Exhibit 12.8 The Real Beauty campaign imbues Dove with social
values, concerns and thoughts pertaining to the notion of beauty.
Advertising builds and strengthens
the relationship between the consumer and the brand, thus increasing her
involvement with the brand. It imbues the brand with the interests, concerns,
feelings and values that viewers cherish.
Dove is an example of a brand that historically seeks to build relationships with women
(see Exhibit 12.8). Its testimonials
of “real women” in the 1970s focussed on concerns and interest. When it was
launched as a shampoo in 2000, a series of commercials depicted
testimonials from different women (e.g., arts undergraduate, business student,
buyer, professional dancer), touching upon a range of hair concerns.
Subsequently from 2003 onwards, Dove’s emphasis shifted towards
depicting beauty without artifice, or “real beauty”, as the brand management team
called it. What followed were a series of campaigns such as
Evolution (2006),
Onslaught (2007),
Pro-age (2007),
Girls under Pressure (2008)
and Self Esteem (2011,
2017,
2020).
By drawing attention to social values and deep-rooted concerns on beauty, these
campaigns imbue Dove with the same values, thoughts and feelings thus increasing
consumers’ interest and involvement with the brand.
