The “Campaign for Real Beauty” has been a catalyst for expanding the discussion of “beauty” since it first launched in 2004 with refreshing ads that made women feel good about themselves. Since then, Unilever has extended the campaign on multiple fronts and in relevant ways that continue to engage female consumers and contribute to a healthy bottom line.
“Our hope is the more work we do in the space, the more you’ll see mothers get involved, you’ll see teachers get involved, and for that matter you’ll even see other advertisers get involved and take on similar initiatives to what Dove is doing,” says Sharon MacLeod, brand director for Dove Canada. But empowering those in a demographic who have been systematically told that they can never look good enough by most ads means an uphill, never-ending battle. Fresh research by the company reveals that by the age of 14, 55% of Canadian girls feel pressure to be beautiful. By the time they hit 29, the number rises to 96%. Even more alarming is the discovery that 47% of girls between 10 and 17 have avoided social activities or giving an opinion because they feel badly about the way they look.
Here, MacLeod offers tips on how to keep a long-running campaign fresh and focused.
Connect it
When it comes to creating authentic and relevant messaging for a particular cause or movement, it’s important to connect with highly credible third-party experts, says MacLeod. Dove works closely with counsellor and self-esteem expert Lisa Naylor, who has contributed to the development of resources, workshops and educational materials for the Dove Self-Esteem Fund.
“[Naylor] really knows what the current issues are facing those girls and we rely very heavily on her to make sure that we’re guiding the campaign in the right direction, and listening to what women tell us,” says MacLeod.
Dove also uses the findings from its global research studies to update, enhance and ultimately guide the tools used as part of its self-esteem initiatives.
Believe it
Connecting to the consumer in a way that’s genuine requires more than a clever tag line. Members of the Dove team get in at the ground level and participate in branded workshops held at schools across the country to be more connected with the cause, says MacLeod.
Mean it
While the brand has dedicated many of its efforts to building the self-esteem of girls and women, at the end of the day, it’s still about product advertising. Dove ensures that not only its product lineup, but also every element of the campaign is consistent with the brand promise—to make women feel gorgeous.
“We’re without any question a business and we make no apologies for that,” she says. “But when we’re doing initiatives, we’re doing things that are right for girls and women.”
And when parent company Unilever is accused of hypocrisy for promoting the well-being of girls with Dove while using raunchy and sexualized stereotypes with its Axe brand, MacLeod points out that each of the company’s brands has its own marketing focus and strategy designed to reflect the unique interests and needs of its audience.
“For Axe specifically, we communicate that the brand’s marketing is intended to be a spoof of men’s desire to be noticed by women and is not meant to be taken literally,” she says. “We share that Axe regularly tests its campaigns with both men and women who have told us that they see them as clever and funny.”
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