PEPSODENT BITES INTO GLORY WITH PARA ATHLETE PARTNERSHIP

Unilever’s Pepsodent has unveiled Bite Into Glory, the world’s first oral care performance partnership with Indonesian para-archer Kholidin. Supporting his unique bite-based technique, the initiative provides tailored dental care ahead of the 2026 Para Games, marking a bold shift in oral care branding from prevention to performance.

Unilever’s oral care brand Pepsodent has broken new ground with the launch of Bite Into Glory, a pioneering partnership with Indonesian para-archer Kholidin. This collaboration marks the first time an oral care brand has entered the realm of performance sponsorship, supporting an athlete whose competitive edge depends directly on the strength of his teeth and gums.  

Kholidin, who lost the use of one arm in a 2017 accident, developed an adapted archery technique that relies on his mouth and teeth to draw and release the bowstring. With every one of the 300–500 arrows he shoots daily passing full draw tension through his bite, oral health is not just a matter of wellbeing but of sporting performance. Recognising this, Pepsodent has committed to providing specialised periodontal care and an enhanced oral regime tailored to his needs as he prepares for the 2026 Para Games in Asia.  

Madhurjya (Banjo) Banerjee, Senior Global Brand Director, Oral Care at Unilever, explained the significance of the initiative: “For more than 100 years, Pepsodent has championed strong teeth and gums, grounded in the belief that good oral health enables people to embrace more of what life has to offer. Through Bite Into Glory, we’re extending that belief into sport for the first time. Athlete sponsorship typically attaches a brand’s name to someone else’s excellence, but our partnership with Kholidin is unique as Pepsodent is instrumental to his preparation and ability to compete. It’s not just an endorsement, we’re maintaining the equipment for performance.”  

The campaign was conceptualised by frank. Singapore, Omnicom’s dedicated Unilever team, and includes a short documentary capturing Kholidin’s training, daily challenges and the specialised care behind every shot. Benoit Freyburger, Global Business Director at frank. Singapore, highlighted the originality of the approach: “Brands usually sponsor the visible parts of an athlete’s performance — speed, strength, agility. But nobody had thought about the power of their bite. Every arrow Kholidin shoots passes its full force through his teeth, and that’s what the partnership is built on. We wanted to deliver something real that enables his performance through a dental programme specific to him.”  

For Kholidin, the collaboration represents both practical support and symbolic recognition. “For me, every competition is an opportunity to learn, evaluate myself, and continue improving. My technique may be different, but my ambition as an athlete remains the same: to become better every day and give my best for Indonesia. I’ve been a Pepsodent user for many years, and having their support now means even more as I work towards achieving bigger goals in my sporting journey.”  

As the countdown to the 2026 Para Games in Aichi-Nagoya begins, Bite Into Glory positions Pepsodent not only as a guardian of everyday oral health but as a brand that empowers athletes to perform at their peak. In doing so, it redefines the boundaries of oral care sponsorship, proving that sometimes the strongest bite can be the sharpest competitive edge.