Dove underwent drastic
market repositioning from the original advertising of their beauty bar launched
in 1957. Their positioning then was based on the revolutionary aspect that it
claimed to not dry out the skin the way regular soap did. This proved to be
successful seeing as it was the “#1 Dermatologist Recommended brand in the US,
Canada and France and strongly endorsed by Dermatologists across the world”
(Unilever).
The catalyst for
repositioning came from the Dove product extensions into hair care in February
2003 and face care in July 2003 (Strategy, 2004). Unilever realized that Dove’s
positioning in the mind of consumers was still based on the fact that it was an
honest brand but a bit boring seeing as it revolved around a bar of soap. Now
that the Dove product mix was planning to include facial and hair care
products, with moisturizers that sell for $16, the current positioning would
not suffice, and therefore the campaign for ‘Real Beauty’ was launched
(Strategy, 2004).
Dove decided, “If we were
really going to work to debunk stereotypes and widen the definition of beauty,
then we couldn’t just replace our definition of beauty,” explains Iles, Dove
Marketing Manager. “We would just be substituting one dictator for another. The
idea is to give beauty back to women and to say that we want to show real women
and open up a discussion about what is beautiful. We thought that until we give
the discussion back to everyday people, particularly women, we won’t really
achieve our goals” (Strategy, 2004).
The repositioning efforts
included a wide array of different channels, in an unconventional approach to
complement the entire theme of the new branding of breaking down the
conventional definition of beauty. Such channels included, huge outdoor
billboards, print, magazine, hosting of a photography exhibit done by women, workshops,
participation from “everyday” people approached on the streets (Ogilvy,
2009). However, television advertising was not
part of the campaign.
Unilever undertook a
potentially risky operation in its repositioning efforts. Dove decided to
diverge away from the original strategy of focusing on the product and instead
focuses on promoting a social message through unconventional media outlets.
Janet Kestin, CD at Toronto-based Ogilvy & Mather, concurs, saying, “it’s the
boldest she’s ever seen Unilever as a whole be”(Strategy, 2004).
However, this proved to be the
right technique as the campaign was a huge success. The buzz created from the
controversy surrounding the campaign and its uniqueness generated at least 10
million euros of equivalent advertising spent from PR and was featured in many
prime time talk shows, news stations and radio stories (Ogilvy, 2009).
Research on the impact of
the previously mentioned photo exhibit that Dove organized, “found that among
women who experienced the show, top-of-mind awareness for Dove was 34%. Among
those who didn’t it was 18%. Also, women told an average of 5.6 people about
the exhibit” (Strategy, 2004).
L.M
References:
Unilever (2013). “Dove Overview: The Dove Difference”.
Retrieved from http://www.unilever.com/brands-in-action/detail/Dove/292077/
November 26, 2013
Ogilvy. Ogilvyvids (2009). "Campaign For real
Beauty". Retrieved from:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R5Ynz3eje9s. November 26,
2013
Strategy (November 12,
2004). Globe Media Group. “Dove: A clean slate”. November 25, 2013. Retrieved
from http://strategyonline.ca/2004/11/12/dove-20041112/#ixzz2lgpQoHL7
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