I.

Situational Analysis
Unilever, a multi-national corporation, has owned one of the widest consumer
products lines and one of which is Dove. Kerstin Dunleavy was the brand manager of the
Dove line and she planned to re-launch Dove Beauty products to the next level.
Dove had distinct features since it uses natural ingredients and is a very reliable
as a moisturized but however people believed that the product was dated and old-
fashioned. This was according to the study that undergone focused brand analysis under
Ernest Dichter institute. With this, Dove needed a new image to increase market share,
develop an outstanding marketing campaign and return the functional strengths of the
brand.
A global study was then conducted and the results show that women generally
have a certain concept of beauty and if they did not fit to those qualifications they did not
feel good about themselves. Standards of beauty seem to be as superficial as shown in
advertisements. The study also shows that only 2% of women describe themselves as
beautiful while 47% of these women said that they were overweight. Women seem to be
influenced to the idea that the definition of an attractive woman is those who have very
slim waistlines. Most of Doves respondents believed this to be true.
With basis of the global study, Dove decided to use an unconventional approach
to re-launch Dove. The goal was to use attention-seeking campaigns to boost self-
esteem of women. The campaign on Real Beauty began. All types of promotional tools
were used in the campaign. This allowed women globally to react on the online ads and
re-think on the subjective side of beauty whether the difference is in age, race or size.
The campaign was thoroughly successful strategy and was proposed to be
continued in the light of helping women feel good about themselves and in order to
sustain their stand to their customers.

II. Problem Definition
With the success of Dovesreal beauty promotional campaign in re-launching its
brand, the management is now faced with the challenge of improving or at the least
sustaining this new brand drive. In pursuing this, it also has to answer the following
issues:
What actions should be taken in order to capture a much larger market?
How did the success of the campaign rebrand Dove products?
How will Ms. Dunleavy address the negative effects of the campaign?
How will Ms. Dunleavy address the problems arising from Dove campaign versus
the campaign of other products of Unilever to address inconsistencies?
Furthermore, objectives of this case are as follows:

Dove should remain in the minds of the consumer that the product is made of
natural ingredients and is known for its mildness.
Branding was an issue with the product though a lot believed in the
ingredients of the product and what it could deliver. In the study they have
conducted the consumer found the product to be dated and old-fashioned.

To sustain the campaigns of Dove in the market in order to capture a larger
market share.
With the success of the campaign, Dove still continues to practice
Corporate social responsibility by still maintaining the campaigns. Dove
established the Self-esteem Fund & Uniquely Me. Unilever also sought the
help young females with eating disorders.

To take out most womens perception of what is beautiful. Elimination of
stereotypical beauty should be achieved for those women who are low in self-
esteem. Make the 98% of the target market believe that they are beautiful just the
way they are and that no amount of surgery or beauty products can boost their
self-esteem. Acceptance would always be the first step.
According to the global study, only 2% of women found themselves
beautiful. This gave the group of Dunleavy the opportunity to redefine what is
beautiful. A proposal was then presented to the board to re-launch dove using
new and unconventional ideals of beauty.

III. External Environment
Following are the societal factors that have impact with the industry, the
environmental opportunities and threats facing the company.

a. Social Norms. What the Society demands define the companys strategy.

b. Other Market. The existence of other markets in which Dove might be interested
to intrude and penetrate such as men and children. Able to access prime market.

c. Global Advertising. Advertisements of Dove Products could be tailored-fit
culturally depending on the skin type. Globally advertising Dove is a big
opportunity to gather a greater market. Making the products tailored-fit adds value
to the products of Unilever as a company since it would promote vitality.

d. Interpretation. This type of branding could be primed/ tendency to be associated
to fat girls. Branding technique used by Dove might be misinterpreted by other
markets since the campaign would focus of real women, not models, and would
get the impression that re-launching of Dove targeted fat girls.

e. Competitors as copy cat. There is a tendency and a possibility that since Dove
is successful in their campaign for real beauty, competitors might copy their
positioning or campaigns thus resulting to the decline of Dove product
consumers.

f. Competitors promoting slim, blonde and white as beautiful. Competitors
which will still promote beauty as structured by the society could be a problem for
dove. With great effort from the number of competitors in advertising their
products using models, blondes and slim girls, the real beauty campaign might
no longer be effective and received by the consumer. Targeting the self esteem
and insecurities of women in general might impact the market share of dove.

g. Highly competitive industry. The beauty industry as mentioned is very
competitive as products offered are similar or with less variations. Because of
this, the emphasis falls on how the product is marketed or communicated to the
customers and not on what the product is offering.

h. Current marketing strategy in the industry. The focus is on the social and
environmental responsibilities and all natural products. Advertisements use
models or the ideal concept of beauty and not on what the common perception of
beauty.

IV. Internal Organizational Environment
The Dove brand is operating under the following internal environment:

a. Unconventional promotional strategy. The approach of Dove is very much
different from other competitors. It differentiated them from competitors that
consumers and women in general were able to identify themselves in the
advertisements and campaigns released by Dove. Dove deviated from the usual and
conventional strategies of presenting beauty in the light of what is slim, white, blonde
and long straight hair. These stereotypes have not been utilized by Dove.

b. Effective advertising campaigns. The campaign of real beauty was a success. The
idea of implanting the idea that beauty can be varied in terms of size, age and race
was successful that it captured a large market to react on the ads. Showing
advertisements with women in all sizes, shapes, curves and colors was a huge
achievement for Dove in tapping a greater market for women in were able to identify
themselves with the campaign of dove.

c. Limitations of the products offered by Dove. Dove products are for women only
and they are offering few product lines.

d. Emotion of Women. Researches focused on the emotional engagement of women
when it comes to beauty. This is a very wise move for Dove for they were able to tap
what is inside the mind of women. In helping women cope with their issues on self
esteem and insecurity they were able inculcate in the psyche of women that beauty
need not be beautiful as it is defined and structured in the society.

e. Global marketing. Targeting the market across the globe, borders, colors and races
was a big achievement for Dove. Advertisements could be used cross-culturally. That
is regardless of location, ethnicity and race of the consumer, reception of the
advertisements is the same since the advertisement communicates to the mass
across all nation, border and race.

f. Women featured in the previous ads were slim. Though Dove engaged in
presenting real beauty in the light of what is natural and common to all women in all
races and color, the brands previous advertisements which featured slim, blonde and
tall models will still pose some problems or issues for Dove. It would create
incongruence and inconsistency for Dove for there might be consumers who will
question the change of their strategy. The disparity of the models they have
presented in their then advertisements and now advertisements might create a
distorted idea to the mass or women consumer in general.

g. Strength of Uniliver Company. Uniliver is one of the largest companies in the
global consumer products industry. Its vastness is an advantage of Dove in term of
economies of scale (resources and operation) and being just a part of the global
marketing strategy of Uniliver.

h. Dove products. Quality products that have been appreciated by the consumers.
They were the first beauty soap to use mild, non-soap ingredients with moisturizing
cream making them milder than 17 leading bar soaps.

i. Company Growth. Dove is present in 40 countries.

j. Global team and research team. Dove has an excellent research base that they
could use to understand their market.

k. New brand image. Dove is now considered as a cosmetics and beauty expert. The
markets perception of the brand changes from being dated and old-fashioned to
being open, self-confident, fun, and energetic.

V. Strategic Factors Analysis
Classification of the above internal and external environment presented for the
Dove products into the brands SWOT is as follows:

Strengths
- Unconventional promotional strategy
- Effective advertising campaigns.
- Emotion of Women as focus of their strategy.
- Global marketing
- New brand image
- Products functional strength
- Supportive and big mother company
- Excellent research

Weaknesses
- Women featured in the previous ads were slim
- Limitations of the products offered by Dove

Opportunities
- Other markets
- Advertisements could be used cross-culturally
- Dove products could be tailored-fit culturally depending on the skin type.
Globally advertising Dove is a big opportunity to gather a greater market.
Making the products tailored-fit adds value to the products of Unilever as
a company since it would promote vitality.

Threats
- This type of branding could be primed/ tendency to be associated to fat
girls.
- Branding technique used by Dove might be misinterpreted by other
markets since the campaign would focus of real women, not models, and
would get the impression that re-launching of Dove targeted fat girls.
- Competitors as copycats
- Competitors promoting the stereotypes of beauty
- Social Norms
- Highly-competitive industry

VI. Alternative Presentations
After evaluating the problems, issues, opportunities as well as Doves current
edge, what then are its possible courses of action? These alternatives will be
evaluated based on how it would promote the company to fair againstthe critical
success factors needed in the beauty industry as well as how these alternatives
attain the identified key result areas.

Analysis of the alternatives available to the company

Alternative 1. Take advantage of the success of Real Beauty campaign by
continuing in this direction through providing new questions and pictures in their
advertisement and in their website as well as continue to support it with their current
social responsibility activities

Pros:
This has been proven a success with customers connecting with the promotional
activity and with a vast media coverage regarding the issues
The company will be using the same platform (ads and web) as such no
additional costs will be incurred


Cons:
The effectiveness of the campaign might wither as people might be feed up with
the same marketing style
Duplication of the same concept by competitors making it less and less of a
cutting-edge promotional work since if there are already many players using the
same technique, it could no longer be different and special
It will be difficult to find new conflicting issues about what beauty is that could still
stir a buzz.

Alternative 2. Engage more in social responsibility movement that affects society as
a whole not only women. This would mean that new societal programs will be
undertaken by the company.

Pros:
This will establish deeper relationship with the customers
This will further emphasize the companys genuineness in their previous
campaign as such battle the contradiction issues tossed to them.

Cons:
This would entail additional costs for the company to support these activities
Selling the Dove product could be lost as the focus turns to societys problems
This could be seen by the companys shareholders as unprofitable as such losing
their support considering that the company exist mainly for profit and not to solve
societys problems. There could be clashing of objectives.

Alternative 3. With Real Beauty campaign in the background, the company will focus
on selling the product through other promotional tools and other selling strategies.
The emphasis will no longer be on the campaign but on the product itself. The
company will just maintain the website about real beauty but their advertisement will
be about Dove products and what it could do to maintain real beauty not just for
women but for other market as well, locally and globally.

Pros:
The company could take advantage of the growing brand awareness and the new
attributes or image associated with it.
By associating more the Dove brand with the campaign, customers will patronize
the brand thus increasing sales and market share
New marketing approach could sustain and further stimulate the interest of the
consumer towards Dove yet still maintaining the
By focusing on the different product line it carries, Dove could be more specific in
identifying and addressing the need of different market segment. For example, by
having an advertisement showcasing its hair product, then Dove could be more
personal to this particular customer base. Aside from this, it could suit individual
culture and needs
The brand could penetrate new market like children or men

Cons:
Additional expenses for the company since it would be more detailed and specific
Needs for consistency of message across all product line in all countries
There is a tendency to become traditional if not carefully planned

Alternative 4. Abandon the campaign theme either by focusing on the functional
strength of the product or use other societal issues aside from the concept of beauty
since the Dove brand already has new image and that consumers were already
aware of the product.

Pros:
It could highlight the brand more if focus on the functional characteristic of Dove
It could mean less expenses by getting away from corporate social
responsibilities
It could mean new market opportunities

Cons:
Market interest could be lost if focus only with the product
Since entirely new strategy, customer could no longer relate with the brand as
such the image will not be sustained
The company could not take advantage of the success of the first phase.

In order to summarize and reiterate the points mentioned above, the critical
success factors and the key result areas are as follows:




Critical Success Factors:
1. Strong new brand image and awareness
2. Continued innovative and differentiated promotional strategies
3. Maintained functional edge of the product in relation to quality

Key Result Areas:
1. Keep the Dove brand modern and desirable and sustain the new image or
attributes associated with the brand
2. Pioneering promotional strategy
3. Over-all success of brand re-launch
4. Increase sales and market share
5. Reach new customers or market

Comparative Scoring of Alternatives:
Critical Success
Factors

Key Result Areas
Alternatives 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5
1. Same campaign, new
questions and pictures,
same activities
yes no yes maybe no maybe no no
2. More social
responsibility focus
maybe no yes maybe no Maybe no no
3. Same campaign, focus
more on products and
markets, new
promotional tools
yes maybe yes yes maybe maybe yes yes
4. New campaign theme no maybe yes maybe maybe maybe maybe yes

Tally Sheet
(counts)
Alternatives Yes Maybe No
1. Same campaign, new questions and pictures, same activities 2 2 4
2. More social responsibility focus 1 3 4
3. Same campaign, focus more on products, new markets, new
promotional tools
5 3 0
4. New campaign theme 2 5 1


VII. Recommendation
After considering the analysis above, we suggest that Dove will take on the
third alternative, as stated below:

With Real Beauty campaign in the background, the company will focus on selling the
product through other promotional tools and other selling strategies. The emphasis will no
longer be on the campaign but on the product itself. The company will just maintain the
website about real beauty but their advertisement will be about Dove products and what it
could do to maintain real beauty not just for women but for other market as well, locally and
globally.

This means that it is recommended that Dove will do the following:
Continue maintaining the efforts of the real beauty campaign with new
ideas and new promotional medium. By doing this, the company could
counteract the negative notion of the campaign in relation to the issues of
inconsistencies in their promotion and offering. They could also address
the negative feedback regarding Dove supporting extreme health issues
(being fat or thin), as they embrace real beauty.
Strengthen the association of Dove Brand with the Real Beauty
Campaign. Customers should be well-aware that Dove is behind the
campaign such that even if competitors will follow, still what will be
associated is the Dove brand.
Keep and heighten the personal relationship of Dove with its customers by
engaging more customer participation
Take advantage of the new brand image and awareness through new
products and new market
More product specific and culture specific promotional activities catered to
narrowed audience

Once the above objectives are met, Dove will continue to have a strong brand
image for its quality products and it could still have a differentiated top of the line
marketing approach. Further, with the use of this, the company will have a successful
over-all re-launching of the product that will increase its sales as well as allows them
to cater to a wider market thereby increasing its market share. This alternative
therefore, enhances Dove strengths on the critical factors mentioned above such that
there is higher possibility of achieving the KRAs.


VIII. Implementation, Evaluation, and Control
Below is the implementation plan to achieve each of the objectives:

Objective #1. Continue maintaining the efforts of the real beauty campaign with new
ideas and new promotional medium

Continue to monitor the activities in their Real Beauty Website. Injecting
topics that will emphasize that real beauty is feeling good about yourself at
the same time acknowledging possible health problemsreal beauty is being
healthy.
Using other social media, like twitter, facebook, blogging.
Incorporate the result of the real beauty campaign in their advertisements by
using testimonials. They could also use aspirational story of women in their
tri-media advertisement like TV and magazines
Conduct additional research that would focus on how Men sees beauty and
then base on the result, you create Real Beauty for Men campaign.

Objective #2. Strengthen the association of Dove Brand with the Real Beauty
Campaign

Use operational conditioning theory by B.F. Skinner in their advertisement.
Organize events or give out talks and seminars regarding health and beauty
maintenance and how to improve self-esteem at schools, universities, and
malls. Conduct testing during this events and give out sample of Dove
products.

Objective #3. Keep and heighten the personal relationship of Dove with its
customers by engaging more customer participation

This could be done by having feedback rooms through chatting and emails.
Here, customers could give their feedback, comments, and suggestions. This
information should be considered in the brands activities to show
appreciation and seriousness in acknowledging customers needs.
They could also give workshops wherein customers could share their
experiences
Objective #4. Take advantage of the new brand image and awareness through new
products and new market
They could introduce new products like lotion, feminine wash, deodorant,
facial wash and other beauty maintenance for women.
They could also offer products for men and children.
They will strengthen their global market by offering to Asia or other parts of
the world

Objective #5. More product specific and culture specific promotional activities
catered to narrowed audience
Advertisements will be specific to what product is promoted. For example, if
Dove wanted to promote their shampoo, a concept of real beauty in relation to
hair plus the attributes of the Dove shampoo will be highlighted in the ads.
Advertisements will reflect culture of the country where you want to promote
the product.
See to it that the idea and messages communicated where consistent across
all promotional activities

In general, Dove could also use Through-the-line campaign using tri-media (TV,
Billboards) and tactical promotions like freebies or free tickets to women-related
events.

Moreover, in order to determine the success of the activity, the company will use the
following evaluation and control:
1. Conduct short surveys on awareness and customer satisfaction on Dove
Products before and after the promotion and the introduction of new
product line
2. Focused group discussion as a way of improving the product based on
the results of the survey
3. Financial performance evaluation in terms of sales revenue per product
and per location
4. Number of reactions or feedbacks generated after the promotional
activities
5. Do comparative survey against competitors