Axe and Dove Lovemark comparison

Following our previous studies, we noticed that Unilever success to make relevant soap and deodorant that are supposed to be boring product. 

 

We interviewed 30 persons, between 20 and 50 and more years old, 20 women and 10 men. As respondents are few, these results have to be taken in a global view.

First of all, 100% of our respondents known Dove and Axe brand. Moreover, 53% of respondents have ever bought Axe products (whose 50% are men), and 87% ever bought Dove products (whose 73% are women). There is already a gender tendency for each brand.

 

Then, Dove has sex appeal for 43% of the respondents, whereas 87% of them think that Axe is a sexy brand. Axe is sexier than Dove, which is correlated to its image of being sexy, being confidant, to attract women, especially sexy women.

We use the Lovemark test on respondents to test their relation with the brands.

Concerning the Respect of the brands, respondents think the brand Dove performs a little bit more than Axe brand (respectively 6/10 vs 5/10). Moreover, respondents’ trust in Dove is higher than Axe (respectively 6/10 vs 4/10). Finally, respondents’ reputation has low score for both Dove and Axe (respectively 4/10 vs 3/10).

Dove seems to be a brand with a strong identity and high values (Performance score). The higher scored in Trust refers to “Reliability”, “Security” and “Ease”. However concerning Reputation, for the respondents Dove has no leadership.

Whereas for Axe brand, respondents’ opinion is different: Axe has a strong identity and innovate a lot. This brand’s trust higher scored refers to “Ease” and “Openness”. And finally, Axe as a very strong leadership.

 

Only two men love the brand: scored more than 25 points for Respect category and more than 41 points for Love category.

Concerning Dove, this man scored higher Sensuality in the Love category (8/10). Concerning Axe, another man scored fully Mystery (10/10) and intimacy (6/6).

Concerning the other, even if they do not scored 25 to Respect, they think that Dove has great stories, is a brand with a past, a present and a future and gives inspiration. In comparison with Axe, which has a higher score in this category except for “Past, Present, Future” point. Axe makes people dreams, with myths and gives inspiration to customers.

Smell and Touch correspond to Dove whereas Smell and Sight correspond to Axe. Axe focus on what you are going to look after using Axe, whereas Dove focus on, accept yourself.

Finally, respondents associated Dove at Empathy and Axe at Passion, in the Intimacy category.

Thanks to this test, respondents answers are in correlation with the message and consumers’ target decided by Unilever: Dove concerns more women than men, is a serious brand, who take care about your skin, your body, yourself, about women’s opinion on their body and their shape and has compassion. Contrary to Axe, focusing on young boy, fun and cool brand image, which permits them to make them dream about their future, how they are going to be physically and mentally being adult. Axe assists them to built their identity, especially in their attitude in front of sexy women.

                                                                     Source: Picture taken from the SBM lecture

SC