Dove

Dove has a global creative team and culture capable of dealing with rapidly changing markets and high pressure workloads, while also delivering ideas that add bonus value to the brand.  

The Ad Makeover

The Dove Ad Makeover is an example of a creative culture working at it's best. Dove believes every woman has the right to feel beautiful, and it's this belief that acts as the master brand's constant creative brief. 

Ideas are discussed as they arise, then judged against the brand values and their possible cultural impact. Most importantly, client and agency work together to maximise the reach of the idea. 

This digital campaign for Dove gave Facebook users the power to displace adverts that preyed on their insecurities and made them feel bad about themselves. This was the first app that gave people access to the Facebook Ad Auction API to outbid negative advertisers for the keywords they typically use to target women. It ran in Australia, the UK, Brazil and 17 other countries, displacing 3.3 Billion negative ads.

This project was completely developed in-house at Ogilvy London and took about 5 weeks from concept to deployment. 

The value of a creative business culture

As Worldwide Creative Director on Dove I lead a multi-disciplined team that could cope with change and excel at the product advertising that is the lifeblood of the brand. That included global creative guidelines that gave everyone on Dove, agencies and clients, a framework to judge the value of an idea. That common understanding gave confidence to the agency, network and clients, to dream bigger and experiment more. 

The period of 2010-2013 showed a huge turnaround in Dove's reputation through consistent and culturally resonant work that was recognised around the world and inside Unilever. This was a direct result of the business fundamentals done well, a clear brand idea and the efforts of a creative culture.

The creative perspective

  • Only a client can unlock the full value of a creative culture

  • Creativity adds value to a business, it's not a pursuit for it's own sake

  • Brands need to make an effort to participate meaningfully in culture

  • Creative teams need to balance resilience, imagination and results to thrive

Credits & Links

Unilever
Dove
Ogilvy London

Awards

Cannes
~ Silver Cyber Lion
~ Bronze Cyber Lion
~ Silver PR Lion
Campaign BIG
~ Paul Arden Award for Innovation
~ Silver in Beauty
Jay Chiat Awards for Strategic Excellence
~ Gold in Social Media
~ Silver in For-Good
~ Silver in Creative Technology
~ Bronze in Brand Experience
London International Awards
~ Gold in The New
~ Silver in Social Media
~ Silver in Digital Apps
~ Silver in Digital Advertising
Epica Awards
~ Gold in Beauty
~ Silver in Social Networks
~ Silver in Online Ads
~ Silver in Integrated
D&AD
~ In Book - Digital Advertising
~ In Book - Use of Social Media
~ In Book - Digital Direct Response
Clios
~ Gold in Engagement
~ Gold in Direct
One Show Interactive
~ Gold Pencil in Social Media
PIAF Awards
~ 2 x Gold
Creative Circle
~ Silver in Direct - Best Innovation
Communication Arts
APG Awards
~ Silver
DMAs
~ Gold in Best Creative Solution or Innovation
~ Gold in Best Use of Technology
~ Gold in Best use of Data in a Digital Campaign
~ Gold in Best Online Display Advertising
Cassies
~ Gold for Best Integrated
~ Gold for Sustained Growth
~ Grand Prix