Paradontax Fights Back Against Bleeding Gums

Award-winning advertising agency Grey London, as part of WPP’s team Vitale, has launched an action-packed new campaign for dental care brand Parodontax. The campaign is designed to raise awareness that “Spitting Blood Means Action” when it comes to gum health. By challenging the conventions of healthcare advertising, the campaign drew on the spectacle and visual language of martial arts cinema to drive awareness of gum health and strengthen the brand’s position as the category’s leading gum health expert.

Based on the human truth that many people don’t act when they spit blood after tooth brushing, the work targets health-conscious adults who are proactive about their wellbeing but may not yet recognise the need for a specialist gum toothpaste. Directed by award-winning Irish filmmaker and director Finn Keenan through RiffRaff Films, the campaign will run across EMEA throughout the remainder of 2026 and 2027.

The 90” film opens with an everyday brushing routine that quickly escalates into a full-scale, action-packed sequence when the protagonist notices blood in the sink. What follows is a breathless dash to the pharmacy, and a standoff over the last tube of parodontax toothpaste. A tense and highly choreographed martial arts battle ensues, with toothbrushes wielded and dental floss repurposed as a lasso, as the protagonist fights her way to the prize.

The creative concept draws on a well-established martial arts cinema trope; in anime, action films and sport, spitting blood signals that things have become serious, yet the hero shrugs it off and keeps fighting. The campaign reframes that moment through the lens of everyday life, highlighting how many people similarly dismiss bleeding gums despite them being a sign that action may be needed.

With nearly half of adults expected to experience gum disease at some point in their lives, Grey’s creative strategy (as part of WPP team Vitale) marks a deliberate step away from the clinical category. By tapping into the high-octane action of martial arts cinema, the campaign aims to cut through and establish Parodontax as the clear and memorable choice for anyone experiencing gum problems.

Alex Mawby, Associate Creative Director, Grey London: “Spitting blood is a movie cliché - a minor inconvenience to be shrugged off by our heroes before they carry on. But what works for Tarantino won't work for your teeth. So when parodontax asked us to get people to actually do something when they spit blood in the sink, the answer was obvious: make an action movie that flips the script. The result is a campaign that stands out a mile in a dull category and delivers one message with the power of a spinning roundhouse to the solar plexus: if you spit blood in the sink, you need Parodontax.”

Rachel Deans, Global Brand Lead, Haleon: “Our consumers are highly proactive about their health, but they don't always know where to turn when they spot the early signs of gum trouble. 'Spitting Blood Means Action' bridges that gap. By using the familiar, high-stakes energy of martial arts cinema, we are firmly establishing Parodontax as the go-to 'Gum Expert' in a way that is memorable, culturally relevant, and impossible to ignore.’

Credits

Client

Haleon

Global Brand Lead

Rachel Deans

Global Marketing and Digital Director

Stewart Lees

Senior Brand Manager

Marina Lopez

Creative Agency

Grey London, as part of the WPP Team Vitale

Chief Creative Officer

Helen Rhodes

Creative Director

Russel Garn

Associate Creative Directors

Alex Mawby

Ben Lambert

Managing Partner

Luke Grima

Senior Account Manager

Alethea Boucq

Account Director

Elijah Amissah

Business Director

Claire Hayes

Strategy Director

Victoria Herrick

Strategist

Zoë Kessler

Production Company

Riff Raff Films

Director

Finn Keenan

Production Company Owner

Matthew Fone

Global Managing Partner / EP

Natalie Arnett

Producer

Kate Brady

DOP

Arnau Valls Colomer

1st AD

Chris Kelly

Production Designer

Alexander Yanev & Momchii Tasev

Costume Designer

Hristo Yordanov

Casting

Sophie North

Service Company

Solent Films

Service MD

Alex Momchev

Service Producer

Petra Tendafilova

Service PM

Teodora Naydenova

Service 2nd AD

Teodora Petrova

Stunt Coordinator

Tony Davidov

Local Make-Up

Gerbana Batanova

Gaffer

Dido Vladimirov

1st AC

Boris Mitrev

Grip

Tsvetan Kostov

Sound Design

Factory Studios

Sound Design & Mix

Anthony Moore

Senior Audio Producer

Olivia Endersby

Edit

Trim

Editor

Ross Hallard

Edit Assistant

Nanako Kawasaki

Edit Producer

Tatyana Alexander

Production Agency

Publicis Production

Producer

Adam Walker

Assistant Producer

Albin Ternblad

Production Planner

Mary Musasa

Music Supervision

The Hogan

Post

Harbor Picture Company

VFX Creative Director

Fergal Hendrick

VFX Lead

Leahayinde

VFX Artists

Clive De Souzahani Alyousif

Colourist

Alex Gregory

Post Producer

Sarah Maerz

Production Assistant

Darcy Crittall