Everybody has probably seen the Dove ads a couple of times. Hats off to Ogilvy for providing a fresh new perspective on beauty (as it is represented in advertising) with the Campaign For Real Beauty. I commend Dove for taking the further steps by creating the Dove Self Esteem Fund. There’s no doubt that the brand values are reflected in the campaigns.
But I’m curious as to how Unilever (papa/mama bear) explains itself to consumers (or if we are being imaginative, bitter rival agencies/competitors) who post videos like the one below:
Especially when it is a response to an ad originally made by Dove:
I'm fond of ambient media, anything that steps out of the ordinary and leaves a memorable impression gets brownie points in my book. In addition to making people pause, look & think it also draws attention from the press.
The campaign for Christina Aguilera's new perfume launch in Tel Aviv is an exceptional example. The campaign sought out to build awareness and promote purchase. According to this trendsetting blog, it was executed with a budget of $353,000 that incorporated TV, magazine & "guerrilla marketing." The guerrilla marketing aspect is what strikes my fancy. Given that the tagline of the campaign is ""Sometimes, its all you need to wear" I especially like the strategic positioning of the product: on hangers! What message does this send? That the product is literally all you need to wear, or that it can be worn with what you must wear in public. On a deeper level, the use of hangers elicts the idea of getting ready to head out, a time when perfume is used by most.
Pictures of the hangers & samples of the perfume placed around Tel Aviv:
The result of this campaign makes me think of the future of advertising. As a neutral observer of the media battle, my two cents are: one medium is not the solution. Digital marketers sing about the interactive nature of the medium and how user engagement is more apparent on that landscape. However, the campaign above offers a form of engagement that breaks out of the box screen. There's no doubt that digital marketing is growing and will possibly take the lead in the current economic climate (and it will probably be a well respected discipline after "the recession"). Ultimately, I'm concerned about the creative & effective ways in which brands communicate with people and vice versa. Online, offline & both.
