Dove (Unilever brand)

Dove logo

Dove is a personal care brand (including hair care products) owned by Unilever. Dove is primarily made from synthetic surfactants, as well as some vegetable oil based soap ingredients, such as sodium palm kernelate. These synthetic surfactants are what give Dove the leading mildness among cleansing bars. Dove is formulated to be pH neutral, with a pH that is usually between 6.5 and 7.5.

Dove products are manufactured in Hammond, Indiana, USA; Germany; Ireland; the Netherlands and Brazil. The Dove trademark and brand name is currently owned by Unilever. Dove's logo is a silhouette profile of a dove, the color of which often varies.

Dove's products include: antiperspirants/deodorants, body washes, beauty bars, lotions/moisturizers, hair care and facial care products.

The bar forms of Dove are currently produced in the cool moisture, exfoliating, sensitive skin unscented, nutrium nourishing, white, pink, calming night, pro-age, and energy glow versions.

In 2006, Dove started the Dove Self-Esteem Fund. The goal of the fund is to be "an agent of change to educate and inspire girls on a wider definition of beauty and to make them feel more confident about themselves." To this end, Dove have created a number of largely online-only short films, including Daughters (which also aired in a 75-second spot during the Super Bowl XL), Evolution (which went on to win two Cannes Lions Grand Prix awards), Onslaught, and Amy.

History of Dove Soap

1950s</ref> Dove contained a patented, mild cleansing ingredient, into the soap category. It was positioned - then and now - as a "beauty bar" with one-fourth cleansing cream that moisturizes skin while washing as opposed to the drying effect of regular soap. Advertisements reinforced the message by showing the cream being poured into the beauty bar. In 1979, the phrase "cleansing cream" was replaced with "moisturizer cream". In 1979, a Pennsylvania dermatologist showed that Dove dried and irritated skin significantly less than ordinary soaps, based on which Unilever started aggressive marketing and won more than 24% of the market by 2003.

Criticism

In 2007, In response to Dove's 'Campaign for Real Beauty', Jason Kottke claimed that "Dove's parent company (Unilever) makes all sorts of products that may contribute to the problem that Dove is attacking here."^[1] The campaign was widely criticized for perceived hypocrisy on Unilever's part.

Another criticism of Dove is that Unilever is notorious for conducting animal tests on their products.

There is also an open letter to Dove CEO Patrick Cescau by Greenpeace, stating Dove buys 1.3 million tonnes of palm oil every year from suppliers who contribute to deforestation in Indonesia. Greenpeace parodied Dove's advertisment 'Onslaught' with another advertisement titled 'Onslaught(er)'. The parody mimicked the advertisment, replacing images from Beauty Industry advertisements with images of the destruction in Indonesia.

External links

Official website
Unilever, parent company of Dove products
Dove's Self-Esteem Fund website
Good selection of past and present ads for Dove including Evolution, Onslaught, Amy and others
Greenpeace's Campaign Page

References

^ Kottke, Jason (2007-10-07). "Remember Dove's Evolution video of a fashion model". CBS News. Retrieved 2007-10-16. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)

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[1] Kottke, Jason (2007-10-07). "Remember Dove's Evolution video of a fashion model". CBS News. Retrieved 2007-10-16. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)

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