Church & Dwight Acquires Touchland — Yet Another Lesson in Why Brands, Not Products, Win With Consumers
If you’ve somehow missed the pastel-colored bottles popping up in every Gen Z tote bag, Touchland is the brand that’s made clean hands cool. The company has grown to $130 million in annual sales and built a brand universe that transcends hygiene. Now, with its recent acquisition into the Church & Dwight family, it sits alongside Hero Cosmetics and legacy power brands like Arm & Hammer, OxiClean, and Trojan.
Yes, the move further positions Church & Dwight as a dynamic brand that thoughtfully connects consumers and their needs, but it also speaks to the broader market shifts that need to happen to retain relevancy.
But first, let’s look closer. How did Touchland become a breakout craze? How did Church & Dwight find the perfect fit for its ever-growing portfolio? And how can others do the same?
1. People don’t just buy products; they buy how those products make them feel.
While Touchland products can claim the same "99.9 percent of germs" protection of competitors, it is how the brand elevated a mundane and sterile category — sanitizers — into something energizing. The brand has transformed utility into a sensory experience through beauty-inspired packaging, modern scents, and an application style consumers enjoy. Furthermore, the brand is actually listening to consumers, who are not willing to hide but instead opening doors for personalization, gifting and collaboration for brand and community growth.
Gone are the clinical squeeze bottles. Instead, Touchland's sleek, colorful (and more sustainable) spray bottles look more like Apple accessories than medical supplies. Add in mood-lifting scents, micro-influencer buzz, and a fiercely loyal digital fanbase, and suddenly you’re not just marketing a germ-fighting liquid, you’re cultivating a lifestyle.
2. Where you show up says as much about your brand as how you show up.
Touchland’s innovative branding has also taken hand sanitizer beyond supermarket aisles and into specialty, beauty and self-care retailers.
By aligning with retailers like Sephora and Ulta which are known for curation, discovery and aesthetic appeal, Touchland positioned itself not as a commodity but as a sensorial necessity. These aren’t just shelves; they’re stages. And Touchland was ready for the spotlight. Anyone who says that retail is dead clearly hasn’t stepped into a specialty or beauty retailer lately.
Because Touchland’s nailed that, too.
Engaging displays. Testers. Trained staff. Even the way products are grouped around themes like “clean beauty” or “TikTok trending” reinforces the idea that Touchland isn’t about utility — it’s about identity, and Church & Dwight will be able to spotlight that strength. Supermarket sanitizers just can’t compete with that.
3. Win the youth, win the future.
Gen Z’s spending power is expected to grow to $12 trillion over the next five years, while Gen Alpha's economic footprint will also reach more than $5.46 trillion. With both demographics set to become the largest, richest generations alive, brands must work now to build lasting customer relationships that future-proof their success.
Church & Dwight's intentional acquisitions aren’t just about revenue, they’re about relevance. These brands connect with younger consumers on the platforms and in the spaces they live in. They speak the language of vibe, aesthetic and authenticity. In this way, Touchland isn’t just a hit with teens — it’s an investment in the next decade of brand loyalty.
4. Know your formula: high design + high impact = high reward.
Ultimately, corporate acquisitions like Touchland go far beyond financial moves. They’re also strategic branding plays. Today’s most successful brands don’t just solve problems, they become part of a consumer’s lifestyle — building beyond their core category to unlock long-term loyalty and new growth.
With the Touchland purchase, Church & Dwight has unlocked a hugely engaged, significant market of young consumers. Meanwhile, Touchland is now armed with the resources and experience of a major consumer goods player. However, while the future of sanitizer is in safe hands, there are countless other sectors in which businesses can follow Touchland’s lead.
By understanding culture, being laser focused on your growth targets, and building a desirable brand, could your business transition from an unassuming utility into an elevated essential? Because in today’s market, even the most mundane products can sparkle if you know how to bottle the magic.
Celia Bertsch is a Client Director for CBX, a brand strategy and design agency.
