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In the 1970s, there were only two types of Colgate toothpaste. But as competition increased, Colgate’s sales started to slip. The company introduced a new product that included a new feature, the addition of fluoride, perhaps. Then another. Then another. Whitening. Tartar control. Sparkles. Stripes. Each innovation certainly help boost sales, for a while at least. And so the cycle continued. Guess how many different types of toothpaste Colgate has for you to choose from today? 32. Today there are 32 different types of Colgate toothpaste, (excluding the four they make for kids). And given how each company responds to the, “innovations” of the other, that means that Colgate’s competitors also sell a similar number of variants that offer about the same quality, about the same benefits, at about the same price. There are literally dozens and dozens of toothpastes to choose from, yet there is no data to show that Americans are brushing their teeth more now than they were in the 70s. Thanks to all this “innovation”, it has become almost impossible to know which toothpaste is right for you. So much so, that even Colgate offers a link on their website called, “Need help deciding?” If Colgate needs to help us pick one of their products because there are too many variations, how are we supposed to decide when we go to the supermarket without their website to help us?

Excerpted from ‘Start with Why’ by Simon Sinek