Why is this work relevant for Integrated?

Dove unlocked the power of purpose to re-ignite its growth Every day, TVCs, billboards and online content from hair brands glorify women with long, straight black hair, reinforcing it as the dominant beauty standard. Meanwhile, society continues to attach negative biases to any other hairstyle (e.g. short hair = masculine, curly = unkempt). As a champion for real beauty, Dove saw an opportunity to disrupt the category. We gave real women, with different hairstyles, a chance to star in their own campaign and inspire other Filipinas to wear the hair they want to wear.

Background

The Rise of Dove In just 6 years, Dove Hair became the 4th biggest hair brand in the Philippines and the 4th largest market in the world. Our brand promise of Real Beauty for Real Women, and our portfolio of relevant products for Filipina beauties, managed to land us in this coveted spot. However, fierce competition has led to stagnant growth towards the beginning of 2018. Top hair brands were outshouting Dove with product innovations and aggressive media spending to dominate share of voice. Disrupting the Category with a Purpose-Led Campaign While the category focused on innovation, we decided to grow our core, and go back to our heritage of championing real beauty. As our competitors perpetuated the old, singular standard of beautiful hair – long, straight and black locks – Dove sought to redefine what it means to have beautiful hair for Filipinas.

Describe the creative idea

My Hair, My Say An invitation for Filipinas to challenge the narrow definition of beautiful hair as predefined by society. We wanted women, and the rest of country, to re-examine biases against hair that isn’t long, straight and black. We reached out to real women, who wore their crowning glory with unique flair – those with naturally curly, short pixie, bleached blonde and color-treated locks. This unlikely cast for a typical hair commercial in the Philippines, became our muses. Their real stories of hair shaming were the inspiration for our campaign. We shed light on how society has judged these women for how they chose to wear their hair. But more importantly, we showed how they stood their ground in the face of unjust criticism.

Describe the strategy

Hair Shaming and Its Cultural Context Long, straight black hair has historically been a defining characteristic of aspirational Filipina beauty. This made Filipinos attach negative connotations to any hairstyles outside this standard. Curly hair makes you look unkempt. Colored hair means you won’t be taken seriously at work. A pixie cut makes you look masculine. For so long, the stigma has inhibited Filipinas from using their hair to express themselves. Hair shaming is an inescapable issue that plagues the workplace, social circles and online communities. Dove’s Purpose and Promise As a brand dedicated to inviting all women to realize their personal potential for beauty, we encourage Filipinas to wear the hair they want to wear. We accomplish this in two ways: • Our campaign that tells them, “My Hair, My Say” • Our products that enable them to sport their hairstyle of choice without fear of damage

Describe the execution

1. Start the Conversation We created the antithesis to hair commercial clichés. Instead of featuring highly-edited women with long, straight black hair, we showcased the beauty of real women with diverse hair types and styles. Different edits and formats of the film were aired on TV and online, depending on what works best for the native environment of each channel. 2. Explode with Meaningful Content We mounted a gallery showcasing more real women and their beautiful locks. Media and micro-influencers were invited to the event so they can help spread our message of hair diversity and acceptance to more audiences. 3. Sustain through Partnerships and Drive to Purchase To sustain conversations, we partnered with online content creators to curate more inspiring stories from real women. Films, articles and social photo storytelling were the canvasses we used. We also created e-commerce exclusive totes and limited edition packs that bannered our message.

List the results

Reach & Engagement • 2.8M Youtube and Facebook views in 1 month • 1.8M Twitter impressions • 23% Youtube view-through rate (14% benchmark) • USD 15k+ worth of media and influencer pick-ups Sales Growth During the Campaign (Q1): • Dove Hair – 7% (growing faster than total hair category at 6.5%) o Core Variant – 4% o Best Selling Variant – 11%