Revised - Dove integrated marketing and communication

Hypothesis

Performance aspects of Dove may vary, but the resonance creates pull marketing which will withstand variation in integrated marketing aspects of product, price and place if it is driven by the integrated marketing communication aspect of promotion particularly messaging its intangible resonance and cause marketing.

Dove's brand is driven by resonance for non-heteronormative beauty.
 

Introduction

Dove (its Beauty Bar) has strong intangible resonance through association with inner beauty for diverse women. This is recompounded (strengthened) by development of a sense of self-worth, through the tangible performance aspect (see Keller equity model download) of personal care, but mainly by association with the brand as a basis for personal identity (its unique value proposition, UVP). Differences in product, price and place are accepted by consumers through resonance and promotion that are credible and authentic.

Download equity model reference guide

(Keller brand equity model - Google downloadable document)

Acronyms and terms

4Ps – product, price, place and promotion

Heteronormative – stereotypical beauty defined by the male gaze
IM – a combination of activities guided by the 4Ps

IMC – integrated marketing communication guided by the 4Ps and IM

Marketing mix – product, price, place and promotion

ROI – return on investment in advertising, over and above (or below) the initial amount

UVP – unique value proposition

Dove’s unique value proposition and its market

Dove’s primary market is women who defy stereotypical beauty. They are old, young, have different skin tones and textures and range from extremely thin to pre-obese. Stereotypical beauty has been culturally positioned as desirable. This created a sense of exclusion for those who don’t adhere to the stereotypical beauty standards. Dove has taken the opposing path with cause marketing and uses archetypes that foster inclusiveness through inner beauty not superficial beauty. This is the basis for its resonance and brand cohesion.

Dove’s unique value proposition is that it recognises the inner beauty of women, and not their outward appearance. Its unique value is not dependent on its ingredients as there are other products which perform the same role (see Products, below).

A Dove cartoon promoting body positivity for young girls.

Above-the-line advertising is not pervasive for Dove across all its markets and territories, and the cost can reduce the ROI. As a result, Dove uses social media. In addition to IM that links to various aspects of Dove, it supports non-heteronormative and body positive initiatives, as a means of developing brand cohesion. Social media initiatives such as ‘Real Beauty’, and body positivity for young girls give credibility and authenticity to Dove, forming the basis of strong brand cohesion.

With the exception of Pinterest which it uses for the tangible product aspects of its brand, Dove uses a selection of social media channels to promote its intangible UVP and prove the credibility and authenticity of its resonance. Its channel section consists of a standard spread of social media, which includes Pinterest and asymmetrical use of Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

These are supported by video hosting on Youtube and a central positioning platform in the form of its website.

The platforms are also used in IM and IMC, with the exception of price and place.

4P marketing mix and integrated marketing communication

Product

There are different types of bars of Dove soap. The core of the product is a soap bar constituted of soap and moisturizer. Additional ingredients include items such as Shea Butter and Cucumber. Different ingredients indicates that the core product performance aspect is a generic soap with moisturizer. However, there are various products with similar properties, so Dove will be supported by a UVP which is mainly made up of intangible brand resonance.

Dove product advertising from its Pinterest board.

Product in IMC

Dove uses a highly planned Pinterest board to display its range of products and their performance, but it doesn’t focus on intangible resonance.

Price

Dove’s price is generally inelastic, even though it is a premium bar, showing that it will be in demand even if prices differ from seller to seller. This shows that the consumer is loyally accommodating of the premium price although other soaps are available with the same moisturizing properties at similar prices. This shows a strong intangible UVP.

Price in IMC

Price does not feature in social media. It is unplanned and dependent on a) price to the retailer and b) the retailer’s price to the consumer. Retailers communicate consumer price.

Place

As a global brand, Dove does not detail its points of sale, but relies on in store display (planned communication where it formally merchandises product) and unplanned retailer communication. This indicates that Dove is not reliant on push marketing but uses its brand resonance to create pull marketing.

Place in IMC
Place does not feature in Dove’s IMC.

Promotion 

The Product-Price-Place aspects of the 4P marketing mix point to promotion of non-tangible resonance and a strong UVP as the key consumer demand driver for Dove soap. This UVP is driven by judgements and imagery in the Keller brand equity model. As mentioned above, imagery consists of non-heteronormative beauty which is experienced by the consumer by adoption of the brand. Judgements consists of a sense of inclusion in a sisterhood of natural beauty which is excluded from groups based on heteronormative standards.

Dove inclusiveness for non-heteronormative standards grows its markets through recognition of diversity. Although the image is unbranded, the association comes from secondary branding on the social media channel.

Above-the-line is expensive and fleeting, compounded by costs in multiple territories. ROI will be limited as Dove soap is not a daily purchase.

Dove supports personal identity formation in diverse markets.

Consumers often adopt the values of a brand to establish personal identities, and this is fostered by social media association and sharing. Dove uses this to build authenticity and credibility through cost-effective cause marketing (6).

Consumers often adopt the values of a brand to establish personal identities, and this is fostered by social media association and sharing. Dove uses this to build authenticity and credibility through cost-effective cause marketing.

Promotion in IMC

Dove uses social media, including Pinterest (above). Its messaging is asymmetric, changed for each platform, rewarding its audience with differing content promoting the same imagery and judgements in different ways.

Its Youtube channel hosts videos to which it can link on multiple platforms and also hosts cartoons which assist children to navigate bullying and social pressures. It uses Facebook to promote its activism, also allowing criticism of the brand in keeping with learning and dialogue through consumer engagement. The platform spans multiple territories and languages. Its Instagram account features non-heteronormative influencers, unbranded motivational posts which feed into its cause marketing and some products. Its Twitter account is currently occupied by its support to Covid-19 relief, but also has the component of non-heteronormative cause marketing.

Dove uses a central website (11) which states its brand and messages in a permanent manner. This is useful as social media is fleeting. The site does not have an email marketing component.

Conclusion

The marketing mix of product, price, place and promotion, indicate that variance in product, price and place, may withstand significant degrees of variance, provided that the aspect of promotion is continuously communicated in a manner that fosters its UVP resonance and that the brand cohesion is credible and authentic to the consumer.
Reference
Google documents: 
Keller brand equity model for Dove