Closeup
Decoding intimacy and attraction and the role of toothpaste in dating
The Challenge
In a world where dating is emotionally complex and constantly negotiated, can oral hygiene be more relevant than ever?
For Gen Zs, attraction and intimacy are no longer straightforward. Dating today unfolds across talking stages, situationships, and micro-moments of closeness.
For a global oral care brand that wants to play in the dating space, this creates a dual challenge:
Relevance - how could toothpaste meaningfully enter conversations around dating – a space rarely associated with oral care beyond basic hygiene?
Cultural fluency - how does closeness actually happen across different markets, and how are Gen Zs navigating the shifting norms of intimacy today?
Solving one without the other risked irrelevance or misrepresentation. The brand needed both a credible role in dating and a deep understanding of how closeness is experienced in real life.
The Approach
To earn relevance, we first had to understand closeness on Gen Z’s terms.
Rather than starting with product benefits, we mapped how intimacy is built moment by moment across markets. Dating today is fluid, shaped by uncertainty, self-awareness, and the constant risk of an “ick”.
By analysing how Gen Zs talk about attraction, “icks”, and closeness across Brazil, India, and Vietnam, we identified moments where self-consciousness peaks and reassurance matters most. These micro-moments revealed a clear role for the brand: enabling confidence so getting closer feels effortless.
Key Insights
-
Dating is emotionally loaded, not casual, and expressed differently across markets
Gen Z dating looks relaxed on the surface, but it’s emotionally loaded underneath. Anxiety around first impressions, rejection, and authenticity is constant across markets. This makes reassurance valuable, creating space for brands that help people feel at ease before closeness happens.
-
Confidence is situational not constant
Gen Zs confidence rises and falls depending on context – first meetings, physical proximity, and moments where intimacy could escalate. Across cultures, these pressure points are consistent, even if dating norms differ. Toothpaste then becomes emotional insurance, helping to hold confidence when it’s most fragile.
-
Closeness is built in micro-moments, not grand gestures
Modern intimacy unfolds through subtle cues – shared laughter, matching playlists, sensory comfort. These micro-moments travel across markets, even as their expression flexes culturally. Fresh breath becomes an unspoken pre-requisite that allows people to stay present and lean closer. Toothpaste then has a natural role in dating - enabling ease in moments of proximity, without forcing the association.