general and administrative expenses, the line that includes advertising, rose to 39.7% of net sales in the second quarter from 38.4% a year earlier. In North America, pricing added 0.9% while volume fell 3.9%, so price was not the problem to solve. Hill's grew sales 2.1% while its organic volume fell 1.8%. Wallace also said Colgate expects volatile market conditions to continue through the rest of 2026. EPR's read: advertising increases need a regional test and a volume target, not only a sales target.
What can marketers take from Colgate's approach?
Marketers can take three moves from Colgate: fund advertising from margin gains, merge retail media with brand and sales, and score content against past results before spending. MoveWhat Colgate reportsCheck before copying Fund advertising from margin gainsStrong margins paid for 19% and 15% advertising increasesWhether volume, not only price, is growing in your weakest region Merge retail media with brand and salesOne North American team for all threeWhether retailers share the data your single team needs Score content against past resultsAI scoring of digital content and improving returns, no figure givenWhich metric the score predicts, and how you measure the return Tie every advertising increase to a margin gain and a named regional test, as Colgate did, and read volume by region before you decide the spending worked.
Who is the CEO of Colgate-Palmolive?
Noel Wallace is Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Colgate-Palmolive, per the company's second quarter 2026 release.
What is Colgate's share of the toothpaste market?
Colgate reports a 41.3% global toothpaste share for 2026 year to date, based on Nielsen data and internal estimates, per its second quarter 2026 release.
How big is Colgate-Palmolive?
Colgate-Palmolive reported net sales of $20.38 billion for full year 2025, up 1.4%, per its Business Wire results release.
Is Colgate growing in North America?
No. Colgate's North America organic sales fell 3.0% in the second quarter of 2026, per the company's SEC exhibit, while total company organic sales rose 2.4%. Last updated October 10, 2026.
Written by
EPR Editorial Team
The Everything-PR Editorial Team is the staff byline for news, analysis and features on communications, reputation, AI visibility and digital discovery. Everything-PR has published since 2009. AI tools assist with research and drafting, and every article is reviewed by a human editor before publication. Coverage follows the Editorial Policy, and substantive corrections are noted on the article under the Corrections Policy.
