Commitment, authenticity leads Unilever’s brand mission

Of everything Unilever has learned about the New General Market, the most resounding lesson is that consumers in this group are savvy, know when they are being “marketed to” and consequently demand authenticity in any communication.

(Click here to download the full New General Market report.)



“If you’re all talk, but haven’t taken action or made a real commitment, they’ll see right through you,” said Tamara Rogers, Unilever’s EVP personal care.



For brands with purpose, Rogers noted, companies targeting the New General Market must earn the right to talk about their efforts. Unilever has done so with its Vaseline Healing Project, a partnership with DirectRelief that aims to provide dermatological care, Vaseline products and medical supplies to heal the skin of people affected by poverty or emergencies around the world. Unilever is giving consumers the opportunity to get involved by building a relief kit on the Vaseline website or through its “buy one to help heal one” program, wherein every lotion or jelly purchase helps to support DirectRelief.



Unilever also has undertaken several brand-based initiatives aimed at demonstrating its understanding that in the New General Market one size does not fit all. Early 2015 marked the launch of the Dove Hair “Love Your Curls” campaign, after research revealed that only 4-in-10 girls believe their curly hair is beautiful. “To challenge traditional beauty ideals, we launched a film and then an illustrated children’s book,” Rogers said. “The response from women was amazing, but we knew there was still more work to be done. We realized that there was no representation of curly haired women within the Unicode Emoji Keyboard. Emojis may seem frivolous and fun, but we found that a majority of women with curly hair were feeling unable to truly express themselves with this new social language.”



Last November, Dove Hair introduced the first-ever curly hair emojis, with varying curl types, different hair colors, lengths and ethnic diversities all represented to fill the void. The company engaged a number of social influencers to drum up excitement about the Love Your Curls emoji keyboard, which has been downloaded more than 900,000 times.



For Unilever, Rogers said the key to identifying the right influencers who will make a brand movement bigger is ensuring that they have an authentic connection to a brand’s mission and that their audience is open to hearing the message.



Axe, too, exemplifies a Unilever brand that understands the New General Market. The Axe “Find Your Magic” campaign, rolled out earlier this year, encourages men to shed outdated views of masculinity and embrace their uniqueness. The campaign’s message is that everyone has something that makes them attractive to the world — whether it’s their walk, their “talk” or their style — “and that you should embrace it versus trying to fit into outdated stereotypes,” Rogers said. “We’ve seen great response from consumers who are embracing this point of view.”



Unilever continues the journey to find the innate purpose and mission of each of its brands, which it acknowledges as a critical purchase driver for the New General Market. “Globally, our Sustainable Living brands portfolio grew 30% faster than the rest of the business last year,” Rogers said. “As we determine how to bring these brand stories to life in the market, we explore unique ways to activate with our retail partners based on their distinct passion points.”



Often, the mission of a brand aligns with one or more of individual retailers’ priorities as they engage their shoppers and communities, Rogers said. She deemed the “sweet spot” for sustainable growth opportunities the point at which a retailer partners with Unilever to address shoppers’ needs while offering them ways to make a positive contribution to the world.



“When we can align priorities, address a need in our communities and drive more sales, it’s a win, win, win scenario,” Rogers said.