Can Dove keep it real?

Unilever's Dove ad campaigns appear in web, TV, print, and even theater to hammer home their  "real" brand positioning for Pro-Age and other Dove skin care products. This foots with Uniliver's core belief that brands must create meaning. Because "if there is no meaning then it won't be important and we will ultimately piss away our marketing dollars. Life is about ROI," stated Geoff Craig, Unilever's vice-president and general manager, brand building (in December's Marketing magazine).

Case in point: in Toronto the Dove ad team has commissioned a play called "Body and Soul" to spread a message that there is beauty in aging. The play's cast features a dozen women that were selected from 2000 interested women.  These are everyday people, not professional actresses. 

Does a brand within a big division of an enormous multinational have a legitimate claim to "real"?  Sure, but this sets a high bar with consumers. The Dove brand positioning clearly differentiates its skin care products from the crass marketing of some anti-aging skin care products, yet to consumers "real" translates into everything from demonstrating efficacy and safety, to maintaining high corporate ethics and offering significant transparency.  This is hard for Dove to get around given that consumers are one click away from resources like the Skin Deep database, which sheds light on the potential adverse effects of ingredients in products. Here the report on the Dove Pro-age night cream suggest numerous challenges to "real".

Marketing guru Philip Kotler states in "According to Kotler", successful new brands address the neglected needs of a section of the population. In the anti-aging skin care market consumers want--and increasingly, demand-- authenticity, which is a key rationale to Dove's marketing efforts. At RealSelf.com being real isn't a marketing stance.  We're passionate and completely dedicated to uncovering what's real, and what's worth it.  Based on the conversation taking place on RealSelf.com and testimonials we receive it feels like we're on the right path.