After Focusing on “Real Women,” Now “Real Men”? Dove’s “Men+Care” Campaign

In the Dove case study (Deighton, 2008), we learned why its “Campaign for Real Beauty” became arguably one of the most talked-about and successful integrated marketing campaigns in the last decade. Not only did it break new ground (such as by posting ads directly to YouTube, rather than through traditional channels), but it also generated debate about the harmful impact of beauty standards on women. To that end, its campaigns featured “real” women rather than models, and encouraged women to celebrate their natural beauty. Whether or not you agreed with Dove’s strategy, the brand nonetheless took a stand by trying to change beauty norms for women rather than perpetuating them. Now the question is: Can Dove achieve the same effect on portrayals of masculinity with its “Dove Men+Care” campaign?

In early January, Dove rolled out its “Real Heroes Care” ad. With a voiceover saying “Meet the real heroes,” the ad features “ordinary guys”: a man in a wheelchair with his friend; a dad dancing with his daughters in front of a mirror; a group of men shaving their heads in solidarity with young cancer patients. The ad concludes by stating: “The strongest men are those who care.”

Clearly, Dove’s ad is trying to alter depictions of what makes a “real man,” at least in Western society (Krashinsky, 2016). Rather than portraying men in macho, traditional roles, the ad emphasizes their caring, nurturing sides, and their capacity to give back to their communities. While to be sure there is no shortage of misogynistic, hyper-masculine ads today, Dove’s strategy is to go against the grain, positioning itself as a brand that shows real men are more than just macho individuals.

Moreover, Dove is not alone: Other companies are also trying to offer more mature, thoughtful depictions of masculinity. In India, Proctor & Gamble Co.’s Ariel laundry detergent featured an ad in which a father writes a heartfelt letter to his adult daughter. In the letter, he admits he admires her for working and managing a household full-time; moreover, he regrets not setting a better example as a father by helping out more at home (although he resolves to do so more in the future). (The video became viral when it was shared on Facebook by Sheryl Sandberg, author of Lean In and an advocate for gender equality in the home as well as a work.) In another ad for Tide, the video shows a Dallas Cowboys football player doing the laundry at home.

In many ways, the growing popularity of such ads speaks to the rise of “new fathers,” especially in U.S. society. According to the Pew Research Center, only 41 percent of Americans today believe that being a breadwinner should be a father’s sole responsibility; in contrast, 58 percent believed that fathers should primarily teach values and morals to their children (Taylor et al, 2013). In other words, more Americans believe that fathers are just as responsible as mothers for the rearing and nurturing of their children.

In light of such trends, what do you make of Dove’s latest attempt (and that of other popular brands) to spark yet another conversation about problematic social norms—in this case, about standards of masculinity? Do you think such campaigns can be authentic, or are they just a marketing ploy? After all, let’s not forget that Dove is owned by Unilever, a conglomerate which also owns Axe—a brand that is notorious for its obnoxious, misogynistic ads. (Although apparently it has tried to reverse that image with its more recent campaign.) Do you think brands like Dove should have the responsibility to initiate conversations about social norms?

Sources 

Deighton, J. (2008). Dove: Evolution of a brand. HBS No. 9-508-047. Boston, MA: Harvard Business School Publishing.

Krashinsky, S. (2016). Advertisers (finally) depicting a broader view of masculinity. The Globe and Mail. Retrieved from http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/industry-news/marketing/advertisers-finally-depicting-broader-view-masculinity/article28920922/.

Nudd, T. (2016, January 14). Ad of the day: Axe gets inclusive in a remarkable ad that’s really pretty magical. AdWeek. Retrieved from http://www.adweek.com/news/advertising-branding/ad-day-axe-gets-inclusive-remarkable-ad-thats-really-pretty-magical-168996.

Taylor, P., Parker, K., Cohn, D., & Wang, W. (2013, June 14). The new American father. Washington, DC: Pew Research Center. Retrieved July 20, 2015, from http://www.pewsocialtrends.org/files/2013/06/FINAL_Fathers_report.pdf