The Unilever brand will pick up the tab at 10 women-owned bars around the U.S., along with running a social content series interviewing fans.
Courtesy of Dove
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Dive Brief:
- Dove is supporting its second year serving as the Official Underarm Sponsor of the US Open with a campaign that mixes video content, out-of-home ads and community engagement initiatives, according to a press release.
- The brand teamed with photographers Tyrell Hampton and Johnny Criollo to capture stylish looks and trends around the tennis tournament. A “Racquet Report” social series in partnership with the USTA will see comedian Carly Aquilino interview fans.
- Dove is picking up the tab at 10 women-owned bars around the U.S. in celebration of the Women’s Finals. “Don’t Sweat It. Make A Racket.” promotes the Unilever personal care marketer’s antiperspirant lineup and is part of Dove’s growing investments in sports.
Dive Insight:
Dove is doubling down on a sponsorship of the US Open that spotlights a sweaty body part most consumers would probably prefer not to think about in the dog days of summer. The US Open, which starts Aug. 23, arrives during an unusually hot season that could draw more demand for underarm protection.
Typical to the brand’s marketing, “Don’t Sweat It. Make A Racket.” is focused on promoting confidence and a sense of empowerment in women, including through on-the-ground experiences. The platform showcases Dove Invisible, an antiperspirant that claims to leave no white marks on clothing, and highlights tournament styles that provide side entertainment to the athletic feats on the court.
“We want to encourage everyone to ‘make a racket’ in their own way. Whether you’re making a statement with your match day outfit or cheering at home with your hands raised high, Dove helps you do it without worrying about sweat or white marks,” Kevin Tolson, head of Dove and SheaMoisture deodorants at Unilever, said in a statement.
To that end, the Unilever brand teamed with Hampton and Criollo — the latter of the popular Watching New York account — to snap pictures of people sporting trendy looks for the US Open. Dove is also working with actor-comedian Aquilino and USTA on a fan interview series that seeks to encapsulate what makes the US Open unique.
On the experiential front, Dove will have a refreshment space at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center that gives consumers a chance to touch up and take photos. The marketer is also helping supply complimentary food and drinks at women-owned bars around the U.S. in a play that could shore up its connections with tennis fans.
Dove will run out-of-home ads in support of “Don’t Sweat It. Make A Racket.,” which follows Unilever’s personal care portfolio having a large presence at the World Cup earlier this summer. The FIFA pact was the CPG giant’s largest sports partnership activation to date and placed an emphasis on creator marketing, factoring in more than 50,000 global content creators. Unilever’s personal care segment grew underlying sales by 5.9% in Q2, in part thanks to the World Cup activities.
“The FIFA World Cup has been a pivotal moment for Unilever,” CEO Fernando Fernandez said on a recent earnings call when discussing the results of the World Cup sponsorship. “We believe that this is a proof of what Unilever is creating in terms of a new social-first model of reach and engagement for our brands at a scale that I personally believe very few companies can match.”
Dove became the Official Underarm Sponsor of the US Open last year with a campaign that sought a creator ambassador to fulfill a N.U.L. (Name, Underarm, Likeness) deal and film content at the tournament. Degree, a sister brand at Unilever, has also been ramping up its sweat-themed messaging, including through a recent effort that renamed New York City subway stations to better reflect their hellish temperatures during the summer.
Filed Under:Creative,Social Media,Brand Strategy
