The business story behind Dove's Evolution Video

               
 

It is fast becoming one of the most watched videos on the Internet. For  Dove,all those eyeballs will translate into increased sales. In the two years since Dove decided to brand itself as the beauty company that celebrates real beauty that strategy has rewarded the company with double digit sales increases.

 

A year ago, Strategy Magazine looked at Dove's strategy to transform itself from marketer to social activist.

"[Women] are really connected to the brand, and in a way that it's not just 'I like their message'; they're starting to see now that we're really doing things that are working toward social change." That strategy is key to the brand's success. "The way we see it is that people buy brands first. They access a brand through products," she adds.

And sales prove it: "We've experienced strong double-digit growth in every new category that we're in," says Mark Wakefield, marketing director. Brand recognition is also strong. During its brand tracking, consumers were asked if they recognized the Dove blue bird logo. "Ninety percent of people recognized it," he says. "Just slightly behind the Nike swoosh."

Moving forward, the plan is to continue focusing on the successful formula.

As part of its marketing, Dove is providing financial support to organizations that help "foster a broader definition of beauty."