: Evolution of a Brand

Unilever was formed in 1930 when the U.K.-based Lever Brothers combined with the

Dutch Margarine Unie, a logical merger given that both companies depended on palm oil,

one for soaps and the other for edible oil products. In 1957, brand Dove launched in market

with the first product called a beauty bar that claimed would not dry out your skin the way

soap did, because it was not technically soap at all. In 1970, the popularity increased as a

milder soap. In 1980, started its global rollout. Dove opened up to markets in 55 countries by

1994, and sold in 80 countries in 1996. Extension of Dove’s range of products happened in

1995 – 2001. Deploying campaign for real beauty in 2002, and self-esteem campaign in

2005.

A brand is a name, term, sign, symbol, design, or some combination of these

elements, intended to identify the goods and services of one seller or group of sellers and to

differentiate them from those of competitors. Brands are valuable intangible assets that offer

a number of benefits to customers and firms and need to be managed carefully. The key to

branding is that consumers perceive differences among brands in a product category. Brand

equity should be defined in terms of marketing effects uniquely attributable to a brand. That

is, different outcomes result in the marketing of a product or service because of its brand,

compared to the results if that same product or service was not identified by that brand.

Building brand equity depends on three main factors : The initial choices for the brand

elements or identities making up the brand; the way the brand is integrated into the

supporting marketing program; and the associations indirectly transferred to the brand by

links to some other entity (the company, country of origin, channel of distribution, or another

brand).

Dove like other brand, had identity. On feature dove claim that moisturizing bar not a

soap. On attributes, Dove were exfoliate, unscented, and calming. Moreover, Dove had

different colors like white, pink, light green. On benefits, Dove gave milder effect on skin,

and reliable for daily use in the long run. On performance, Dove Gave high level of

satisfaction for users with dry skin. Beside identity, Dove also had brand personality. The

name of the brand, the logo, and even to the tagline as well as the products, everything about

it was simple and feminine. Furthermore, Dove also had self-acceptance and confidence

personality that highlights the commitment to breaking down stereotypes and enabling

women to celebrate real inner beauty and beauty at every age. Logo of dove was a p erfect

representation of softness, gentleness, sophistication. The image of dove or pie ce pigeon sy

mbolize the purity and softness of a dove in its products. The logo also present honor and

memory of “serve the navy”.

A branding strategy identifies which brand elements a firm chooses to apply across

the various products it sells. In a brand extension, a firm uses an established brand name to

introduce a new product. Potential extensions must be judged by how effectively they

leverage existing brand equity to a new product, as well as how effectively they contribute to

the equity of the parent brand in turn. Brands may expand coverage, provide protection,

extend an image, or fulfill a variety of other roles for the firm. Each brand-name product must

have a welldefined

positioning to maximize coverage, minimize overlap, and thus optimize the portfolio. Brand

Dove positioning the product for everyday women all over the world, who want to keep their

bodies clean and soft. Besides that, dove’s personal care products provide a genuinely

different feel to their skin and hair. Unlike other beauty brands, dove aspires to help all

woman achieve natural-looking beauty as demonstrated by over 50 years of successful

products and their functional benefits. Developing a positioning requires the determination of

a frame of reference by identifying the target market and the resulting nature of the

competition and the optimal points-of-parity and points-of-difference brand associations.

Dove had evolve the brand strategy. Back then, Dove were: world’s largest producer

but lacked a unified global identity, brands managed in decentralized fashion, years of slow

performance, lack of sound corporate strategy, numerous low-volume brands, small global

presence compared to competition, mediocre performance in emerging markets. Now, Dove

strategy are: reduce portfolio to 400 core brands, path to growth initiative (separate brand

building and brand development function), concentrate on product innovation to fuel internal

growth, an initiative to create an umbrella brand across all unilever’s brands. Unilever didn’t

spent a lot of time promoting its corporate brand to the general market. The brands under it

have different target markets, and this diversification, or segmentation, was the bedrock of

marketing. Thus, dove is able to clearly focus on its target markets.

The key to competitive advantage is relevant brand differentiation, consumers must

find something unique and meaningful about a market offering. These differences may be

based directly on the product or service itself or on other considerations related to factors

such as employees, channels, image, or services. This due to Emotional branding is becoming

an important way to connect with customers and create differentiation from competitors. One

of Dove problem was it had lost control of campaign, because the message overpowers the

brands.

The solution is to make real women real beauty campaign to focus on ho w dove products

help women achieve beauty. Campaign for Real Beauty (CFRB) had message that real beauty

could only be found on the inside and every woman deserves to feel beautiful. And with the

image that real beauty was portrayed by women who didn’t have runway model, result a

dialog between Dove and its consumer about the definition of beauty.

From dove user feedback, I think mildness is the key. Firstly, Consumer were very

happy with the product, and above all there was loyalty attached to the product. Secondly,

even though there were no major aspirational values attached to the product, company was

able to differentiate very well from other “hard-on-skin” soaps. Thirdly, brand had been able

establish itself in all age groups. Lastly, a small number of users do feel that real beauty

campaign is just a marketing gimmick.

To develop an effective positioning, a company must study competitors as well as

actual and potential customers. Marketers need to identify competitors’ strategies, objectives,

strengths, and weaknesses. Dove campaign strengths: unconventional strategy, effective

advertising, free publicity, continuously evolving the campaign, strong emotional touch,

cross-selling possibilities. The weakness: contradictory in nature, objectification on women.

The Opportunities: target male customers, maintain better standards of quality, unified

advertising throughout the globe, continuous innovation. The threats: risk of being a brand

for fat girls or old ladies, copy by competitors, undermining the aspiration of consumers, risk

of exposure in social media.