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Transcript of Dove Men, Eckert
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Branding Strategies in Consumer Goods Elective Course for MIB-‐‑CEMS Prof. Jan-‐‑Philipp Buechler
Dove Men+Care Simon Eckert
Paris, 19-‐‑Nov-‐‑12
Dove Men+Care
„Our vision is to extend the Dove brand promise and expertise of superior care to men [...]
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+Care range is set to fill.“
Paul Connell, Brand Manager, Unilever UK
1 The global male grooming market
Product categories like men’s facial skin care and grooming tools – electric shavers, trimmers
and home hair clippers are said to be amongst the largest growth drivers in the personal care
industry, boasting an overall sales growth of 12 per cent up from 9 per cent in the last twelve
month alone. Hair care products are also gaining popularity as leading marketers such as
P&G, and Unilever begin to offer a plethora of hair care products across relevant categories.
Multi-functional and technologically advanced products are also doing well due to the
convenience of having a number of benefits in one product while the use of natural
ingredients is another rising trend, especially those with fewer natural ingredients, but higher
efficacy. According to a market researcher at Kline, men are increasingly using skin care
products such as anti-aging creams, eye creams, energy-boosting serums, tinted moisturizers,
blemish balms, and hand and body lotions as a part of their everyday routine. The segment’s
growth is due to a wider range of consumers opening up to and becoming comfortable with
the idea of male grooming, technologically advanced products, innovative packaging, and
clever marketing strategies targeting consumers exclusively.
According to Kline & Company, sales of men’s cosmetics and toiletries in the U.S. could hit
US$ 3.2 billion by 2016, up from an estimated US$2.6 billion this year and US$ 2.2 billion in
2006. As far as the European market is concerned, sales of skincare products have boomed
from 289 million euros in 2005 to 420 million euros in 2010 in the continent’s five biggest
markets - France, Germany, Italy, Spain and UK - according to Mintel. The surge in sales is
also affecting new markets. With an expected sales volume of nearly RMB 10 Billion (~ USD
1,6 bn) by 2014 – which signifies and increase of more than 20% – especially the Chinese
sector stands out in the male grooming industry. According to a study by RNCOS male
consumers in China are ready to spend more on cosmetics products due to the rising
affluence, increased product knowledge and exposure, and desire for better lifestyle.
3
Currently, the hair care segment is dominating the market, however, with the introduction of
innovative products, the skin care section is to see rapid growth in the future. Going forward,
it seems immanent that manufacturers ensure they are marketing their products the right way
in order to get the most out of the market’s potential if the sector is to continue to do well
(Yeomans, 2012). Although in Figure 1-1 a growth trend can be seen already, the male
grooming segment bears significant further potential to be exploited. Saatchi & Saatchi
strategy director Huntington points out that marketers are still far more informed about
women’s industry and their needs, while not even having scratched the surface when it comes
to men (MaryLou Costa, 2010).
Figure 1-1: Euromonitor Beauty and Personal Care (2012): growth in male grooming market
Promotions seem to be a popular (and logical) approach of targeting men, particularly with
product launches, as the men’s skin care industry is currently more ‘elastic’ than the female
equivalent. Unilever used this approach when they introduced the Dove Men+ skincare range
in January 2010; they had 34 offers on the range between its launch and June that year
(Ankutse, 2011).
15000
20000
25000
30000
35000
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011
Global Retail Value in mio $
4
Figure 1-2 and Figure 1-3: Euromonitor 2011.
While Procter & Gamble is clear market leader with Gilette in the male grooming industry,
men's toiletries are set to overtake sales by 2014. The shaving category's slowdown can be
attributed to the "three-day beard" trend, causing men to shave less often. Growth in men's
toiletries is due in part to skin care, the most dynamic category in men's grooming.
Deodorants are also boosting revenues, with innovations such as additional moisturizing
properties, as well as an increasing alignment with fragrances both driving sales (Ibid.).
2 Dove’s growth strategy
Dove a flagship brand of the Unilever company had its origins in the US during the post-
World War II era. Dove introduced its first product a beauty bar in 1957, which claimed not to
make the skin dry as soaps did. Ogilvy and Mather created the advertising campaign for the
product launch. The message was “Dove does not dry your skin because it is one-quarters
cleansing cream”. Dove soon went on to become a popular brand icon in the US. As the brand
grew, there were minor changes in the message with ‘cleansing cream’ being replaced with
‘moisturizing cream’. But the overarching theme was still that it did not dry skin for over 40
years. During the 1980s, Dove became the leading brand of cleansing through endorsements
from dermatologists and physicians. Throughout the 1990s, Dove extend its product line by
introducing body wash products, a Sensitive Skin Bar, Facial Care Cleanser, etc. The brand
was growing at a rate of 20% annually in 1999, expanding geographically and depending on
its functional benefits to gain market share.
33,3
12,8 5,8 5,6
3,5
39,0
Global Company Market Share Male Grooming in %
Procter & Gamble Co
Unilever Group
Energizer Holdings Inc
Beiersdorf AG
L'Oréal Group
Other
30,4
5,4
1,7
0,4
62,1
Global Brand Market Share Male Grooming in %
Gillette
Nivea
L'Oréal Paris
Dove
Other
5
In 2000, when Unilever embarked on its “Path of Growth” strategy, Dove was chosen as a
Masterbrand and in succession became an umbrella brand and a wide variety of products
(deodorants, hair care products, facial cleansers, body lotions and hair styling products) were
brought under its wings. Only a few of these product categories were performing well, which
is why the company decided to search for a new brand message. The process lead to “The
Campaign for Real Beauty” (CFRB), which was to be the new brand message. The campaign
entailed the launch of new products over the next years, such as Dove Intensive Firming range
and the Dove pro-age range for women aged above 45. Dove growth strategy was firstly to
build a strong identity, which goes far beyond the functional, i.e. hydration, and places the
woman at the heart of the brand. Secondly, it build an emotional relationship with the
consumers by persuading them to be less self-conscious about their bodies. By 2010, Dove
was the world’s number one cleansing brand with sales over €2.5 billion year across 80
countries. The brand was one of the company’s strongest performers and taking advantage of
this stable situation, Unilever was pursuing further growth of the brand through the launch of
Men+Care product in the male grooming market in 2009. It was Unilever’s biggest brand
launch that year. The company hoped to take advantage of the growing men’s personal-care
market, currently dominated by Axe and Old Spice.
3 Entry strategies
3.1 Unilever – Dove Men+Care
In 2009, Unilever launched Dove Men+Care range of products in Europe, a first of its kind in
the male grooming market. Although Dove was the world’s number one cleansing brand with
sales of over €2.5 ($3.4) billion a year across 80 countries, the brand was considered a
feminine brand and had strong associations with beauty. The Dove Men+Care range claimed
to bring greater skin comfort and care without compromising on performance and targeted
men over 35 years in order to complement Unilever’s other male brand Axe which was
targeted at a younger audience. Dove’s vision was to extend the brand promise and expertise
of superior care to men across deodorants and shower, the two fastest-growing sectors in male
toiletries at the time. According to Paul Connel, Brand Manager at Unilever UK, before the
introduction of Dove Men+Care men were forced to accept discomfort and irritation as a
necessary compromise for performance. Dove saw a real category opportunity and decided to
develop a range of products which were formulated with male specific requirements in mind
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and include a body and face wash that fights dryness, and an antiperspirant deodorant that
offers 24 hour protection and skin caring action. Dove Men+Care also includes a range of
deodorants that are tough on sweat, but not on skin. Over half of Men think antiperspirant
deodorants dry their skin and 50% of men claim to experience underarm irritation from using
deodorant, which is why the Dove Men+Care Antiperspirant Deodorants feature the ¼
moisturizer technology for which Dove is already well known. The packaging was in keeping
with the familiar Dove family of products, but with a masculine design and color scheme.
With a background of strong grey, each product had bright color coding so that shoppers
could clearly see which variant they were choosing, giving the range great standout on shelf
(“Dove reveals its masculine side - Dove Men+Care,” 2010).
3.2 Beiersdorf – Nivea for men
The Nivea brand always stood for good quality products that are reliable and easy to use. The
brand’s main values are security, trust, closeness and credibility. When launching Nivea for
Men internationally in 1986, the company intended to lever these main values and expand on
them. Initially, Nivea for Men was very popular among the male target group as their products
belonged to the few that did not contain skin-irritating alcohol. While the brand started out
with traditional marketing tools such as ads in fashion magazines, TV commercials and
product sampling, in the 2000s it put a stronger emphasis on consumer needs through an
increased use of two way communication in the promotional mix, which helped building an
emotional connection between the Nivea for Men and its consumers. One of those measures
to build a tighter bond with men, was sponsoring. Nivea for Men is the official sponsor for the
English football team and it sponsors various events all over the world, such as the AVP Tour
(volleyball), rugby and motorsports (BHARTI et al., 2010).
3.3 L’Oréal
L’Oréal Men Expert has deployed outstanding marketing expertise. By cleverly
acknowledging the expert in all men and then aligning us with Patrick Demsey, Gerrard
Butler, Eric Cantona and Hugh Laurie, L’Oréal Men Expert has appealed to all men and more
importantly it understands what goes on in a man’s mind. Compared to its competitors,
L’Oréal stays true to its appeal as fashion brand and is consistent in its communication
through endorsements from masculine Hollywood stars and celebrities.
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3.4 Procter & Gamble – Gillette and Old Spice
P&G has been highlighting the masculinity of its men's brands, Old Spice and Gillette, amid
the high-profile entry of Dove Men+Care. Ads from Wieden & Kennedy, Portland, Ore., urge
women to get their men to stop using "lady-scented body wash" in favor of Old Spice. An ad
for Gillette's body wash, with a fairly obvious proxy for the new Dove product in the shower,
pointedly says, "Just because it says it's for men doesn't mean it is." Procter & Gamble’s
approach is to avoid explicitly stating that the brand was developed for men and instead tries
to build a brand which is grounded in men. While Gillette is the unchallenged leader with a
70%-plus market share in razors and blades, it has difficulties translating that success into
leadership in any other men’s category. In order to leverage the masculine image and
popularity of the brand, P&G is trying to increase Gillette’s product portfolio with brand
extensions around the entire shaving process, which is still the elemental grooming event for
men. Therefore it introduced the Gillette Fusion ProGlide razor system, which includes a
heating face scrub and moisturizing aftershave with sunscreen protection.
4 Brand extension
Brand extension refers to the corporate activity whereby companies introduce new products,
new product variants and product improvements in an existing product category or create an
entirely new product category by leveraging the brand equity of the existing parent brand.
Former is the case if new products are launched with an existing brand name, such as a Dove
shower gel, which is a new product (Dove started out as a soap) in the same category and with
the same brand name. Brand extensions into completely different product categories are not
very common in the FCMG industry, however, in other industries they can be feasible, eg:
Porsche, which extended a very successful sports car brand to design products, such as
sunglasses, watches or smartphones. Most companies are already exploiting their possibilities
when it comes to brand extensions in terms of product variations, nevertheless sometimes the
market allows the development of a new product category or a segment. However, each
extension of a brand bears the risk of leaving the brand’s core competency and entering a
hazardous zone of brand extensions, which could lead to a dilution of the brand and therefore
negative repercussion on the brand equity (Kapferer, 2004). In order to analyze the potential
of a brand extension several steps are necessary, which are illustrated in Figure 4-1.
8
Figure 4-1: Esch 2005, p. 313.
First of all it depends on the strength of a brand to what extent it can be expanded. It is not
feasible to extend a weak brand that is little recognized. Instead one should establish and
improve the strength of a brand before brand extensions can lead to sustainable growth in
market share or sales. Secondly, possible product categories that could profit from a brand
extension have to be identified considering potential market opportunities as well as
capabilities within the company. The fit between the new product category and the brand is
essential and reasons for a good fit should be explicitly communicated, in order to leverage
them later on when implementing the brand extension. Since Dove basically stays in the same
product category, a good fit between product category and brand is given. Although Dove is a
very strong brand it’s marked feminine characteristics can pose a hurdle for an extension to
Dove’s Men+Care product line. Thirdly, the internal company framework and external market
environment in which the new product category is launched has to be analyzed. Market
barriers, intense competition, lack of technical know-how and shortcomings in human or
financial resources pose possible difficulties for a market entry that have to be considered
beforehand. A company has to decide if it wants to make or buy: In Dove’s case the company
is producing making it’s on products for the male grooming market, since it can leverage is
9
extensive knowledge on personal care products. Fourthly, the brand extension has to be
positioned in the market and is to be communicated through all means possible, from product
design to advertising in all channels. One of the main advantages of a brand extension is the
increased presence in the market and hopefully in consumer’s minds, but this fact also bears
some risks: The degree of adjustment to a new product category is crucial to the success of the
brand extension and the acceptance of the brand in its category, while it also has
consequences for the umbrella brand. If the degree of customization to the new category is too
high, it can dilute the brand image and therefore weaken the entire brand. It is therefore
important to keep the brand identity in mind throughout the entire process of launching a
brand extension (Esch, 2006).
5 Dove Men+Care strategy
5.1 Opportunities
Creating a sub brand such as Men+Care allows Dove to cater specifically to men’s needs and
add new, more masculine associations through differentiation. Additionally, a sub brand
signals the recentness of the product line and draws a clear line between pure Dove products
and Men+Care products, which reduces the risk of a negative image spillover (Aaker &
Joachimsthaler, 2000). Consumers trust Dove and appreciate the values and quality it
represents, which can prove beneficial for the success of Men+Care. Since many potential
consumers are already aware of the brand, they also tend to buy a product which seems
familiar as it reduces the time necessary to search for an appropriate product. The probability
of consumers buying a the product of a brand they are familiar with is higher, than trying out
a completely new brand. What is more, not only the acceptance among distributers is higher
for an extended brand, it also improves Dove’s shelve presence and is therefore more visible
to the customer. Possible synergy effects and economies of scale in marketing activities
present another advantage of brand extension over the introduction of a new brand. Since the
sub brand builds on certain Dove values, the construction of a completely new brand identity
can be avoided which leads to significant savings in time and costs.
5.2 Risks
Generally speaking, there are three main reasons which can lead to a lack of acceptance of a
brand extension: First, if the knowledge and awareness about the umbrella brand among the
10
consumer is not extensive enough, the brand can not be leveraged in order to gain acceptance
of a brand extension. A second potential source of possible risks is that the brand image of the
extension does either not fit well to the image of the new product category or is just not
relevant. Third, managers might misjudge potential synergies and economies of scale of
marketing activities and consequently cause a promotional and advertising deficit. If for one
or more of the above mentioned reasons the launch of a brand extension turns out to be a
failure, not only has it a negative result for the new product line or category, it might also
damage the image of the umbrella brand. The greatest challenge for Unilever is to keep up the
balance between the feminine Dove umbrella brand and the masculine Men+Care sub brand.
5.3 A success story
Given that Dove has historically been a family brand, it is crucial to consider family values
when extending the dove brand. Dove has made women less self-conscious. Will the
Men+Care brand have the same success with regard to men? The film for its launch (released
in the U.S. during the Super Bowl – and which was ranked 11th with 76% positive opinions)
features a man who has surmounted all the difficulties of his life, from birth to his first child –
in a humorous tone. The brand then steps in to tell him that now he has found himself – in
essence, that he is feeling confident about himself – and that should also feel comfortable in
his skin. “Now that you are comfortable with who you are, is not it time for a comfortable
skin?”. Dove Men+Care empowers men, telling them they are up to life’s challenges. This
message is important and is the exact counterpart of the one concerning women’s beauty: In
both cases we have a message deeply rooted in a social reality. Dove doesn’t say “Be a man”
(which is the common message used by beauty brands for men) – but in conveys empathy and
well-being with who you are, which is consistent with the Dove brand identity.
Dove shook up the market for male personal-care products through innovative products and
stepping outside of the paradigm it had constructed for itself as a women’s brand. Moreover,
Unilever was well aware of the evolution of the male customer and the male grooming
segment. The market for men’s products had been (and still is) rapidly expanding, and the
idea of a product designed to ‘take care’ of men and feeling good about oneself was much
more accepted than it would have been 20 years ago. All in all, Dove’s Men+Care product
line is very consistent in packaging, communication, design and functionality. For instance
Dove’s well-packaged shower scrub gives men a means to literally connect with Dove’s
signature body wash product, while at the same time further differentiating it from Dove’s
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traditional female-skewed brand. Not only does it have practical application, but the
masculine color palette and package design maximizes its appeal to their target customers. It
is important to understand that for every successful brand extension, there are many more that
fail. Dove Men+Care played its cards just right and is therefore rightfully reaping its rewards.
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6 Bibliography
Aaker, D. A., & Joachimsthaler, E. (2000). Brand leadership (p. XII, 351 S.). New York, NY: Free Press.
Ankutse, E. (2011). Industry report: Male Grooming 2011. Ape to Gentleman. Retrieved November 13, 2012, from http://www.apetogentleman.com/brands/industry-report-male-grooming-2011/#fn-6872-4
BHARTI, V., SINGH, V. K., YADAV, V., SINGH, V. K., RANJAN, V., & RAI, V. (2010). Nivea for Men. London.
Dove reveals its masculine side - Dove Men+Care. (2010).Talking Retail. Retrieved November 13, 2012, from http://www.talkingretail.com/products/product-news/dove-reveals-its-masculine-side-dove-mencare
Esch, F.-R. (2006). Wachstum mit Marken: Marken dehnen und Allianzen bilden. Marketing Review St. Gallen, 23(3), 11–15.
Kapferer, J.-N. (2004). The New Strategic Brand Management: Creating and Sustaining Brand Equity Long Term (5th ed.). London: Kogan Page.
MaryLou Costa. (2010). What men want from a brand relationship. Marketing Week. Retrieved November 12, 2012, from http://www.marketingweek.co.uk/analysis/cover-stories/what-men-want-from-a-brand-relationship/3018175.article
Yeomans, M. (2012). The rise of the male grooming sector. Cosmetics Design Asia. Retrieved November 12, 2012, from http://www.cosmeticsdesign-asia.com/Market-Trends/The-rise-of-the-male-grooming-sector