MKTG/279

IBS Center for Management Research

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Dove’s Foray into Men Care: ‘Journey to Comfort’ or an
Uncomfortable Journey Ahead?
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This case was written by Anita Pansari and Syeda Maseeha Qumer, under the direction of Debapratim Purkayastha, IBS
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Center for Management Research. It was compiled from published sources, and is intended to be used as a basis for class
discussion rather than to illustrate either effective or ineffective handling of a management situation.
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2011, IBS Center for Management Research. All rights reserved.

To order copies, call +91-08417-236667/68 or write to IBS Center for Management Research (ICMR), IFHE Campus,
Donthanapally, Sankarapally Road, Hyderabad 501 504, Andhra Pradesh, India or email: info@icmrindia.org

www.icmrindia.org
 MKTG/279

Dove‟s Foray into Men Care: „Journey to Comfort‟ or

an Uncomfortable Journey Ahead?
“Each of Unilever brands tailors their efforts to reflect the unique interests and needs of its
audience. With Dove Men+Care, we are speaking to men whose life experiences, such as
professional and financial success, or fatherhood, have allowed them to reach a level of comfort in

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themselves, but they haven‟t found a product that offers total skin comfort.”1
-Kathy O‟ Brien, Vice president Marketing for Personal Care, Unilever, USA, in 2010.
“What the men‟s market really needs is a men‟s range that isn‟t just a women‟s brand with „for
men‟ on it.”2

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-Alexandra Richmond, senior insights analyst at Mintel Group Ltd.3, in 2010.

In February 2010, Unilever‘s global personal care brand Dove forayed into the men‘s personal
care market with the launch of a full-fledged male grooming line, Dove Men+Care, in the UK.
Considered to be Unilever‘s biggest brand launch in 2010, the Dove Men+Care line included a
range of shower gels and deodorants specifically targeted at the mature man. The launch was
supported by a £412 million marketing investment including a year-long advertising campaign
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which used public relations, promotions, mobile, digital, and social media in addition to television
ads. Commenting on the launch of the new line, Paul Connell (Connell) Brand Manager at
Unilever UK, said, ―Our vision is to extend the Dove brand promise and expertise of superior care
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to men across deodorants and shower, the two fastest-growing sectors in male toiletries. Up until
now men have been forced to accept discomfort and irritation as a necessary compromise for
performance. Dove Men+Care is a new men‘s grooming range for men that is clinically proven to
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provide both skin comfort and top efficacy.‖5

Dove was one of the biggest personal care brands of Unilever. The Dove Beauty Bar launched in
1957 was marketed as an alternative to soap. Over the years, Dove expanded its brand franchise in
the women‘s personal care market to include antiperspirants, deodorants, body washes, beauty
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bars, lotions, moisturizers, hair care, and other related products. Some experts opined that the
brand had changed the way women cared for their skin. However, while Dove had a very extensive
product range, not all its products were picked up from the shelf owing to the intense competition
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in the women‘s personal care market. Unilever therefore decided to target a totally new segment of
customers. Building on the strength of its range of products for women, Dove entered the men‘s
grooming market by launching deodorants for men. Developed by Dove skincare experts, the
Dove Men+Care range included 18 products both in the shower and deodorant categories
including sprays, roll-ons, and stick antiperspirant deodorants, and body and face washes. To
promote the new line, Dove launched a series of advertisements titled ―Journey to Comfort‖
featuring popular sports personalities.

1
―Case Study: Unilever‘s Dove Dives into Male Grooming,‖ www.emarketer.com, April 6, 2010.
2
Maisie McCabe, ―Campaign for Real Men,‖ www.allbusiness.com, January 20, 2010.
3
Mintel Group Ltd. is a UK based market research firm.
4
As on August 2011, £1 was approximately equal to US$1.64.
5
―Dove Reveals its Masculine Side – Dove Men+Care,‖ www.talkingretail.com, January 15, 2010.
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 Dove’s Foray into Men Care: ‘Journey to Comfort’ or an Uncomfortable…

Some experts opined that the Dove‘s men range would be successful as the brand was known for
its competence in skin cleansing and was a market leader in that category. Moreover, Dove was
positioned as a personal hygiene product for men and not as a beauty brand, they said. However,
some experts were skeptical about the success of the range as they felt that Dove was generally
recognized as a feminine brand and hence it would be difficult to make men switch to Dove
products. With Dove Men+Care, Unilever was targeting a share of a tough but lucrative market,
they said. According to Lorraine Kessler, Brand Positioning Strategist at Innis Maggiore Group,
Inc.6 ―From the customer‘s perspective, each line extension weakens the brand position — in a
sense educating the customer that Dove is nothing more than a name to be pushed around by the
company to make more, sell more. The more variations Dove attaches to its brand, the more the
prospect‘s mind loses focus, and the fuzzier the customer‘s picture of Dove‘s brand becomes.‖7

BACKGROUND NOTE

Unilever was one of the world‘s leading manufacturers of fast moving consumer goods which

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included food, home care, personal care, nutrition, and health products. Unilever products were
sold in over 180 countries across the globe and used by two billion consumers every day. Some of
its well-known personal brands included Dove, Fair and Lovely, Sunsilk, Lifebuoy, Lux, and
Rexona. For the year ended 2010, the company‘s turnover increased by 11.1% to €844.3 billion
with an underlying sales growth of 4.1%. 9
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Unilever developed the formula for the Dove Soap Bar in 1940. During World War II (1939-
1945), it was used for cleaning wounds. In the 1950s, the formula was refined and the Dove
Beauty Bar was developed and launched in the market in 1957. In the 1970s, Dove‘s popularity
increased as an independent clinical dermatological study proved that the Dove Beauty Bar was
milder than other leading soap brands at that time. In the following decade, the Dove Beauty Bar
became a leading cleansing bar and was even recommended by physicians. In the early 1990s,
Unilever launched Dove Beauty Wash, a body wash product. It was a success though its price was
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50% more than that of other body wash brands.10 In 1995, Unilever extended the Dove range by
introducing Dove Moisturizing Body Wash, Dove Sensitive Skin Bar, Dove Facial Care Cleanser,
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Dove Facial Cleaning Scrub, and Dove Facial Care Daily Moisturizer. Over the years, Dove was
positioned as a feminine brand to enable women to celebrate real inner beauty at every age. Dove
ads broadened the definition of beauty through confidence building messages thereby making
more women feel beautiful. Moreover, the name and logo of the brand (the image of a Dove
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signified purity and softness) had a feminine appeal too.

Dove recorded high growth during the 1990s. By 1999, sales had reached around US$ 1 billion
and the brand was growing at a rate of 20% annually.11 Its main competitors were Olay from
Procter & Gamble12, Nivea from Beiersdorf AG13, and Neutrogena from Johnson & Johnson.14
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However, since the early 2000s, even though the brand‘s product range had increased, sales were
not up to expectations. This was because teenagers generally perceived Dove as a brand for mature
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6
Based in Canton, Ohio, Innis Maggiore Group, Inc. offers advertising and public relations services.
7
Lorraine Kessler, ―Dove for Men: From Line Extension to Line Extinction,‖ www.innismaggiore.com,
February 5, 2010.
8
As on August 2011, €1 was approximately equal to US$ 1.44.
9
Unilever 2010 Annual Report.
10
John Noble, ―Are Brands a Force for Good?‖ www.britishbrandsgroup.org.uk, 2004.
11
http://media.wiley.com/product_data/excerpt/14/04708621/0470862114.pdf.
12
Based in Cincinnati, Ohio, Procter & Gamble is a global corporation which manufactures a wide range of
consumer products in the areas of pharmaceuticals, cleaning supplies, and personal care.
13
Beiersdorf AG is a Germany-based personal care products company.
14
Johnson & Johnson, based in New Jersey, US, is an international pharmaceutical, medical devices, and
consumer goods manufacturer.
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 Dove’s Foray into Men Care: ‘Journey to Comfort’ or an Uncomfortable…

women. Increased competition from other brands and the resulting advertising clutter made it
difficult for the company to communicate effectively to the customer. Since the brand was more
than 50 years old, the brand image too had to evolve so that it became more relevant to modern
times and appealed to the younger generation. In 2001, the Dove Antiperspirant / Deodorant line
was launched. In 2003, the company extended the brand further with the Dove Hair Care line. In
2004, it introduced Dove Massage Body Wash and Cool Moisture Body Wash and Bar. In
September 2004, Unilever launched a global campaign called ―Campaign for Real Beauty‖ to
promote its Dove range of personal care products. The aim of the campaign was to challenge the
stereotypes set by the beauty industry over the years and to broaden the definition of beauty and
encourage discussion about its aspects. By 2010, Dove became one of the largest personal care
brands in the world with annual sales of €2.5 billion in over 80 countries.15 Dove‘s product
portfolio included soap bars, body washes, face care products, antiperspirants/deodorants, hair care
products, and styling aids.

ENTRY INTO THE MALE GROOMING MARKET

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During the mid-2000s, a change was observed in the customer‘s attitude toward male grooming
with a considerable segment of men adopting personal care products. Most men began to take
more of an interest in grooming than they had earlier (Refer to Exhibit I for retail value of men‘s
grooming market and Exhibit II for global men‘s grooming brand ranking). Companies identified
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this as an opportunity to launch new products in the men‘s bath and body care segment.
Competition increased as brands like Avon Products, Inc.16, Beiersdorf, Colgate-Palmolive
Company17, Johnson & Johnson, L‘Oreal International18, and Procter & Gamble entered the men‘s
grooming market. Between 2009 and 2010, many new products debuted in the men‘s personal care
market ranging from hair and skincare products to shaving creams, deodorants, and fragrances.
However, Unilever‘s only presence in this market was the Axe/Lynx brand which was targeted at
teenagers. According to Mintel, the global market for men‘s grooming products was valued at
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£868 million in 2010, compared to £848 million in 2009.19 Experts felt that it was a big
opportunity for Unilever to enhance its presence in the men‘s grooming category.
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In August 2009, Dove conducted a global online study to understand the basic skin problems faced
by men. The study involved 7,579 respondents in the age group 30 to 55 years from seven
countries (Brazil, Canada, Germany, Italy, Spain, the UK, and the US)20. The study found that the
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most common skin problem among men was dryness and that 51% of them used women‘s skincare
products to overcome the problem as there were no specific products for men in the market to fight
skin dryness. Unilever sensed an opportunity and wanted to leverage on Dove‘s trusted heritage in
skincare and tap into its successful Dove franchise by launching a new range of Dove personal
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care products for men. Experts too felt that considering the brand equity of the Dove brand,
entering a new market segment would be commercially viable. ―The essence of the brand is about
honesty and not conforming to stereotypes of beauty. That essence is eminently usable for a men‘s
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brand,‖21 said Daryl Fielding a former executive at Ogilvy & Mather22.

15
www.unilever.com/ourbrands/personalcare/dove.asp.
16
Avon Products, Inc. is the world‘s top direct seller of cosmetics and beauty-related items. Its products
include cosmetics, fragrances, toiletries, jewelry, apparel, and home furnishings.
17
Colgate-Palmolive Company is a US-based multinational corporation which manufactures household,
health care, and personal products.
18
L‘Oréal International is one of the largest cosmetics and beauty companies in the world with about 23
global brands as of 2010.
19
Maisie McCabe, ―Campaign for Real Men,‖ www.allbusiness.com, January 20, 2010.
20
Englewood Cliff, ―2010 Dove Men+ Care ―Manthem,‖ http://superbowlads.com , February 1,2010.
21
―Dove Brand for Men would Meet with Approval,‖ www.marketingweek.co.uk, September 23, 2009.
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Targeted at mature men aged between 38 and 50 years, the Dove Men+Care range was first test
marketed in Italy before its worldwide launch in countries like France, the UK, and the US. It was
first launched in France in October 2009 followed by the US in December 2009. Later in February
2010, the Dove Men+Care range was launched in the UK. In February 2011, Unilever officially
launched the Dove Men+Care line of products in Canada. ―Unilever have fantastic competence in
skin cleansing and especially deodorants, where they are world leaders with the Dove,
Rexona/Sure, and Axe/Lynx brands. They have economies of scale, master the route to market,
have good presence on shelf and negotiating power with retailers. Also, these categories have
long-term strategic importance, and so the launch is likely to get sustained support, not just
―launch and run‖ support,‖23 said David Taylor, managing director of the brandgym24.
According to experts, extending the Dove brand was a logical step for Unilever to take as the
company did not have a strong male-oriented brand with mass appeal to serve as a skincare line for
mature men. It was economical to start out as a line extension rather than invest in building a
totally new brand, they added. Commenting on the extension of the Dove brand, Connell said,

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―There‘s a huge gap in the market as there are currently no toiletry brands specifically catering for
more mature men, which the new Dove Men+CareTM range is set to fill. For many men,
purchasing personal care products continues to be a chore and many can still be found using unisex
or female products, which is partly driven by a belief that there is nothing better available
specifically for them. There is a real category opportunity to address this and therefore grow the
grooming repertoire of men over 40 in the UK.‖25
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Initially, the Dove Men+ Care range comprised only two shower gel variants and five deodorants.
Later, the range was extended to include 12 shower and deodorant variants (Refer to Exhibit III for
the Dove Men+Care product range). The products were priced between £2.39 and £2.99.
According to the company, the Dove Men+ Care range was formulated using advanced
micromoisture technology which prevented skin dryness. Though the packaging was similar to that
of other Dove products, there was a change in the color scheme. A strong grey background with a
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bright color coding was used to convey the masculinity and simplicity of the brand. Experts said
that the Dove Men‘s range was able to stand out in a completely new brand space without
compromising on its fundamental tenets of care and comfort.26
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Some experts opined that Dove‘s new personal grooming range for men had a fair chance of
success in the market due to its competence in skincare for women. According to them, one of the
advantages Dove had was its relationship with women, who actually bought grooming products for
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their men. Many women identified with the brand and by extending it to the men‘s category
Unilever could tap on the existing brand value, experts said. Moreover, Dove was Unilever‘s
strongest performer and as the range targeted mature men, it did not have a specific brand
competitor, they said. ―We hope that this launch will allow us to build upon the brand‘s heritage
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and increase penetration of Dove among men,‖27 said a spokesperson from Unilever.

PROMOTIONAL STRATEGY
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In March 2010, Unilever launched a £12 million marketing campaign to support the launch of the
Dove Men + Care range which included outdoor and press advertising, radio, online and public
relations, TV advertising, and in-store Point of Sale (POS) for retailers. ―We are committed to

22
Ogilvy and Mather is a US-based leading advertising agency.
23
David Taylor, ―Dove‘s Biggest Stretch Yet: Men+Care?‖ http://wheresthesausage.typepad.com, January
21, 2010.
24
The brandgym is a brand coaching network specializing in brand management.
25
―Dove Reveals its Masculine Side – Dove Men+Care,‖ www.talkingretail.com, January 15, 2010.
26
―Dove Men+Care,‖ www.thedieline.com, January 20, 2010.
27
Marco Monfils, ―Dove‘s Tail Caught in Tale - A live Theory Experience,‖
www.consumergoodsclub.com, October 3, 2010.
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supporting Dove Men+Care with a marketing plan that grabs the attention of men in breakthrough
ways. Direct response marketing enables us to really interact and engage with our consumers on
three screens in a powerful way that drives our business,‖28 said Rob Candelino, marketing
director of Unilever Personal Wash ,US.
The promotional campaign for Dove Men+Care of products kicked off during the Super Bowl
XLIV.29 Created by Ogilvy and Mather, it was a 360-degree campaign supported by advertising,
PR, promotions, mobile, digital, and social media. Unilever spent US$153 million on the
campaign30. As part of the campaign, a 45-second commercial titled ―Manthem,‖ was broadcast
during the Super Bowl XLIV on February 7, 2010. The ad with the tagline ―Be comfortable in
your own skin‖ showcased the journey of a man from birth to fatherhood and the expectations of
society from him through these different stages of life. The spot ended with the catch line, ―Now
that you‘re comfortable with who you are, isn‘t it time for comfortable skin? (Refer to Exhibit IV
for Dove Men+Care ads). Talking about the campaign, Kathy O‘ Brien, Vice president Marketing
for Personal Care, Unilever, said, ―We launched in a big way with our 45-second Super Bowl

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commercial, ―Manthem,‖ which offered us the platform to entertain and engage a captive audience
of over 100 million consumers effectively reaching both men and women. […] We will have a
significant presence in platforms where we can engage and interact with our target male consumers
and the women in their lives who are, many times, the primary shopper in the household. We

using language that resonates with them.‖31 CO

understand our core audience and plan to interact with men in places where they live and play

As part of the campaign, Unilever also released a series of advertisements titled ―Journey to
Comfort‖ featuring iconic basketball personalities like Earvin ‗Magic‘ Johnson32 (Johnson), John
Thompson III33, Bobby Hurley34 Drew Brees35, Albert Pujols36, Joe Girardi37, and Andy Pettitte.38
The ads showcased the journeys of these players from birth to manhood. On March 14, 2011,
during the NCAA39 March Madness championship tournament40 a new series of ―Journey to
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Comfort‖ videos were aired across television channels.41 Besides television advertising, Unilever
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28
Thomas Haire, ―Dove Believes in Magic,‖ www.responsemagazine.com, May 1, 2011.
29
The Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League (NFL), the highest level of
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professional American football in the US. The Super Bowl XL1V was held in Miami Gardens, Florida,
on February 7, 2010.
30
Elaine Wong, ―Dove‘s SB Play Builds Buzz Among Men,‖ www.adweek.com, February 9, 2010.
31
―Case Study: Unilever‘s Dove Dives into Male Grooming,‖ www.emarketer.com, April 6, 2010.
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32
Earvin ‗Magic‘ Johnson is a famous American professional basketball player who played point guard for
the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA).
33
John Thompson III is the head coach of the men‘s basketball team at Georgetown University.
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34
Bobby Hurley is an American former basketball player. He won back-to-back national titles as a point
guard at Duke University‘s basketball team.
35
Drew Brees is a quarterback for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League.
36
Albert Pujols is a Dominican professional baseball player.
37
Joe Girardi was a former Major League Baseball catcher.
38
Andy Pettitte is a former American Major League Baseball starting pitcher.
39
The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a membership-led nonprofit association of
colleges and universities committed to provide academic and athletic opportunities for more than 400,000
student-athletes at more than 1,000 member colleges and universities in the US.
40
The NCAA Men‘s Division I Basketball Championship popularly known as March Madness
championship is the largest championship tournament in American sports featuring around 68 college
basketball teams. The tournament is held generally in the month of March in the US.
41
Englewood Cliff, ―2010 Dove Men+ Care ―Manthem,‖ http://superbowlads.com, February 1, 2010.
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also utilized social networking sites like Facebook42 and Twitter43 for its promotional activities.
The users on these networking sites were invited to celebrate their own moments of life by
uploading photos and videos. The company also launched an official website
www.dovemencare.com wherein users could watch videos of the ads, play games, and even
download a US$1 off coupon to buy the line‘s products at retail outlets (Refer to Exhibit V for
screenshot of the website).
Unilever used mobile advertising to promote the Dove Men+Care brand as it found out that mobile
usage was high among the target audience. It launched an NCAA-themed trivia game called Trivia
Timeout on the Dove Men+Care website and on iPhone.44Fans could play the game and win prizes
such as tickets to the 2012 NCAA Men‘s Final Four tournament, basketballs autographed by
Johnson, and even an opportunity to meet him (Refer to Exhibit IV for ads related to the game). In
March 2011, Unilever launched the first ever Apple iAd45 on the iPhone and the iPad.46 The iAd
showcased stories of basketball legends. Fans could also play Trivia Timeout within the iAd. This

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was a first of its kind innovation in mobile marketing, industry experts said. According to
Candelino, ―As one of the first brands to have the opportunity to utilize this platform, we felt it
was a perfect fit to help launch our first Dove Men + Care ‗Journey to Comfort‘ campaign
featuring baseball personalities Albert Pujols, Andy Pettitte, and Joe Girardi, The first iAd was
very successful—generating great user engagement.‖47

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In April 2011, Unilever launched an online golf game called ―Tournament to Comfort‖ on the
Dove Men+Care website. In the virtual game, golf fans could play games using different golf
courses around the world and win instant prizes. They could even get an opportunity to meet
famous American professional golfer Stewart Cink or a trip to the 2012 Tour championship.48
In June 2010, for Father‘s Day49, Unilever introduced a new mini traveler kit to promote the Dove
Men+Care range in the UK. Targeted at on-the-go fathers, the mini traveler kit contained three
travel size products from the men‘s range in a mini wash bag. ―Dove Men+Care‘s unique
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positioning has already proved a big hit with consumers. With the ‗mini traveler kit‘ we‘re
extending the range to offer a great solution for men on the go at a very competitive and accessible
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price. The ‗mini traveler kit‘ is ideal for busy men and also a perfect gift for Father‘s Day, giving
shoppers more choice and providing additional sales opportunities for retailers by catering for all
usage occasions,‖50 said Connell.
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RESULTS

As of March 2011, Dove Men+Care was one of the fastest growing male grooming brands in the
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UK with over 4 million men having purchased the brand‘s products. It was reported that since its
launch in the UK, there were nearly 2.3 million Dove Men+Care shower gel users and almost half
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42
Launched in 2004, Facebook is the biggest social networking service and website, operated and privately
owned by Facebook, Inc. It has more than 600 million active users as of January 2011.
43
Twitter is a website, owned and operated by Twitter Inc., which offers a social networking and micro
blogging service, enabling its users to send and read messages called tweets.
44
The iPhone is a smartphone designed and marketed by technology giant Apple Inc.
45
iAd is a mobile advertising platform developed by Apple Inc. for its iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad line of
mobile devices allowing third-party developers to directly embed advertisements into their applications.
46
The iPad is a tablet computer developed by Apple Inc.
47
Dan Butcher, ―Unilever Breaks First iAd Campaign to Run on iPad,‖ www.mobilemarketer.com, March
17, 2011.
48
The PGA Championship is one of golf‘s four major championships.
49
Father‘s Day is celebrated annually on the third Sunday of June.
50
―Dove for Father‘s Day,‖ www.talkingretail.com, June 1, 2010.
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of these were completely new to the men‘s shower category. Owing to the popularity of the brand,
key retailers like Sainsbury plc51 stocked multiple variants of the line in their stores. According to
Christine Winton, Dove Men+Care brand manager, Unilever UK, ―The success of Dove
Men+Care comes from its unique offering of high performance products combined with
unbeatable skin-caring action, which is targeted at the relatively untapped older male market.‖52
According to industry observers, the response for the new line was good and sales had exceeded
expectations. It was reported that between December 2010 and February 2011, the Dove men‘s
range generated a volume of US$1.2 million.53 In the year ended 2010, Unilever‘s underlying
sales growth was 6.4% and volume growth was 7.9%. According to the company, the growth was
strongest in the deodorants category driven by the launch of the Dove Men+Care line. The social
media response was also positive as a large number of interactions related to the brand were
reported on Facebook and Twitter. The ―Manthem‖ commercial was a big hit, as evident from the
fact that it was viewed by nearly 100 million customers. The ad was ranked #11in the year 2010 on
Zeta Interactive list54 of top 15 super bowl commercials.55

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CHALLENGES

One challenge for Dove Men+Care was that Dove was generally perceived as a feminine brand
signifying gentleness and purity. It was positioned in the minds of consumers as a brand with a
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female personality revolving around beauty, said some experts. According to them, the Dove brand
was strongly rooted in women and one of the biggest challenges for Unilever would be to make the
brand appeal to men as they generally avoided buying products thought of as typically feminine.56
For a brand extension to work, the brand‘s personality attributes had to match with the new
category it was entering into, they felt. ―The challenge for Dove now is going to be how can they
successfully branch out and really make men comfortable with using a fundamentally rooted
female product,‖57 said Glenn Kelley, marketing professor at Babson College58.
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Some experts were of the view that stretching the brand too far might have a negative impact on
the overall brand as it might damage its core personality. They opined that there might be a
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possibility of women changing their opinion of the brand due to the men‘s products, leading to
brand dilution. According to Andrew Mulholland, head of client services at Future Brand59
London, ―Dove‘s positioning in the UK is based on the Real Beauty campaign. How do you
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translate that positioning into the male market?‖60 Critics felt that a men‘s line for Dove was not a
smart move as the market was in need of a pure men‘s range instead of a spin off. Dove should
stick with women and Unilever should create a new brand for men, they said.
Some analysts also criticized the brand execution of the Dove‘s men range saying that the
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packaging was dull and similar to the female Dove products. Competition was intense in an
already saturated men‘s market. The market was flooded with extensions of well known female
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brands such as Nivea and L‘Oreal and Dove had to compete with these established players.
51
Sainsbury plc is one of the largest chains of supermarkets in the UK.
52
―Dove Men+Care is Back on TV,‖ www.talkingretail.com, March 17, 2011.
53
―Bar Soaps Do More Than Cleanse,‖ http://findarticles.com, March 28, 2011.
54
Zeta Interactive is a full-service interactive marketing agency that offers email marketing, search engine
marketing, and optimization.
55
Elaine Wong, ―Dove‘s SB Play Builds Buzz Among Men,‖ www.adweek.com , February 9, 2010.
56
―Dove‘s Men+Care Feeling Pressure from Competitors,‖ http://marketingstylee.com, March 1, 2010.
57
―Men‘s Grooming Industry Growing,‖ http://chicago.cbslocal.com, January 3, 2011.
58
Babson College is a business school located in Wellesley, Massachusetts.
59
FutureBrand is a leading brand consultancy.
60
―Dove Brand for Men would Meet with Approval,‖ www.marketingweek.co.uk, September 23, 2009.
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Competitors too were quick to respond to Dove‘s entry into the market. For instance, P&G in one
of its ads for Gillette‘s new Odor Shield body wash targeted the Dove men‘s brand using the
tagline ―Just because it says it‘s for men doesn‘t mean it is.‖61 ―We think frankly a brand grounded
in men, where you don‘t have to say it‘s for men, has a much better chance of winning in the
marketplace,‖62 said Ed Shirley, vice chairman of beauty and grooming for P&G.
Some analysts pointed out that Unilever‘s earlier attempts to extend the Vaseline brand to the
men‘s category had met with a mixed response and that the company had to face several
challenges exploring the new market. Moreover, entering a new category was a risky proposition
especially when the market was facing a slump owing to the global recession, they added. Some
analysts opined that by extending the Dove franchise into the men‘s grooming category, Unilever
might cannibalize its existing men‘s personal care brand Axe and affect its business.

UNCOMFORTABLE JOURNEY AHEAD?

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The global market for men‘s grooming products was projected to exceed US$33.2 billion by 2015.
In the UK, the male grooming market was estimated to be worth £250 million with the male
shower category growing at over 7% value year on year. According to experts, this was an
opportunity for Dove to establish its presence in an unfulfilled male grooming market in the UK.
According to Colin Hession, managing director of Colin Hession Consulting63, ―At last it seems
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Unilever is having a proper go at building on the unique position it has created in the male
grooming category with Axe {Lynx in the UK}. If it works, Axe users will no longer have to
graduate to the opposition, Nivea Men, L‘Oréal Men Expert, or Gillette when they grow up.‖64
In 2011, Unilever planned to invest more in the market. For instance, in the UK, it planned to
invest about £8million to market the Dove Men+Care brand by launching new ad campaigns. To
further drive value into the premium male grooming category, Unilever planned to introduce two
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new shower variants, Aqua Impact and Sensitive Clean in the Dove men‘s range. According to the
company, the new products would help Dove in capturing a larger share of the men‘s grooming
market.
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However, the biggest question, according to industry analysts, was whether the Dove brand, which
was strongly associated with women, would click with men. Could Unilever deliver a big hit in the
competitive men‘s grooming sector building on the strength of the Dove‘s women‘s range of
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products, they wondered.

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61
―Gillette to Dove: ―Your Manly Soap is for Girls‖,‖ www.frictionmarketer.com, March 30, 2010.
62
Jack Neff, ―Male Call: Marketers Jump on Men‘s Grooming Trend,‖ http://beta.adage.com, March 8,
2010.
63
Colin Hession Consulting is a UK-based specialist consultancy focusing exclusively on Cosmetics &
Toiletries industry.
64
―Back to Men,‖ www.bwconfidential.com, October 14-27, 2010.
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 Dove’s Foray into Men Care: ‘Journey to Comfort’ or an Uncomfortable…

Exhibit I
Retail Value of Men‟s Grooming Market (2009)
(In millions of US Dollars)

2009 ±% Change Over 2008/09

Men‟s grooming 26633.0 5.1
Shaving 14084.7 4.1
Post-shave 1127.3 2.4
Pre-shave 2560.3 4.1
Razors & blades 10397 4.3

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Toiletries 12548.4 6.3
Bath & shower 1299.1 3.4
Deodorants 6564.7 7.6
Hair care 2894.2 4.0
Skincare
Source- Euromonitor International
CO 1790.4 7.4
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Exhibit II
Global Men‟s Grooming Brand Ranking (2009)
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Rank Brand Company

1 Gillette Procter & Gamble
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2 Axe/Lynx/Ego Unilever
3 Schick-Wilkinson Sword Energizer Holdings Inc.
4 Nivea Beiersdorf AG
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5 Rexona Unilever
6 Old Spice Procter & Gamble
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7 Bic Société BIC

8 Mennen Colgate-Palmolive Company.
9 L‘Oréal Paris L‘Oreal International
10 Gatsby Mandom Corporation
Source: Euromonitor

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 Dove’s Foray into Men Care: ‘Journey to Comfort’ or an Uncomfortable…

Exhibit III
Dove Men+ Care Range of Products

Category Variants
Body and Face Wash Clean Comfort
Deep Clean
Extra Fresh
Sensitive Clean
Body and Face Bars Deep Clean
Extra Fresh

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Shower Tool Active Clean Dual sided shower tool
Antiperspirant/ Deodorants Clean Comfort
Extra Fresh
Unscented

Deodorants
CO Clinical Protection
Clean Comfort
Extra Fresh
Energy Spice
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Source: http://content.dove.us/mencare/Products.aspx
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 Dove’s Foray into Men Care: ‘Journey to Comfort’ or an Uncomfortable…

Exhibit IV
Dove Men+Care Ads

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Sources: http://www.nysportsjournalism.com/doves-march-madness-magic-314/; http://popsop.com/32100;

http://www.wow.ie/tag/mens-fashion/; http://adagencyconfessional.blogspot.com/2010/03/is-doves-new-
mencare-line-really.html
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 Dove’s Foray into Men Care: ‘Journey to Comfort’ or an Uncomfortable…

Exhibit V

Screenshot of Dove Men+ Care website

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Source: http://content.dove.us/mencare/
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 Dove’s Foray into Men Care: ‘Journey to Comfort’ or an Uncomfortable…

Suggested Readings and References:

1. Thomas Haire, “Dove Believes in Magic,” www.responsemagazine.com, May 1, 2011.

2. “Bar Soaps Do More Than Cleanse,” http://findarticles.com, March 28, 2011.
3. Dan Butcher, “Unilever Breaks First iAd Campaign to Run on iPad,”
www.mobilemarketer.com, March 17, 2011.
4. “Dove Men+Care is Back on TV,” www.talkingretail.com, March 17, 2011.
5. “Men‟s Grooming Industry Growing,” http://chicago.cbslocal.com, January 3, 2011.
6. “Back to Men,” www.bwconfidential.com, October 14-27, 2010.
7. Marco Monfils, “Dove‟s Tail Caught in Tale - A live Theory Experience,”
www.consumergoodsclub.com, October 3, 2010.
8. “Dove for Father‟s Day,” www.talkingretail.com, June 1, 2010.

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9. “Case Study: Unilever‟s Dove Dives into Male Grooming,” www.emarketer.com, April
6, 2010.
10. “Gillette to Dove: “Your Manly Soap is for Girls‖,‖ www.frictionmarketer.com, March
30, 2010.
11.

12.
Jack Neff, “Male Call: Marketers
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http://beta.adage.com, March 8, 2010.
Jump on Men‟s Grooming

“Dove‟s Men+Care Feeling Pressure from Competitors,” http://marketingstylee.com,

March 1, 2010.
Trend,”

13. Elaine Wong, “Dove‟s SB Play Builds Buzz Among Men,” www.adweek.com ,
February 9, 2010
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14. Lorraine Kessler, “Dove for Men: From Line Extension to Line Extinction,”
www.innismaggiore.com, February 5, 2010.
Englewood Cliff, “2010 Dove Men+ Care “Manthem,” http://superbowlads.com,
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15.
February 1,2010.
16. David Taylor, “Dove‟s Biggest Stretch Yet: Men+Care?”
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http://wheresthesausage.typepad.com, January 21, 2010.

17. “Dove Men+Care,” www.thedieline.com, January 20, 2010.
18. Maisie McCabe, “Campaign for Real Men,” www.allbusiness.com, January 20, 2010.
“Dove Reveals its Masculine Side – Dove Men+Care,” www.talkingretail.com, January
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19.
15, 2010.
20. Unilever 2010 Annual Report.
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21. “Dove Brand for Men would Meet with Approval,” www.marketingweek.co.uk,
September 23, 2009.
22. John Noble, “Are Brands a Force for Good?” www.britishbrandsgroup.org.uk, 2004.
23. http://media.wiley.com/product_data/excerpt/14/04708621/0470862114.pdf
24. www.unilever.com/ourbrands/personalcare/dove.asp
25. http://content.dove.us/mencare/Products.aspx
26. www.nysportsjournalism.com/doves-march-madness-magic-314
27. http://popsop.com
28. www.wow.ie
29. http://adagencyconfessional.blogspot.com
30. www.dove.us
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