Dove-evolution of a brand

EVOLUTION OF A BRAND Anil Bhardwaj

Nishant PagariaNaresh Verma

AGENDA• Unilever - Category Management Strategy - Brand Management Strategy - Why does Unilever want fewer brands?• Evolution of Brand ‘Dove’ - Dove: POP & POD - What compelled Dove to go for CFRB• Dove’s market positioning in the 1950’s• Dove’s market positioning in 2007• Brand With a Point of View• From Brand’s to the Consumer’s Point of View• Public Relations- Marketing Strategy- Conflicting brand image • Risks to the brand today

UNILEVER’S CATEGORY MANAGEMENT STRATEGY

Earlier Brands managed in a decentralized fashion Lack of sound corporate strategy. Numerous low-volume brands. Small global presence compared to competition. World’s largest producer in may categories but lacked a unified global identity. Mediocre performance in emerging markets

Now Reduce portfolio to 400 “core” brands

Path to growth Initiative (Brand building and brand development – separate functions)

Concentrate on product innovation to fuel internal growth

An initiative to create an overall umbrella brand across all Unilever’s brands

DO

VE E

VO

LUTIO

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WHY DOES UNILEVER WANT FEWER BRANDS?

Global decentralization brought problems of control. Company’s brand portfolio had grown is a relatively laissez-faire

manner. Unilever’s brands lacked a global identity. Product categories had checkered identities.

Embarked on a 5 year strategic initiative “Path to Growth”: - Winnowing 1600 brands down to 400. - Selected “Masterbrands”, mandate to serve as umbrella identities over a range of product forms. - Global brand unit for each “Masterbrand”.

Beauty. It’s not about glamour or fame. It’s (Point of Differentiation)

about every woman and the beauty that is (Market) (frame of reference)

in each of us. That’s what DOVE is all about. (Brand)

And that’s why More women trust their skin (Point of Differentiation)

to DOVE.

DOVE : POP AND POD

Cleanses (Point of Parity)

Brand had grown by $1.2 billion. Much of the growth was attributable to new personal care categories, and exactly how much could be credited to The Campaign for Real Beauty.

Internet post questions about Unilever’s sincerity, its objectivity, its motives and Dove’s strategy as follows, “Taking up the cudgels for reality is a risky strategy for Dove.

“We want to challenge the definition of the beauty.We believe that beauty has become too narrow in definition. We want to defy the stereotype that only young, blond and tall are beautiful.”

-Philippe Harousseau, Dove’s Marketing Director-

Case Study

DOVE IN THE 1950’S

Product• First Dove product Beauty Bar Launched in 1957• It claimed not to dry out the skin the way soap did• Technically not soap at all, formula came from military research

Marketing and Advertising• Blend of marketing communication tools- TV, print media and billboards• Advertising message: “Dove soap doesn’t dry your skin because it is one-quarter

cleansing cream”• Rather than models, it used natural looking women to convey the benefits of the

product

Outcome• As a result of Dove positioning itself as being in the beauty Industry and

focusing on functional benefits as well as a successful marketing mix Dove became one of the America’s most recognizable brand icons

Products• Hair care: Shampoo, Conditioner, Spray and Gel• Skin Care: Soap and Moisturizer• Deodorants

“Real Beauty” and “Self Esteem Campaign”• Appealed to aesthetic needs of the consumers• Did not focus on functional benefits, but on need to feel good• Used oversized models, elderly women to convey the message

Dove Evolution Film• Shift from broadcast media to digital media, YouTube & Blogs• Film “evolution” viewed by 3 million visitors in 3 months• Marketing communications gave Dove a wide exposure

DOVE IN 2007

DOVE: FUNCTIONAL BENEFIT ERA TO REAL BEAUTY

1957 : “Dove soap doesn’t dry your skin because it’s one-quarter cleansing cream,”-’Ogilvy and Mather advertising agency’-

1980 : Dove beauty bar was widely endorsed by physicians and dermatologists to treat dry skin.

2000 : The brand depended on claims of functional superiority backed by the moisturizing benefit and become a Masterbrand in February.

-To build the Masterbrand needed to do something- 2007 : A process of exploratory market research, consultation with experts, conversations with women, and message testing led to: “The Campaign for Real Beauty.”

1970 : Popularity increased as a milder soap.

1990 : “Litmus test” – Opened up to markets in 55 countries – Sold in 80 countries.

2002 : Campaign for Real Beauty.

2005 : Self – Esteem Campaign.

Campaign for Real Beauty Message : Real beauty ca only be found

on the inside and every woman deserves to feel beautiful.

Image : Real beauty is portrayed by women who do not have “runaway model”.

Result : A dialog between Dove and itrs customers about the definition of beauty.Self – esteem fund:

Carried forward the real beauty campaign.Series of Commercials launched to promote

this.Evolution launched first on “You Tube” later on

“Super Bowl”

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1957 2006

DOVE: THEN AND NOW

A BRAND WITH A POINT OF VIEWUnilever’s surveys: 3,000 women in 10 countries was the fact that only 2% of respondents worldwide chose to describe themselves as beautiful

Oversized?Outstandin

g?

“Hates her freckles.”

“Evolution.” It showed the face of a young woman as cosmetics, hair styling and Photoshop editing transformed it from plainness to billboard glamour.

Dove’s mission is to make more women feel beautiful every day by broadening the narrow

definition of beauty and inspiring them to take great care of themselves.

Flawed?Flawless?

44 and hot?44 and not?

Wrinkled?Wonderful?

Grey?Gorgeous?

PUBLIC RELATIONS

Generate broad awareness for the Campaign for Real Beauty and establish an emotional connection with women

Established the global Dove Self - Esteem Fund to raise the self-esteem of girls and young women

Build advocacy and generating discussion among the media elite also developed a strategic partnership with an advocacy organization.

Build coverage and interest with more than 200 local news programs and more than 60

national broadcast and print outlets

FROM BRAND’S TO THE CONSUMER’S POINT OF VIEW

When you’re using Dove Cream Oil Body Wash, take note of what you feel, smell, see

and hear:

Are you reminded of any pleasant experiences or interesting places?

Look up “luxury” in the dictionary. What does it mean? What could it mean?

Explore the world around you. What luxuries do you find in your world?

In 2006 the Dove announced a contest, titled: “Real Ads by Real Women”, to invite consumers to create their own ads for Dove Cream Oil Body Wash.

ORGANIZING FOR BRAND MANAGEMENT

Unilever began to split responsibility for a brand between two groups:

A brand is a name, term, sign, symbol or design, intended to identify the goods or services of one seller or group of sellers and to differentiate them from those of competitors.

Brand building:Charge with bringing the brand to life in their Marketplace.

Brand Development:Take responsibility for developing the idea behind a brand, for innovation and for evolving the idea into the future.

THE CONSUMER-BASED BRAND EQUITY (CBBE) MODEL

Much affiliation and attachment ,

creates patronage(Dove Self

Esteem Fund)

Women love and trust the dove brand , Using

the dove brand Develops self

esteem /self respect

Mild , moisturizing, ¼ cleansing cream

World number one cleansing brand in the health and beauty sector. Has

achieved both depth and breadth in the market

IdentityWho are

you ?

What about you ?

What about you and

me ?

What do you stand

for ?

Bonding

Advantage

Performance

Relevance

Presence

Mass appeal to all segments; high patronage

Better quality at affordable price

Mild, gentle, moisturizing

Health and beauty

More than 80 countries

BRAND DYNAMICS OF DOVE

High Loyalty/ Strong Share of

Wallet

Low Loyalty/ Weak Share of

Wallet

MARKETING STRATEGY

18

INTERVIEWS

ADVERTISING

BILLBOARDS

PANEL DISCUSSIONS

TV COMMERC

IALS

PROGRAMS

THE DOVE SELF-ESTEEM FUND

WEBSITE

Unconventional strategy

Strong emotional touch

Cross-selling Possibilities

Effective advertising, Free publicity

Continuously evolving the campaign

‘WE THE PEOPLE’

Sales of firming lotion in UK rose by 700%

Sales in the US went up by 11.4% Total Sales for the Dove Brand rose

6% No. of visitors to website increased by

200% Grand EFFIE award for advertising

effectiveness Positive response from the masses

Success Of The Campaign

RISKS TO THE BRAND TODAY

Risk of being a brand for “fat girls” Undermining the aspiration of consumers Undermining the aspirational essence in

itself is a big risk. Dove is completely eliminating the reference group which kills the aspirational element from the whole ad campaign.

The objectification of women and hence the risk of being rebuked by hardcore feminists.

Copy by the competitors(Olay total effects).

Sustainability of campaign in long run Risk of exposure in social media

Dove celebrates “Real Beauty”

Gorgeous Graceful

Beautiful Smart Attractive

Adorable Elegant Poised Pretty Cute

THANK YOU