1. Ariana Buzzelli Consumer Behavior
Assignment 1- Life Style Marketing October 6, 2016
Dove is a popular personal care brand that strives to provide its customers with
quality products as well as send out an important message regarding women’s true
beauty. Their products consist of soaps, body washes, lotions, hair care, and deodorants
that are gentle yet effective in improving and amplifying one’s natural beauty. Dove
wants all women to realize their personal beauty potential and to feel confident in their
own skin. The company has created the Dove Real Beauty Campaign and the Dove Self-
Esteem Fund to encourage girls and women to realize how beautiful they truly are
(https://www.facebook.com/DoveUS/info).
Women are the primary users of Dove products, although they do have a line
specifically for men called Dove Men+Care. Women are the primary target market while
men are the secondary target market and don’t receive as much attention when it comes
to marketing costs and campaigns (http://arieljean.writersresidence.com). Dove’s target
audience ranges from young adults to middle-aged women, predominantly between the
ages of 18 and 35. At this age, women are conscious of what they use on their skin but
are generally beyond the point of being extremely concerned with acne and too young to
be excessively worried about wrinkles. They want a product that is trustworthy and
effective without being too pricey. These women care about their well-being, and most
likely take the time to exercise and prepare healthy meals for themselves and their
families. They are low-maintenance, largely because they are kept busy whether they are
in school trying to finish a degree or revolving their lives around their children. Even if
they have a high income, they are modest and do not attempt to appear as high-fashion
individuals. They are real women who are confident and have worked hard to get where
they are in life. They are successful because they have either had a thriving career, have
2. Ariana Buzzelli Consumer Behavior
Assignment 1- Life Style Marketing October 6, 2016
created a beautiful family, or like most of these women, have accomplished both. These
women don’t place an importance on makeup, but they are conscious of personal hygiene
and taking care of their bodies. Picture a 35-year-old woman, Charlotte, who is married
with two children ages eleven and seven. This woman has attended college and works
part time now that she is a mother. She lives in a suburban neighborhood and partakes in
activities that are family oriented. She is an average height and weight, and has red curly
hair and pale skin with freckles that she has never been entirely fond of. Now that she has
a pre-teen daughter, Haley, who has her same freckles and hair, she wants to embrace
these characteristics so that her daughter knows that she is beautiful and shouldn’t want
to change anything about her appearance. Instead
of dying her hair and using products that will help
to straighten it, she uses Dove shampoo and
conditioner for curly hair. As opposed to buying
expensive makeup to cover up her freckles, she uses Dove body wash and moisturizer to
nourish her sensitive skin. Dove products help her to amplify her natural beauty.
Dove positions its brand as high quality for a fair price. It is more expensive than
the store-brand, but less expensive and more readily available than high-end skincare
lines such as Clinique or DermaDoctor. Users trust that the brand is concerned with their
well-being, and wouldn’t exaggerate product benefits or use puffery in their marketing
campaigns. With the creation of the Dove Real Beauty Campaign and Dove Self-Esteem
Fund, Dove has been spreading the message that every woman is beautiful and should
feel comfortable and confident in her own skin (http://www.dove.us/Our-Mission/Girls-
Self-Esteem/default.aspx.) Dove product lines appeal to women who, regardless of their
3. Ariana Buzzelli Consumer Behavior
Assignment 1- Life Style Marketing October 6, 2016
status or income, place an importance on health and hygiene but not on make-up or
presenting themselves as trendy and high fashion. These women view Dove products as
wholesome, simplistic, natural, and gentle. Dove is for real woman who have discovered
their true beauty and want to inspire others to do the same.
4. Ariana Buzzelli Consumer Behavior
Assignment 1- Life Style Marketing October 6, 2016
References
1. "Dove." Facebook. N.p., 2014. Web. 05 Oct. 2014.
<https://www.facebook.com/DoveUS/info>.
2. Cole, Lauren, Michael DeGothseir, Ariel Grodofsky, Ashlee Mercogliano, and
Ashley Smyth. "Find Your Scents of Confidence." Writersresidence.com. N.p.,
Apr. 2013. Web. 5 Oct. 2014.
<http%3A%2F%2Farieljean.writersresidence.com%2Fsystem%2Fattachments%2
Ffiles%2F30418%2Foriginal%2FDoveCampaign2013.pdf%3F1369246448>.
3. "The Dove Social Mission." The Dove Social Mission. Unilever, 2014. Web. 05
Oct. 2014. <http://www.dove.us/Our-Mission/Girls-Self-Esteem/default.aspx>.