Church & Dwight Co. Inc.

But, the “crown jewel” of its portfolio is the Arm & Hammer brand, which not only has a product line that includes its famous baking soda, but also personal, fabric and pet care products. Today, Arm & Hammer’s products are “found in over 86 percent of American households,” Talerico notes.

Extending the ARM

Church & Dwight recently has been in a growth mode as it has explored new licensing opportunities for Arm & Hammer. Talerico says the venerable brand has “the greatest consumer permission to extend into new categories” among all of the Church & Dwight brand names. Indeed, consumers have substantial confidence in this time-tested brand, she says.

“Our loyal consumers talk about the fact that they trust the brand [and that its products are] safe and effective,” she says. In fact, consumers trust the name so much that they are comfortable with Arm & Hammer-branded pet products. “We’re really focused on creating a seamless, pet care solution for the consumer.”

Its newest pet care products include Arm & Hammer dog beds and dog pet waste accessories including lawn scoops and  and bags for animal waste. “Our biggest license category in the pet area is cat litter and waste maintenance accessories,” she adds. “Odor control is a significant consumer concern and our cat litter waste accessories coupled with core cat litter business provide consumers an effective solution set.”

Late last year, Arm & Hammer introduced oral care products for pets. “The line includes tooth paste, toothbrushes, water additives and even a foaming paste pump that penetrates hard-to-reach areas to fights plaque, tartar and bad breath,” she says, noting that the products have won good reviews from the industry and consumers, although the response from pets has been muted.

For the Kids

In keeping with its tradition of offering products for the entire family, Arm & Hammer has explored licensing opportunities with Munchkin Inc, an innovative infant and toddler products manufacturer. “The marquee product in that line is the award-winning Arm & Hammer Diaper Pail,” Talerico says, explaining that it conveniently suppresses the odor of used diapers.

 The line has gained very strong distribution in the mass market as well as in baby specialty retailers,” she says. Munchkin has introduced multiple accessories, including baking soda infused disposable changing pads, burp pads, nursery air deodorizers and fresheners, as well as potty seats to help toilet-train children.

The ongoing success of the line has allowed Munchkin to expand Arm & Hammer into new products, such as a line of Arm & Hammer cleaning products that launched nationwide last month. The new cleaning line combines the power of Arm & Hammer baking soda in both at-home and on-the-go options for clothes, strollers, bathtubs, furniture and more. The new line includes Baby Bottle & Dish Soap, Stain Treater Spray and Wipes and Surface Cleaning Spray.

  Consistent with Church & Dwight’s strategy to develop strategic partnerships across multiple categories and brands, Munchkin also licenses the Orajel brand, offering an assortment of infant teethers toys that provide a natural way to sooth a child’s teething pains. There is a unique teether ring for each stage of an infant’s oral development.  The soft, textured silicone teethers help stimulate sore gums as new teeth begin breaking through.  The teethers provide comfort for the baby (and the mom).

Strategies for Success

Several strategies have been key to Church & Dwight’s licensing success, Talerico says. The first is that any product that it develops must return more to the brand equity than it borrows. “We want to make sure we’re not borrowing more from the equity bank than we are depositing,” she says.

Additionally, the product has to actually provide a true benefit to the consumer. “When we look at licensing products, it’s not about label-slapping,” Talerico asserts. “It is about innovation.”

One innovative product Talerico is proud of is interior paint that Arm & Hammer developed with Dutch Boy Group. The paint, she notes, utilizes Arm & Hammer deodorizer technology, so that when the paint can is opened, users will not notice an odor.

Once applied, the paint will help eliminate odors inside the house, too. This benefit, she adds, can last more than three years. “It depends on the amount of odors in the house,” Talerico says.

Opportunities to Grow

In addition, more licensing potential lies ahead with brands such as OxiClean and First Response. “I see us being able to provide simple solutions for consumers in all aspects of their lives,” she predicts. “We’re fortunate to have such a rich brand portfolio. There’s a real opportunity to grow those brands and business, and continue to provide high quality products that excite and delight consumers.”