DEP TOPOL PLUS WHITENING TOOTHPASTE SET FOR JUNE 1 LAUNCH

DEP TOPOL PLUS WHITENING TOOTHPASTE SET FOR JUNE 1 LAUNCH supported by an introductory free-standing insert slated for distribution in September and two additional FSIs by the end of 1993, the firm said. Dep said it plans to support the new Topol Plus line, consisting of Topol Plus Whitening Gel With Calcium and Topol Plus Whitening Toothpaste with Baking Soda, with a print ad campaign that will begin later this year and continue through 1994. Cohen/Johnson, Los Angeles, is handling the account. Dep plans to begin shipping displays to retailers along with the product by June 1. A 96-piece display of Topol Plus trial size packages (.75 ounces each) as well as a 48-piece display of regular-size (3.4 ounces) Topol Plus packages will be available. By December, Dep also expects to begin distributing an in-store combination display of Topol Plus and Dep's Crystal Fresh Lavoris. Dep is positioning Topol Plus as an "alternative to pricey 'boutique' tooth whiteners" with a suggested retail price of $ 5.49 for a 3.4 ounce tube. The firm said it also expects Topol Plus to build on the success of Topol Smoker's Toothpaste. Other tooth whiteners on the market include CCA Industries' Plus White and Den-Mat's Rembrandt, which carries a suggested retail price of $ 8.99, according to Dep. The firm estimates the annual tooth whitener market at $ 100 mil. Topol Plus packaging -- which consists of lettering in primary colors on a background of white and metallic silver -- asserts that "laboratory tests prove that new Topol Plus whitens away stains better than the leading whitening toothpaste." Packaging for both Topol Plus products also notes that "in tests conducted by a leading dental school, Topol Plus removed tough stains significantly better than the leading whitening toothpaste." Packaging for the baking soda toothpaste in particular says that baking soda creates a "fresh, clean sensation in your mouth after brushing," a "smooth, slick, clean feel to your teeth . . . no grittiness," and a "cool, minty taste." Packaging for the gel with calcium emphasizes that the product contains "calcium, a natural cleanser." The active ingredient in both Topol Plus varieties is sodium monofluorophosphate.