Colgate x IU Gift With Purchase – Licensed Merchandise That Delighted Fans

K-Pop Star Power Meets Everyday Essentials in a Winning GWP Campaign

Client	Colgate-Palmolive
Campaign	Colgate Optic White Purple x IU Collaboration (2025)
Market(s)	Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam
Merchandise Type	IU Licensed Merchandise (Journal Book, Tote, Tumblers, Keychains, Stickers)
DTC World’s Role	Sourcing, Quality Control, Production Management, Fulfilment

Campaign Objective

Colgate aimed to elevate the launch of Optic White Purple, positioning it as more than just oral care — a must-have beauty essential. With K-Pop icon IU as the face of the campaign, the brand needed merchandise that not only resonated with fans but also upheld premium quality standards.

The challenge: Colgate required a trusted merchandise partner capable of producing licensed-quality gifts that aligned with both brand and celebrity expectations.

What We Delivered

DTC World supported Colgate as the merchandise supplier, ensuring the campaign’s products met brand and licensing standards. We delivered a set of functional, stylish, and collectible gifts that matched both IU’s persona and Colgate’s premium positioning.

Gratitude Journal with IU’s Personal Message – A premium, everyday essential that resonates with Colgate’s target audience of young, style-conscious consumers, reinforcing the brand’s modern and aspirational positioning.

Reusable IU Tumblers – A lifestyle-driven item that taps into the growing eco-conscious trend, allowing Colgate to associate its brand with sustainability and wellness.

IU Keychains – fun, collectible items that tapped into fandom culture.

Custom Tote Bag – stylish and versatile, carrying both fashion and brand visibility into everyday life.

Each item was designed to feel premium, on-brand, and collectible, ensuring fans perceived real value in the promotion.

Why It Worked – Impact & Outcomes

By combining licensed celebrity merchandise with Colgate’s brand story, the campaign achieved strong consumer pull:

✅ Emotional resonance – Fans of IU saw the GWP as must-have collectibles.

✅ Practical daily use – Items like tote bags and tumblers extended brand visibility in everyday routines.

✅ Social buzz – The collaboration tapped into the K-Pop fandom wave, encouraging organic sharing online.

✅ Purchase incentive – The exclusive gifts gave shoppers a compelling reason to buy during the campaign period.

Redemption Response

High uptake of the merchandise reinforced how exclusive collaborations can amplify purchase motivation. The campaign successfully linked IU’s fanbase with Colgate’s marketing goals, driving both sales and brand love.

Partnering With DTC World

At DTC World, we specialize in turning brand ideas into impactful merchandise solutions. Whether it’s licensed IP merchandise, exclusive GWPs, or region-wide rollouts, we ensure consistency, quality, and creativity every step of the way.

For Colgate, our role as merchandise supplier ensured that every product met brand quality expectations — delivering not just merch, but powerful brand moments.