How is Dove’s “Real Beauty” like Geico’s Gecko?
We tend to think Dove’s campaign is a stellar example of purpose-driven marketing. But is it?
Yes, they’ve done amazing viral content on real beauty & self-esteem. (Including the recent one on beauty standards in AI-generated images.)
Yes, their cause has the highest awareness of any cause-related brand campaign out there (about 53%). (At least among young people, according to DoSomething.)
And yes, they’re one of only 11 CPG brands in the world with sustained growth over the past decade (according to Kantar.)
But is that tremendous growth really due to the cause? Maybe. But maybe not.
Because you can’t disentangle it from a couple other features of the campaign that look a lot like the Geico gecko campaign.
First, it’s incredibly DISTINCT.
With the real-looking women in white jog bras, it’s different, “ownable”, and instantly recognizable. Quite simply, you wouldn’t confuse it for any other skincare brand (or haircare brand, frankly) out there.
And that’s just like Geico’s gecko. No way you’re confusing that with Allstate.
And second, it’s been around FOREVER.
Dove has been crazy consistent in using that look & that simple design — for TWENTY YEARS. And they’ve spent well behind it: on digital, on social, out-of-home, in-store, and of course TV.
So just like Geico’s gecko, it’s been everywhere. (For the gecko it’s been 25 years!)
These two factors might matter as much as the “real beauty” part. Or more.
Because while 53% of young people connect Dove with real beauty, 47% don’t connect Dove with a cause. (I’m guessing the unaware number is actually higher in the whole population.) And even though Dove has great PR stunts and viral content, I’m pretty sure the massive bulk of Dove’s nearly 3 billion buyers has seen the white jog bra images a TON more than the viral stunts.
And one of the most basic principles of brand science is that fame is the most reliable path to growth. Do people know of you? Remember you exist? And can they pick you out on the shelf?
Dove does that stuff really really well.
So maybe Dove & Geico have a lot more in common than you’d think from all the buzz.
#advertising #brandpurpose #causemarketing #brandscience