Pepsodent turns Dracula's missing fangs into a gum health warning

Unilever's Pepsodent is putting a horror twist on oral care with a new campaign that reframes unhealthy gums as the real nightmare, using iconic monsters to highlight the consequences of gum disease.

Created by frank. Singapore, Omnicom's dedicated Unilever team, in collaboration with Indonesian horror filmmaker Anggy Umbara, the "Pepsodent gum mysteries" campaign promotes the brand's Gum Expert range through a series of cinematic films blending horror, comedy and entertainment.

In one film, Dracula is unable to bite his victim after losing his fangs due to poor gum health.

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In another, a werewolf struggles with meat stuck in his teeth because of gum-related issues. The films aim to spotlight a common consumer misconception that tooth discomfort is often caused by problems with the teeth alone, when the underlying issue may stem from unhealthy gums.

Launching first in Indonesia before rolling out to Vietnam later this year, the campaign spans fake horror trailers, cinematic short films, director interviews, livestream content and creator collaborations designed to blur the line between entertainment and advertising.

Beyond the films, Pepsodent is leaning into social-first storytelling to encourage conversation around gum health. The campaign includes creator reaction videos, Dracula-themed livestreams, "Draculamaxxing" grooming trends, as well as fan theories, parodies and recreations across TikTok.

“Gum problems can lead to bleeding, sensitivity and even tooth loss, yet they are frequently overlooked until it is too late. With this campaign and our gum expert range, we are aiming to help consumers better understand that healthy gums are the foundation of strong teeth, and that gum protection can start with the right toothpaste," said Madhurjya Banerjee, senior global brand director, Oral Care, Unilever.

He added, "This campaign helps us to approach the issue not through fear or statistics, but through entertainment and culture. By leveraging horror, comedy and storytelling formats people love watching and sharing, we aim to make gum health feel more relevant and easier to talk about.”

In tandem, Terence Leong, executive creative director at frank. Singapore, said, "It's 2026. Nobody is going to care about their gums because someone in a white coat tells them to do so. And we definitely don’t need another influencer sharing their best-kept secret. We knew we needed something more radical to start a conversation about gum care."

"Kudos to our clients for having the courage to try something supernatural. It was definitely a risk to get vampires and a werewolf to sell toothpaste to human beings — in fact, it’s unheard of in the category. The engagement numbers so far are showing that these monsters are more entertaining, persuasive and relatable than most human beings we’ve casted in the past," he added. 

Umbara said the campaign marked a departure from his usual horror work, requiring audiences to empathise with monsters rather than fear them. He explained that portraying Dracula's loss of his fangs as both humiliating and frightening was intended to make viewers reflect on their own gum health by drawing parallels between the iconic character's predicament and the real-world consequences of unhealthy gums.

The latest campaign builds on Pepsodent's broader efforts to modernise oral care conversations through creator-led initiatives. Last month, the brand launched TeethTalk Academy for Dentfluencers, which it described as the world's first social media academy dedicated to helping dental professionals and oral care advocates become engaging digital creators.

Developed with Omnicom Advertising's dedicated Unilever team, the programme aims to bridge the "dental creator gap" by equipping participants with skills in content creation, personal branding and short-form storytelling. Its inaugural workshop, held in March, featured global dental influencer Dr Milad Shadrooh, also known as The Singing Dentist, alongside Indonesian creators Zaki, Twomann and Vinco.

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